Dutchworks Rabbitry
Hunters Ridge Farm
Breeders of Quality Show Rabbits for over 29 years!
Rabbit Basics 101
Raising Rabbits is Fun
Rabbits are fun to raise except when you have to go out and take care of them at 10 below zero. Considering this is the exception rather than the rule, we'll assume that, generally speaking, they are fun to raise. You may have different reasons for raising them - enjoyment, education, business, show, laboratory, meat, fur, and the bi-products they produce, such as fertilizer and fishing worms.
Don't expect to make a profitable business raising rabbits. Only a small minority of those who raise rabbits are capable of making a living out of it. Consider it, rather, an enjoyable hobby that can help pay for itself. Raising rabbits gets in your blood. Once you've had some good rabbits, you want to keep them around.
Join
Before you get too many rabbits, it would be a good idea for you to join the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The low membership fee includes a very good booklet on raising rabbits. It lists all of the recognized domestic breeds of rabbits along with their characteristics. Membership in ARBA includes a subscription to Domestic Rabbits magazine that supplies you with helpful articles on rabbit raising. Each year you will also get a book listing the more than 35,000 ARBA members and their addresses. You will easily find rabbit fanciers living close to you.
If you start showing your rabbits, you'll need to be a member of
Check out
Purchase Only Pedigree Rabbits
Usually, it's not a good idea to go out and buy rabbits from someone who can't give you a good pedigree certificate. Without knowing a rabbit's ancestry, neither it nor its offspring to the fourth generation may become grand champions. You risk getting a mixed rabbit (one that is not of a specific breed), a low quality specimen of a particular breed that someone knew was poor and sold it as a pet, or a rabbit that has serious genetic defects. The principle of only buying animals with a pedigree applies anywhere. When acquiring a dog, why get a mutt, even though it might be free, when you can buy a pedigree whose offspring you can sell for more than five times the price you paid?
Even if you are purchasing a rabbit only as a pet, if you are planning on keeping the rabbit for any length of time, you need to consider its resale value. You may also later decide to raise rabbits on a larger scale. Having a pedigree certificate ensures that you are starting out right. When breeders give you a pedigree certificate, they are putting their reputation on the line. They are guaranteeing the background of the rabbit, specifying themselves as the owners, and authenticating it by their signature. Also, unless they're stupid, they're not going to knowingly sell you a defective rabbit. They wouldn't stay in business long. Those that cannot provide a pedigree certificate may not be an expert raising rabbits. They may knowingly or unknowingly sell you one that is sick or has a genetic defect. Usually they are not very helpful in getting you started right. Stick with recognized breeders of pedigree rabbits that will provide you with a certificate.
Keep in mind, however, that pedigree certificates can be falsified by the person selling you the rabbit. It is best to buy from a reputable person. Try getting a recommendation from someone who shows rabbits. They usually know the good breeders.
If you want added protection, purchase a Registered Rabbit. A registered rabbit is one which an
The key idea is to purchase your rabbits from a reputable person who can help you with your questions after the sale, one who is recommended by others, and one who guarantees the rabbits you purchase.
Pick Your Breed
I suppose the most difficult decision in raising rabbits is selecting the breed you want to raise.
Breeds are characterized by size, shape, ears, fur texture, sheen, and color. In some breeds, the individual fur characteristics are combined. The main fur types are:
Angora - The fur grows very long and is shaved or plucked and woven into yarn to be used in making Angora sweaters, hats, and mittens. The long haired rabbits can become a real problem for the casual rabbit breeder. Their fur has a tendency to matt and shed. It's a real bear trying to clean the cages that have long hair everywhere. The hair also floats out and settles on anything in your rabbitry.
Satin - The fur has a special shine to it. It is used to make fine fur coats and hats.
Rex - The fur has a velvety touch and is short. It is used also to make fine fur coats and hats.
Multi-color fur - The fur is made up of two or three colors. Rarely will you find a fur coat made with these because of the problem of matching the patterns and colors. They are sometimes found in small furred items. Certain color patterns are sought for by judges when showing these types of rabbits.
Dwarf Breeds
The smallest breeds, the Dwarfs, vary in size from 1-3/4 to 3-1/2 lbs. They include:
Britannia Petite (White, black, black otter, or chestnut agouti) 1-1/2 - 2-1/2 lbs
Dwarf Hotot (White with black around its eyes) 2 - 3 lbs
Jersey Wooley (Many colors -
Netherland Dwarf (Many colors) 1-3/4 - 2-1/2 lbs
Polish (Black, blue, chocolate, blue eyed white, ruby eyed white, and broken) 2 - 3-1/2 lbs
These rabbits, as a group, are less than 3-1/2 pounds mature. These are the rabbits you will want to raise if you want small pets that don't consume much feed (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per day) and take up the least amount of cage space (about 2-1/2 sq ft). Many times, these are the only rabbits that pet stores will buy. You can expect to fetch about $7.00 from pet stores without having to supply a pedigree. The pet store will turn around and sell them for about $30.00. When you sell to other breeders and provide a pedigree, you can expect from $15.00 to $40.00 or even $100.00 or more for a grand champion. Price depends on the rabbit's show background, quality, and heritage, including the production characteristics of its parents.
The Netherland Dwarf is the breed in greatest demand. The Netherland Dwarf has the most
The problems you will run into with any of the dwarf breeds mentioned are the following:
The average litter size is 2 - 4 bunnies, as opposed to the larger breeds which have 6 - 12 bunnies.
The genes responsible for making a dwarf rabbit, in certain combinations is lethal. This combination occurs in 25% of the rabbits. The one having this gene usually dies within 4 days after birth.
Dwarf rabbits are more susceptible to coccidiosis, an intestinal parasite that many times proves lethal to the young rabbits between three and ten weeks of age.
Small Breeds
The next group of rabbits make up the small size breeds. They vary from about 2-1/
American Fuzzy Lop (Many colors -
Dutch (The feet, front half of torso and face are white, the other parts can be black, blue, chocolate, tortoise, steel, or brown-gray) 3-1/2 - 5-1/2 lbs
Himalayan (White with colored ears, nose, feet, and tail of black, blue, lilac, or chocolate) 2-1/2 - 4-1/2 lbs
Holland Lop (Lop ears - Many colors) 2-1/2 - 4 lbs
Mini Rex (Rex coat - Many colors) 3 - 4-1/2 lbs
Medium Size Breeds
The next group of rabbits make up the medium size breeds. This group is characterized by weights ranging from 4-1/2 to 7 pounds mature. These rabbits consume between 1/2 and 1 cup of feed per day and take up 5 sq ft of cage space. Usually, pet stores don't want these breeds except possibly around Easter. The medium breeds produce an acceptable amount of meat on small bones. Some commercial meat rabbit breeders raise these breeds. But they usually prefer the next group - the meat rabbits, because the feed-to-meat conversion ratio is apparently better. Usually, those that raise the medium size rabbits like to show them and eat the ones that don't make the grade. Some of these rabbits are raised for their fur as well.
Rabbits that make up this group of medium breeds include the following:
American Sable (Also good for meat) 7-10 lbs
English Angora (Many colors) 5 - 7-1/2 lbs
French Angora (Many colors - good also for meat) 7-1/2 - 10-1/2 lbs
Satin
Belgian Hare (Not seen much - different body style) 6 - 9-1/2 lbs
Standard Chinchilla 5 - 7-1/2 lbs
English Spot (White with spots of black, blue, chocolate, gold, gray, lilac, or tortoise) 5 - 8 lbs
Harlequin (Has alternate bands of color) 6-1/2 - 9-1/2 lbs
Lilac 5-1/2 - 8 lbs
Mini Lop (Lop ears - Many colors) 4-1/2 - 6-1/2 lbs
Rhinelander (White with spots of black and orange) 6-1/2 - 10 lbs
Silver (Black, brown, or fawn with white ticking) 4 - 7 lbs
Silver Marten (Black, blue, chocolate, or sable with white on belly, flanks, jaw lines, and eye circles) 6 - 9-1/2 lbs
Tan (Black, blue, chocolate, or lilac with tan on belly, flanks, jaw lines, and eye circles) 4 - 6 lbs
Meat Rabbits
Meat Rabbits make up the next group. They are characterized by weights between 8 and 12 pounds. These rabbits are raised for both meat and fur. Some of these may also be considered fancy rabbits because they have unusual fur, color, or ear characteristics. Most of these rabbits are shown a great deal. Rabbits in the meat group consume about 1-1/4 cup of feed per day and take up 7-1/2 sq ft of cage space. The rabbits that make up the meat group include:
American (Blue or White) 9 - 12 lbs
Beveren (Black, Blue, or White) 8 - 12 lbs
Californian (White with black ears, nose, feet, and tail) 8 - 10-1/2 lbs
Champagne D'Argent (Starts as black, mature is silver) 9 - 12 lbs
American Chinchilla 9 - 12 lbs
Cinnamon 8-1/2 - 11 lbs
Creme D'Argent 8 - 11 lbs
Hotot (White with black around its eyes) 8 - 11 lbs
English Lop (Many colors - giant lop ears) 9 - 14 lbs
French Lop (Many colors - regular lop ears) 10 - 15 lbs
Palomino 8 - 11 lbs
Satin (Shiny coat - many colors) 8-1/2 - 11 lbs
Silver Fox (fur resembles fox) 9 - 12 lbs
The Giants
The next group of rabbits are the Giants. These are raised because some breeders just like giant rabbits. They can sometimes weigh up to 25 pounds. The giants require 1-3/4 - 2 cups of feed per day and 11 - 12 sq ft of cage space. The giant breeds also require stronger cages. Because few people raise these rabbits, they are more rare than the other breeds. It takes a strong person to lift these rabbits, so their demand is not great and thus harder to sell. They are mainly used for meat and fur. The feed-to-meat conversion ratio is less than the meat group. The giants include:
Checkered Giant (White with spots of black or blue) weight over 11 lbs
Giant Chinchilla 12 - 16 lbs
Flemish Giant (Black, blue, fawn, light gray, sandy, steel gray, or white) weight over 13 lbs
Feed Requirements
You should use rabbit pellets from a reputable source that has been supplying rabbit feed for many years. Each day, a rabbit will eat approximately one fluid ounce of feed per pound of weight. There are 8 fl oz in one cup. So a four pound rabbit will eat about 4 oz or 1/2 cup of feed. An eight pound rabbit, about 1 cup. Do not feed a rabbit more than one day's supply of feed at a time unless you will be gone the weekend. If you allow your rabbit to get fat, it will not breed very well, the judge will disqualify it in shows, and the rabbit will have a much higher risk of dying.
Every now and then supplement the rabbit's diet with hay. This will supply it with good roughage. You can also use the hay to line the nest boxes when they are ready to give birth. Make sure the rabbits have fresh water in front of them at all times. Never feed your rabbits lettuce or cole family vegetables such as cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or broccoli. They can get enteritis and possibly die. Never feed them meat. The safest thing to do is to just stick to rabbit pellets and hay.
Cage Requirements
All rabbits should be raised in hutches that have 1/2" x 1/2" or 1/2" x 1" galvanized wire mesh bottoms. This will allow their droppings to fall through. If they stay on any other type of surface that allows their feces to accumulate, it will cause disease because of the bacterial and possible parasitic build up. It is usually best to surround the rabbit with wire or metal because the rabbit will chew threw wood or plastic that they can get at. Be sure to protect the rabbit from the sun, wind, rain, and extremely hot or cold temperatures. Use an automatic feeder that can be filled without opening the cage. Also, I like to use feeder bottles with nipples pointing into the cage. This type prevents contamination and overturning that bowls experience. It's also OK to use large tin cans tied with wire to the sides of the hutch.
I find that it's better to purchase cages from a cage maker. They usually do a good job for not much more than the materials would cost you. But if you want to make your own cages, allow 0.75 square feet of space for each pound of adult weight. For instance, if a rabbit's adult weight is 10 pounds, multiply 0.75 by 10. This gives 7.5 sq ft. This can be attained by building a cage 3 ft x 2.5 ft (3 x 2.5 = 7.5). The height should be 18 inches. If the adult's weight is 3 pounds, multiply 0.75 by 3. This gives 2.25 sq ft. You can build the cage 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft (18" x 18"). Its height, because it is a small rabbit, can be 15".
Never make the hutch more than 3 ft deep or the sides more than 3 feet from your grasp. Otherwise, you'll have trouble getting the rabbit out when you need to.
Do not put rabbits together after they are 3 months of age. The ones of the same sex are territorial and will fight. The ones of opposite sex will attempt to breed. This can lead to unexpected results.
Important Considerations
It's an excellent idea to join the American Rabbit Breeders Association (
Check out
Only purchase rabbits from an established breeder who will stand behind the sale with a signed certificate of pedigree. Any other way invites problems such as genetic defects, disease, and bad specimens of the breed. You also must have a pedigree to show a rabbit or to sell pedigreed offspring.
Select a breed that you want to become an expert in. You should love that breed. Concentrate on what judges are looking for in that breed. Strive to attain the perfect standard. When others know you have high quality rabbits, they will beat a path to your door.
Your cages should give you easy access, be self cleaning, and provide good protection for your rabbits. They should not be too small.
Feed rabbits the correct amount of rabbit pellets for their size and occasionally supplement their diet with alfalfa hay. Do not feed them too much - a fat rabbit has lost stamina and doesn't breed well.
Do not put rabbits together after they are 3 months old until you are ready to breed them at 6 months. The subject of breeding is covered in another section.
As a side note, when you get your book on raising rabbits from
Finally, protect your rabbits from other animals, especially from dogs and raccoons. They'll do a number on your rabbits if given the chance.
Source: http://www.debmark.com/rabbits/basics.htm
Alfalfa Pellets Are Not Equal
by Sylvia Hess
Many years ago I tried to economize by purchasing a less expensive brand of rabbit feed. Within two weeks my rabbits had lost all condition and it took two months of good feed to regain the previous condition. This, and other subsequent feed problems have caused me to become a label reader and to begin questioning feed manufacturers.
All of these feed companies have "quality control inspectors". Some feed mills work around the clock and under different supervision which can result in less quality control on some shifts. Human programmed computers have added too much of one or more ingredients resulting in toxic feed. Most of us have bought feed pellets that turned out to be mostly feed dust. Some companies add "binders" to glue the pellets together! The protein level of the alfalfa is higher when it is cut at the right stage of growth. Even the dirt that the alfalfa is grown in is important as some dirt is lacking in essential minerals and this is why most companies add minerals to the feed. All rabbit alfalfa pellets should be consumed within 60 days of manufacture to maintain a high consistency of feed quality. Alfalfa should be the first ingredient listed, as in most states the law requires listing of ingredients in descending order of predominance.
The first challenge is to find the feed your stock does the best on. In my case it turned out to be feed that is 15% to 16% protein, 20% to 25% fiber, oats used as the grain product, no corn, and no growth hormones. Holland Lop rabbit's intestines are very sensitive and seem to do better on lower protein and higher fiber. Corn can put on a layer of fat and is suspected of being an enteritis causing agent by some people. You might be surprised by how many rabbit feed pellets contain growth hormones which you do not want to feed to dwarf breeds of rabbits! Feed pellets usually contain barley or oats and my Hollands like the oat formula better. I use this feed all year, sometimes supplementing with a smidgen of calf manna for a slightly higher level of protein for the busy herd buck and the good producing doe. The calf manna label does show "corn" included but this small amount has not had any adverse effects.
Assuming that you have found a feed you and your rabbits are happy with, you must not take it for granted that this feed will always be top quality. If you buy a bag and the feed looks or smells different - take it back to the feed store and demand a refund. Telephone the feed company that manufactures your brand and let them know why you are dissatisfied. Be sure to keep the code number off the bag of substandard feed. Be sure to let management know that you are raising expensive show stock - that does have an impact and gets wheels moving faster. If your feed manufacturer does not seem interested in your areas of concern, it is time to find a feed company that cares about their customer's satisfaction.
What if your feed looks and smells normal to you but for some reason your entire herd (or the majority of it) wants nothing to do with it? Immediately pull every last pellet away from all your stock. This is a loud and clear message that there is something wrong with the feed. Take a sample of the feed in for an independent analysis. If you do not want to change feed abruptly, you can feed grass hay and flat oats while waiting for the analysis report. This is one time to trust your rabbits opinion of the feed!
A good feed pellet does not need supplementation, it contains everything the rabbits need. Fur and condition are inherited and these qualities need to be bred into our Hollands. However, most of us do supplement feed - but this should only be a small part of the daily rations.
Basic Guidelines
by Susan Weaver, TX
FOOD: To Feed or Not to Feed
When you first get started you will ask everyone who will stand still about feed. I have heard of feeding everything from bacon to comfrey. I have found that most of the old breeders try to raise a rabbit that will do well on a good fresh basic rabbit pellet & water with a possible supplemental grain. Most breeders want to raise a hardy, meaty, health, prolific, trouble free rabbit that can genetically pass on these features. If you have to medicate & supplement too much, you are working too hard. Also always keep your feed in dry covered containers.
CLEANING: Clean, Clean, Clean, YES - CLEAN
I have found this guideline doesn't change. Cleanliness & ventilation are two of the most important things that you can give your rabbits. Removing the poop and urine on a regular basis is very important. Ammonia & odor in the barn are detrimental to rabbits & can cause an enormity of problems from respiratory to flies carrying germs. I recommend a stringent cleaning program with a good odor removing produce and disinfectant. This includes cleaning the cages, pans, feeders and watering containers, and scrubbing walls & removing hair & webs from cages.
WATER-FRESH CLEAN water and plenty of it! It is the most important nutrient!
For those of you who raise and/or show rabbits, I'm going to share my own findings on feeding and watering.
I have tried many different pelleted feeds. This should make up the largest percentage of your herd's diet, so it's very important. Feed should be two important things. Fresh and consistent. Freshness is important to the rabbit, because this affects the palatability of the feed. If they don't eat it, it can't help them. Consistency is also important, because a big change in their routine, can make them turn up their nose at it, whether it be the texture, size or smell, they won't eat it. You are best off buying a feed that has some sort of visible dating method, so you can see just how long your feed has been out of the mill. Different feeds may vary from one mill to the next on quality. This is why one person might find a certain brand desirable, where another might find it horrible. The quality is at the mercy of the people working in the mill from which it comes. Freshness may also depend on the distributor and how long they keep the product before it's sold. With this in mind, I'll share my experiences:
The amount of feed you feed your animal should depend on several variables. 1- How large your rabbit should be. 2-How active your rabbit is. 3-How hungry your rabbit is.
If your rabbit is starving all the time, you have to figure they aren't getting enough to eat. You can figure 1 ounce for each pound of adult body weight, but that isn't always a firm method. If your rabbit is very active and hungry, they need more. If they hold their condition on much less feed, they need less. We feed our 3-4 pound rabbitsfrom 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup. It is important to clean out your rabbits' feeders after each day, before you put more feed in, paying close attention to what was in there. If there was nothing, day after day, and their condition seems "thin or rough" you might want to give them an extra ounce or so of feed. On the other hand, if they leave feed daily, and they are in good condition and active, they don't need as much and would be better with no stale feed sitting in their feeder. Of course, if you notice a rabbit suddenly not finishing his feed, it's best to look into his health and how his stools look, and how much water he is drinking.
Grain supplements are something that we choose to give our rabbits. There are people that don't believe in this, and of course, they're entitled to their opinion on it. The reason we do this, is to stimulate their appetites. They love it, and they deserve it and it does seem to help hold condition, and is a good barometer to their health. If they don't finish that grain, you know right away that they are not well, and to start watching their excrements. Plain and simple, it is for them more than for us. We use a mixture of rolled oats[resembling old fashioned oatmeal], flaked barley and a small amount of black oil sunflower seeds. We give them around a tablespoon of this mixture. Some rabbits don't care much for the barley. It seems to be an acquired taste, but if they'll eat it, it's a great grain for holding the condition they've already achieved. Oats are very tasty and we use them, exclusively, for does with litters and kits until they're around 4 months old. The added fat content helps in the growing process and they're not inclined to cause loose stools. I know I've mentioned the stool consistency frequently, but this is one of the biggest killers of young rabbits and we've worked over the years to decrease the mortality rate to this ailment. I will mention other things we've found to keep it down, along the way.
Hay consumption is extremely important. Fiber is valuable to keep the fur they ingest, grooming, moving through their system and to lower the protein content in their feed intake, if they need it.I use hay racks to keep it available all the time, instead of falling through the wire. If mine appear that they're not quite right and not wanting to eat, I throw in extra hay, outside the rack and they'll usually eat that if nothing else. Keeping them eating something, anything, can make all the difference in their health. I use good quality, grass hay. Make sure it's dried well, with no mold. Give this to them all the time. Keep it available even if they don't eat it all every day. If they're not feeling right, they'll need it.
The schedule we use for feeding is: supplements and watering in the late morning, and pellets and hay in the evening. Of course, for those that work outside the home, another schedule would work just as well, as long as you're consistent.
Remember, the keys to good management are observation and sanitation. Watch what they're eating and drinking. Keep their feed and water receptacles as clean as the environment allows.
Original article and author is at http://www.geocities.com/hollands3354/feed.html
Preparing Your Rabbit For Cold Weather
By
TEX THOMAS - Heinold Feeds - Rabbit Specialist
As winter approaches there are a few basic needs for your rabbit that should be addressed. First and foremost are environmental concerns. A rabbit will stand the stress of cold weather much better than they handle the stress associated with extreme heat. Cold weather will invigorate your rabbit and bring out its natural playfulness. That does not mean that you can ignore your rabbits needs with winter's onset. If you live in extreme climatic areas, it is probably best to try moving your rabbit into a garage or barn. It does not need to be a heated facility. and the rabbit will actually appreciate and flourish being in an unheated area. The key function of the housing is to avoid the drafts and swirls of winter air which can leave your rabbit stressed and lead to colds, just as in humans.
If it is not possible to bring your rabbit into a structure, then some form of protection from the wind must be provided. You would want to move the rabbit cage to the South side of any building or wind break that you had available. (That is assuming that your prevailing cold winds come from the North in your area.) Plastic sheeting stapled to the sides of the cage works well in further breaking the wind from your rabbit, and has the added advantage of allowing sunlight to penetrate and assist in naturally warming your rabbit. if you use plastic sheeting or any other type of wood side covering for your cage, you must remember to run it down near to the ground to prevent drafting from below. I say "near" the ground because you must leave a space for the rabbit to get fresh air. Next to drafts, closing rabbits up too tight is the next largest mistake many breeders make during cold weather.
Rabbits must have fresh air! Closing a rabbit off too tight will lead to just as many colds and respiratory problems as leaving the rabbit out in a draft. Whatever form of building material that you use on the outside cage must leave at least one area for the circulation of fresh air to reach the rabbit. This may be in the form of running plastic to the ground on one or two sides and leaving 6 inches or so of circulation room on the other two sides, or just running the protective layer on three sides of the lower portion of the cage. Likewise, rabbits that have been moved into garages or barns must have fresh air circulation during the winter. Too often rabbits are caged in tight facilities with too high a concentration of rabbit population to allow natural ventilation to reach the rabbits. If a barn or garage is used for any quantity of rabbits, then provisions must be made to vent the old air to the outside and bring fresh air into the facility. This may be accomplished in small areas with a simple kitchen exhaust fan or box fan which is set to blow outward. Leaving a garage door or a remote barn door slightly open will allow for the inflow of necessary fresh air. A good rule of thumb is that if you walk into a rabbitry and find that the smell of ammonia is distinctly noticeable to your nose, then it is bad for your rabbit as well.
The next critical need of your rabbit for winter is water. Just as in the summer, water is necessary for the rabbit to adequately digest its feed and provide the energy for resisting the stress of colder weather. Even on freezing days, the rabbit should have fresh, ice free water to drink at least twice a day. It is especially important to insure that the animal has water at feeding time, as this is the time when the largest amount of consumption takes place. One easy solution on extreme cold days is to keep two sets of rotating crocks and take a set of frozen crocks into a heated area to thaw while you interchange with the defrosted crocks to water. Another solution is to add only lightly more water to the crock than the rabbit will drink before it freezes. You can sometimes get several days watering out of one set of crocks by this method, but at some time you are going to have to break out the built up ice and start with a fresh crock.
Feed needs to be slightly increased during the colder weather. A rabbit burns off more calories just trying to maintain its body heat during this period. Don't overfeed to the extent that you are building fat in the rabbit or you will find that breeding in the Spring will be difficult. This is a time for nature to slim down some of the internal fat in your rabbit and your feeding program should only insure that your rabbits maintains during this period of cold weather. For a mature animal, it should not be a time of fattening up, or you will have more problems during breeding season. For a young developing animal, it should be a time of sustained growth and development, without over-fattening.
In summation, provide your rabbit with an adequate supply of fresh air in an environment which is draft free. Keep fresh water and use an appropriate feeding program and you will be rewarded in Spring with a healthy and happy rabbit.
