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.