Preface: For the Love of Rabbits
Acknowledgments

Part I: Getting Started
1 Why Start?
First of All, Good Eating • Rabbits Serve Science • The Fancier’s Role • Would You Believe 12 Million Rabbits? • Here’s Where You Come In • Progress in Raising Rabbits

2 The Right Rabbit
A 40-Million-Year-Old Species? • American Domestics: Probably Not Belgian Hares • Choose Your Market • The Enticing Economics of a Small Breeding-Stock Rabbitry • Choose the Right Rabbit • Coat Types

3 Obtaining the Right Foundation Stock
Crossbreds Are the Least Valuable • A Pedigreed Rabbit Has Papers • Registration • What Does It All Mean? • The Best Rabbit Raisers • How to Find a Raiser • What to Expect When You Buy • How to Build Your Herd • What You Can Expect to Pay for Purebreds • Purchasing by Mail Order • Bringing Your Rabbits Home

4 A Gallery of Breeds

Part II: Housing, Feeding, and Breeding
5 Housing and Equipment
You Are in Charge • Why the All-Wire Hutch? • How to Make a Wire Hutch • Creature Comforts: Situating the Hutch • Building a Dream Barn • Rabbit Sheds • Other Rabbit-Shed Options • The Economics of Sheds • Other Equipment and Considerations

6 Feeding Rabbits Right
Pellets Make the Ideal Feed • Feed Supplements • General Feeding Guidelines • My Preferred Lifetime Feeding Regimen • What Else Should You Know?

7 Breeding and Producing Rabbits
Mating Your First Pair • Is She Pregnant? • Time for the Nest Box • The New Litter • Breeding the Doe Again • Weaning and Housing the Litter • The Problems of Weather • Keeping Breeding Records • Ear Identification • Choosing Future Breeders • Methods of Breeding • Reminders That Bear Restating

Part III: Marketing and Miscellany
8 To the Best Market: Selling Rabbits
The Meat Market • Slaughtering and Butchering • The Laboratory Market • Breeding Stock • The Ironclad Guarantee • Let’s Set a Price • Good Records Make Future Sales • What Else to Sell? • Some Sales Advice from Rabbit Raisers • Trends in the Rabbit Business • Reviewing Some of the Best Ideas

9 Rabbits and the Home Garden
Make Manure Go a Long Way: Compost! • What the Garden Can Do for Rabbits

10 Preventing Problems
Breeding Tips • Disease Prevention • Is Medical Treatment Available for Rabbits? • Sanitation • Complaints from Neighbors or Relatives

11 On to the Rabbit Shows!
Locating and Entering Shows • Judging by Class • Selecting Show Stock • Make the Rabbit Shows Work for You

12 Rabbit Associations and the Future of the Industry
National Organizations • Regional Groups • ARBA Benefits • Into the Future • Increasing the Demand for Meat • A Promotional Campaign • A Show of Support • The Rabbit’s Potential

13 Cooking Rabbit
Chicken Is Cheaper • Comparing Rabbits and Chicken • Preparing for Cooking • The Recipes

Afterword
Reading about Rabbits
Glossary
Metric Conversion Charts
Index