Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-02
MONEY IN RAISING PETS.
Large Paper Profits Can Be Figured
on White Rabbits.
From Pearson's Magazine

FROM PearSons Magazine.
White rabbits are the best pets to start
with, because they do not cost more than q
dollar each when at mature age, and there
Is always a ready market for the young
ones In every large city. dealers being will
ling to pay % cents apiece at all times, and
from so to IS cents at Easter. Mrs. Bunny
usually rears five families during the year,
making an average of thirty title ones,
which. counting minimum prices. makes it
safe to estimate Sc profit to be added to
the home income for every mother rabbit.
Each doe should have a hutch two and n
half feet long. two feet wide, and two high.
We get the empty cases in which shoes are
shipped to the general store in the village,
at g. cost of cents each. BY turning them
on the side. hutch of just the right d,men-
sions is obtained. needing only a door, the
frame Of which can be easily made from
laths. Cut two pieces the exact length of
the case. two pieces the exact width, rule a
pencil line two inches from each end, place
a fine saw lengthwise over the line and
cut the lath evenly half through It's thick
ness. Then with a sharp pocxetknife or
chisel remove the severed portion, go max
Ing the corners join without either side of
the frame being uneven. / believe in car
penter's vernacular the process Is referred
TO as 'mortise joint" When the frame
Is finished. cover with one-inch wire netting
and attach to the bottom of the hutch by
hinges placed four inches from each end.
A screw hook and eye at the top make a
secure fastening. Bore three holes. half
an inch in diameter. in the back corners OF
the floor of the hutch, and 1t Is ready for
Its furnishings, which consist OF a nest-box
fourteen to twelve inches in size, with an
arched hole seven inches high and four
wide. cut In the front, and two small pans
for feed and water. Brown earthen butter
crooks, or the zinc dishes used in parrots
cages are the best. If the latter are chosen
f,,fn &l,A -1I ~
hutch in which to hook the pans. A row
OF such rabbit houses can be kepc in the
barn or wood-shed. If a bench two feet high
Is made of rough boards for them to stand
on. When placing the hutches, let them
slant slightly to the back, so that all moist
ure may drain through the holes.
Five does and a buck are sufficient to
commence with. Put each into separate
hutch, and after they become accustomed
to their surroundings let each doe In turn
visit the bucks hutch for a few hours or
a day. Should they fight viciously, return
the doe to her own hutch until the next
week. Never risk putting the buc, into
does hutch for they usually resent the IN
trusion with tooth and nail.
Soon after Mrs. Bunny returns to her own
hutch she will commence to gather up the
bedding In her mouth, and carry It Into the
nest-box. When 1t Is filled with the hay
she hollows out round hole in the center,
which she then lines with fur pulled from
her own body. After thirty days 1t Will be
occupied by sightless, furless little crea-
lures; but not hint will Mrs. Bunny give
you of the fact until, the nine days OF In
fantile ugliness being past, she allows them
to run out of the hutch for few minutes
at time. Then you may chance to get a
glimpse of one hurrying out of sight when
you go to feed them; but not until the six
teenth day do they really play about and
eat solid food.
When six weeks old. all the babies can
be taken away from the mother and placed
in a large hutch for two or three wee rs, 10
gain strength and self-reliance.
II you wish to increase your stock Keep
one or two baby does from each family.
They can be kept together In one hutch IN,
til four months old, after which they should
be allowed to have individual establish
ments This will, of course, necessita.e the
purchase of another buck to prevent IN
breeding. After successful results have
made YOU an enthusiast on the rabbit sub
feet there are many varieties which can DC
gradually added to the establishment, pui
don't attempt Himalayans or Du,ch until
you have mastered some of the problems or
paternai Influences on color and markings.