The Abyssinian Cavy.—The next variety that claims our notice is the quaint little Abyssinian or rough-haired cavy. Unlike the Peruvian, the hair of the Abyssinian is short and hard or rough to the touch, and instead of growing all one way it is rosetted, as it were, in bunches, each rosette or bunch being separate and distinct, and the more evenly these are distributed over the body the more charming the result.
What do my readers think of one of these little fellows—a beautiful tortoiseshell, very well rosetted, and with short, hard hair, being sold for upwards of £30? But such is a fact. It was bred by a lady who takes a very great interest in Master Cavy, and who exhibits some most beautiful specimens, and it was disposed of for the sum mentioned. The Abyssinian is a hardy little chap and must not be “coddled” up in a warm hutch. Keep him dry and sheltered from draughts and he will thrive merrily.
Smooth-Haired Cavies.—Last, but not least in any shape or form, comes the smooth-haired variety, which you boys all know, I am sure, and which is, as it fully deserves to be, the favourite. The coat of the smooth-haired cavy is soft and velvety to the touch, and the immense number of colours in which it is now bred makes it a most delightful little pet. I will not go through the many different colours further than to mention that we have them black, white, golden, brown, grey, red, and the various sub-divisions and blendings between these colours.
The cavy has a good-sized head, is Roman-nosed, has a very thick, or bull, neck, and a nicely rounded body, tapering towards the stern; eyes full and bright, and small, neatly-shaped ears; his whole make-up giving him the appearance of a cheerful, happy, and contented little fellow.
Now, as to feeding, remember that regularity and cleanliness must be observed, and that a variety or change in food is very much relished, and is necessary for the health of your cavies. For breakfast, which give early, provide some bread and milk sop, in which now and again put a piece of boiled potato; and as a change, in cold weather some barley-meal, scalded in boiling water and made into a nice crumbly mass. This latter is very warm and comforting, too, for supper, in cold frosty weather. As dry food, you must have good sound oats, wheat, a few crushed peas, bran, and hay. Green food must on no account be overlooked, as it is one of the most valuable things for keeping the blood cool and the stomach in proper working order; but remember that all green food must be fresh and dry. Almost any green stuff is relished, but there are a few kinds that are very good: lettuce, cabbage leaves (not too many), parsley, celery tops, carrot, turnip, beet-root, chickweed, groundsel, and chicory. Clean water must be always at hand, and a drink of milk now and then is much appreciated. As cavies are very apt to scratch their food all over the hutch, and so waste a lot of it, you should always feed in dishes or troughs. The heavy earthenware troughs, with flanged edges, which are used for rabbits, are best, as they cannot be upset, nor the food scratched out easily. I prefer earthenware to any other material, as it is so easily cleansed, and there is nothing about it that will poison or give a disagreeable taste to the food. Though water and dry food should always be at hand for your cavies, never leave soft food or greens long in the hutch, as these soon become tainted, and if eaten in that state bring on disease. Let them eat their fill of soft food and greens, and then take away any that is left. The lad who pays proper attention to his pets will soon be able to gauge to a nicety the amount of food they require.
Rabbits.—If you have sufficient pocket-money you can buy a hutch ready-made, or you can build it on similar lines to that for cavies, but of course much larger.
For ordinary-sized rabbits a hutch 3½ ft. long by 20 or 22 in. will do, but for lop-eared and Belgians it should be 4½ ft. by 2 ft.; whilst for Flemish giants 5 ft. by 2 ft. It is always preferable to have your hutch in some outhouse, where, though the inmates will have plenty of fresh air, they will be protected from very cold winds and rain. As there is a deal of moisture from rabbits, it is a good plan to have the floor of the outhouse cemented and connected with a drain, so as to carry off the wet that comes from the hutches; but as this cannot always be managed by boys who keep a few rabbits as pets, you should have a piece of guttering fixed along the back of the hutch and so placed that it will drain into a pail, in which put some sawdust and a little disinfectant, which will keep down any unpleasant smell. This pail you must empty every two or three days. In every hutch I like a part of it boarded off as a sleeping-room, which can be easily done by making a wooden partition and slipping it into the hutch, allowing a space of 12 inches for this purpose. This partition must have a hole cut in it large enough for the rabbits to pop in and out comfortably. Over this part of the hutch you must have a well-fitting wooden door, not only to keep them warm, but to darken the nest and so make them comfortable. In giving your rabbits their food, remember that you cannot measure the quantity exactly, any more than you can say that because you have eaten so much to-day you will want exactly so much to-morrow and every day during the week. Study and observation are the only true guides. In giving soft food and green food let them have as much as they eat up greedily and no more. Feed twice a day, as early as possible in the morning and about sundown. In the morning give soft food, such as barley-meal, pollard, sharps, middlings, and bran, which mix with scalding water into a soft, rather crumbly than sticky mess. A few tea-leaves in the soft food now and then is a nice change.
Of course, these foods must not be all mixed together, but given on different mornings, so as to provide a nice variety. As there is not much feeding in bran it should always have one of the other foods mixed in it.
When they have had breakfast put sufficient corn into their troughs to last them all day to nibble at, and for this oats are best; but as a change, once or twice a week crack up some barley for them. A feed, once a week, of grey peas, steeped till well soaked, will also be much relished. Bits of biscuit and dry, stale crusts are also good, and can be given at any meal. For the evening feed give a bit of sweet hay, dry, sweet clover, and green food of almost any description that grows, so long as it is fresh and dry. It is impossible here to mention all the greens they will eat, but amongst others I may mention parsley, chicory, dandelion, lettuce, cabbage, celery, clover in flower; carrots, turnips, and mangolds (a slice or two) are very good. Be very careful not to leave any soft food or greens lying about the hutch, as they soon spoil, and not only smell offensively, but injure the rabbits.
On the floors of your hutches spread sawdust (pinewood sawdust is first-rate when it can be had), and over this some nice clean straw; and always keep in the hutch a little of one of the many disinfectants that are now manufactured. Drinking vessels and feeding troughs should all be made of glazed earthenware, the latter having a flange round them to prevent the rabbit scratching out the food, and being heavy enough to prevent them being pulled about and upset. Once more, do not neglect cleanliness and regularity in feeding.