Considerations. The most common organisms in the normal bacterial flora that inhabits the large intestine are anaerobes (Bacteroides, gram-positive rods, and gram-positive cocci), gram-negative enteric organisms, and Enterococcus faecalis. Using differential selective media and enrichment cultures, normal flora can be differentiated.
Rabbits by nature are cold weather animals. They can easily tolerate temperatures at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower providing they have shelter from the wind and wet conditions. They have trouble tolerating temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit and must be kept out of direct sun light during the summer months.
Do not use a rabbit for pyrogen testing more frequently than once every 48 hours, nor prior to 2 weeks following a maximum rise of its temperature of 0.6 or more while being subjected to the pyrogen test, or following its having been given a test specimen that was adjudged pyrogenic.