The care of rabbits, guinea pigs, and other pets becomes of absorbing interest to every boy at some time, and he is fortunate indeed if he has room outdoors to engage in this pastime properly.

The comfort of the little animals, and their protection from their natural enemies, the cat, dog, weasel, etc., should be well looked after. Fig. 224 shows a very simple and convenient house for animals which do not gnaw through wood, as the rabbit and guinea pig.

These two animals will usually live together peaceably, except when breeding. The mothers become sensitive and jealous of all strangers when raising a family. The house proper has a sloping roof, which is hinged to provide a convenient method of reaching any part of the inside.

The large space covered on all sides by wire netting is the yard, or runway.

The front of the house should face south, and be covered with netting, except the door, which slides up in the grooves provided, as shown in the detail.

The northern end of yard is boarded clear up to the top. This shuts off the cold north winds, and in that kind of a house rabbits will live the year round.

Guinea pigs will thrive in such a structure until the thermometer reaches zero.

These interesting and harmless creatures come from Brazil, and when the temperature reaches that point, it is better to take them indoors, as they catch cold and die of pneumonia, like human beings.The runway is covered at the top with two-inch wire netting to keep out cats, who seem to take delight in killing both pigs and rabbits.

The upright corner posts should be set at least two feet in the ground, braced along the top by strips, to which the netting is fastened with staples, or double-pointed tacks.

A hemlock board should be set in the ground all around the yard, with a projection of an inch or two for securing the netting at the ground line.

Hemlock is cheap and will last longer in the ground than spruce. If the rabbits start to burrow, they become discouraged by finding this board in the way on every side. These planks or boards may be rough-sawed lumber.

The inside of the house should be coated with creosote and painted outside a bronze green. A dark-coloured house is warmer than a white one, as may be easily proved by placing a thermometer, first under a black hat, then under a white one. This is probably the reason why people in the tropics wear white clothing.

A door the full height of the yard should be provided at the far end, as it is sometimes necessary to get in for cleaning or other purposes.

The hinged roof should be made water tight by covering with some form of commercial roofing paper, or by using tongue and grooved boards well painted.

The door sliding in grooves, as shown, has a long handle, which projects up through the top of the runway, so that it may be opened or closed from the outside. It can be made from box material.

A number of these houses may be placed in a row and allowed to open into a large yard, or there may be individual runs. The latter method is more satisfactory, as a large run can easily be obtained by providing doors between the yards.

In the country, where weasels, mink or other wild enemies bother the rabbits, they can be caught in traps. The ordinary box trap at a, Fig. 225, is designed to catch the animals alive. Its construction is clearly shown in the drawing, one end covered with wire netting, or made solid, and the other provided with a door, arranged to drop easily in the groove when the trigger has been disturbed. The simple construction of the trigger is shown in the detail, while the bait is attached to a string. As soon as this is disturbed the door drops.

A typical dead-fall trap is shown at b. The weights placed on the sloping board should be heavy, as this trap is designed to kill its victim. For this reason it should never be used where there is any possibility of a pet cat or dog being caught. The trigger is very sensitive, and the slightest pull at the bait is sufficient to bring the weight down on the unfortunate animal.

The uprights should be mortised through the base board, and the cross piece at top halved to the uprights. The sloping board with weights fastened to it has a generous-sized hole fitted loosely over a dowel at the right-hand end of bottom board. A groove cut in the latter allows the weighted board to fit tightly when it falls, the dowel with bait dropping into the groove.

Fig. 225 at c shows a snare frequently used. It should be placed in front of a hollow log, box, or barrel, so that the animal must put his head through the loop of wire in order to reach the bait.The first pull at the end of the trigger releases the spindle, and the bent sapling does the rest. The loop of wire should be held open and in position by twigs conveniently placed.

The killing of our few remaining wild creatures, however, should never be done for sport. It is excusable only when they become destructive or troublesome. Squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks are much more interesting as friends than as caged or killed victims.