While rabbits are well-known for being cute and fuzzy creatures, they can also be very difficult to care for. Whether you're an experienced rabbit farmer or building your first hutch for a pet bunny, The Rabbit-Raising Problem Solver has answers to all of your most pressing questions. In a handy question-and-answer format Karen Patry expertly addresses every aspect of rabbit care, including housing, feeding, breeding, kindling, health, and behavior. This informative, easy-to-use guide has reliable, humane solutions that will keep your animals healthy and happy. A practical Q&A resource for every rabbit raiser, whether they raise their animals as pets, for meat, or for fiber. Karen Patry owns Aurora Rex Rabbit Ranch and runs the website, raising-rabbits.com. She is a member of the American Rabbit Breeder's Association and the National Rex Rabbit Club. She lives in Port Angeles, Washington. Preface Part 1 All About Rabbits: From Wild to Domestic Chapter 1 The Nature of the Beast Run, Rabbit, Run Eat, Rabbit, Eat Family and Social Life Basic Bunny Biology Chapter 2 The Rabbit as a Pet Rabbit Care 101 What Kind of Rabbit? Shopping for a Pet Rabbit Bringing Your Bunny Home Thinking Inside the (Litter) Box The Playful Rabbit Chapter 3 The Business of Raising Rabbits Looking at Meat Breeds Looking at Fiber Breeds Let's Talk Genetics Managing a Rabbitry Part 2 Basic Care of Rabbits: Housing and Feeding Chapter 4 Housing Rabbits: Inside or Out? Hutch, Sweet Hutch Climate Control Bedding and Litter Options Cleaning and Disinfecting Hutches Chapter 5 Feeding Rabbits Digestive Tract Discussed It's Not All Lettuce and Carrots Hay: Not Just for Horses Picky, Picky Fats, Minerals, and Other Supplements Water, Water, All the Time What Rabbits Shouldn't Eat Part 3 Making More Rabbits: Breeding and Kindling Chapter 6 The Mechanics of Mating Is the Time Right? Introducing the Happy Couple Spotting a Successful Mating Trouble in Paradise Back-to-Back (to Back) Litters Chapter 7 The Pregnant Rabbit Is My Rabbit Pregnant? Care and Feeding of the Pregnant Doe My Doe is Growling at Me! Preparing for the Big Day Day 28: Time for the Nest Box Chapter 8 Kindling and Newborn Kit Care What's Normal? Leave Mother Nature Alone Pregnancy Problems and Kindling Glitches Runts and Peanuts Checking the Nest Box Chapter 9 Managing the Nursery Not Peter Rabbit's Mother Is She Feeding Them Enough? Nest Box Escapees and Dead Kits Orphan Kits and Foster Does Stages of Kit Development Weaning the Kits Part 4 In Sickness and in Health: Illness and Injury Respiratory Diseases Enteric Complexes (Intestinal Illnesses) Parasites Ailments and Injuries Less Common Health Issues Resources Index Raise Your Rabbit-Raising Know-How For the first-time pet owner and the experienced livestock farmer alike, rabbit expert Karen Patry addresses questions and concerns about housing, feeding, breeding, and caring for rabbits at every stage of their lives. From choosing productive meat and fiber breeds to preparing a proper nest box and coaxing a fussy bunny to eat, you'll find proven answers and humane solutions to all your rabbit-raising quandaries

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