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Reviews
Want
an authoritative book on raising and caring for rabbits? Rabbit
Handbook might be the trusty resource that you're
looking for. The author, David Taylor, is a veterinarian
surgeon who specializes in exotic animals, including
rabbits.
Fortunately,
Dr. Taylor has an engaging style of writing, so the
book is far from a dry, scientific treatise. It's
very readable, even entertaining in spots. What I
like best about it is that Rabbit Handbook is
filled with little sidebars that disclose handy tips
and interesting facts. For instance, did you know
that rabbits have such a keen sense of smell that
they can root out truffles below ground as well as
a pig?
In
addition to fun trivia, this book covers rabbit care
to a good degree. The sections on feeding rabbits
include a discussion of what to feed your rabbit
and how much, based on breed and weight. You'll learn
which type of plants (vegetable, leaves, bark and
twigs) you can safely feed your rabbits and which
plants you should avoid. You'll also find sections
on proper handling of your rabbit, grooming (including
trimming toenails), and explanations of typical rabbit
behavior.
The
sections on rabbit housing is divided into outdoor
(hutches and exercise runs are covered) and indoor
(cages and litter pans are discussed). While the
book doesn't show you how to build your own housing
for rabbits, it does give guidelines on what size
a hutch or cage should be, based on breed and size
of your rabbit. It also covers the various types
of litter and bedding you can use.
Surprisingly
given Dr. Taylor's background, the book is a bit
light in its coverage of rabbit biology. While some
information is given on the digestive system of a
rabbit, it's rather general coverage, rounded out
with a brief discussion of the senses (eyesight,
smell, etc.). The book also looks at the varieties
and breeds of rabbits, although it doesn't attempt
to detail every single type of bunny. A number of
lovely, four-color photos of bunnies show you what
the breeds should look like.
The
section on health isn't as extensive as you might
expect from a veterinarian. The book, however, does
look at a number of illnesses and disorders that
a rabbit can experience. A brief description of symptoms
is provided for these maladies, along with a summary
of how it's usually treated. (Most of the advice
given on treatment concludes with the directive to
take your rabbit to the vet for treatment - but isn't
that what you expect a veterinarian to say?)
The
section on breeding is definitely an introduction
to the topic, but it covers most of the high points,
such as mating, pregnancy, and kindling (including
your role in caring for the kits). No information
on exhibiting rabbits is given. So if you're breeding
rabbits for show, you're out of luck.
The
book seems to be best suited for pet owners. It has
enough depth to satisfy experienced owners, with
plenty of explanation of the basics to help new owners. Rabbit
Handbook should also prove useful to very new
breeders, although anyone with any experience with
breeding will find a book like Rabbit Production of
more use in this area.
With
a suggested retail price of under $13, Rabbit
Handbook is a good value for over 95 pages of
expert advice and nice color photos.
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