Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-11-13

defer mating young doe until March.
She then has young in April, when
there is abundant green food TO in
duce good HOW of milk. This lactehi
development once well established, sha
is likely always to give abundance OF
milk for her young. If pairing begins
in February each doe may be expected
to produce four filters year, the
young coming at intervals of about
twelve weeks, with a longer rest In
midwinter.
Preparing for the Young.
The CESSATION period of the rabbit
is about thirty days. When the doe
is nearly ready to bear young, her
hutch should be thoroughly cleaned
and disinfected, after which good
supply of soft hay or straw Coat straw
is besD should be placed in the body
of the hutch to enable her to arrange
her nest. If the hutch is without
nesting compartment, box should be
placed in a corner, 1t should be Is to
20 inches long, about a foot deep, or
10 inches wide, and without lid.
Make hole in one end large enough
for the doe to pass through easily, and
turn the box upside down.. The doe
will arrange her nest day or two be-
fore the young are born. AT this time
extra attention should be given to her
food. She should have milk and warm
water regularly, and a pan of clean
water should be kept constantly in
the hutch. While doe is heavy with
young and for a few days after their
birth, extreme care should be taken
to see that she is not frightened by
cats or dogs or even by strange visi-
tors in the rabbitry. Avoid touching
the nest or handling the young, unless
it is absolutely necessary.
Diet While Nursing.
During the first week or two after
most entirely on warm milk and bread.
This is recommended for the bulk of
the morning and evening meals, with a
small supply of green food. Green
food may be given also in the middle
of the day, and the daily proportion
gradually increased. Boiled mush
made of cOrnmeal Is also an excellent
food for sucking does, but most other
pasty or watery foods should be avoid
ed as likely to derange the bowels.
Milk, and indeed any soft food, should
be fed in a separate earthenware dish.
aSnnniaIIxy in xuhnn IN
SOurs quickly. The dish should be
washed and scalded often.
WEAVING.
The young may be weaned when
month old, but it is better to leave
them with the doe two or three weeks
longer. Remove two each day until
all are transferred to another hutch.
which may be large enough to accom-
modate any number. They do well to-
gether until they are three or four
months old, when their development
will compel separation of the sexes.
After this any number of does may
occupy the same hutch, but unless
thoroughly accustomed to each other,
will fight.
Ailments of Rabbits.
If properly cared for, rabbits are
remarkably free from diseases. The
more common ailments results from
insanitary surroundings, lack of care
in feeding, and improper ventilation
The hutches should be cleaned fire.
quently and fresh sawdust or other
fine litter used to take up liquids, so
that the hutches do not become foul.
such ailments as mango, scurf, sur
felt, and the disease of the eyes known
as ophthalmia are due usually TO foul
hutches. Cold Snuffles and the like re-
suit from improper ventilation, sud-
den drafts of cold air in Overheated
buildings, and similar causes. The
disorders of the digestive organs come
from feeding young rabbits too freely
Of wet and juicy green foods or from
too radically changing their diet. Most
diseases are preventable, and If the
cause is understood remedies will sug-
gest themselves.
The most serious disease known
among hutch rabbits in America Is
coccidiosis. 1t is caused by internal
parasites, and when present in the rab.
bitry kills many young rabbits. Ex-
IRENE caution is needed to prevent its
introduction, and new stock obtained
should for time be kept isolated from
the regular hutches. Keeping the
hutches in stacks aids in spreading
the infection. Absolute cleanliness may
do much to prevent the disease.
Whenever a number of the young rab-
bits under good care develop q pot
bellied appearance, particularly where
it is accompanied by symptoms of cold
and snuffles, there is reason to suspect
that old and apparently healthy ami
mails may be afflicted with chronic
coccidiOsis and are expelling cocidia
from their bodies. Isolation of the af.
fected hutch and It's occupants, togeth-
er with disinfection, Is the first step
to be taken while the exact nature of
the trouble is being determined
Literature About Rabbits.
If serious diseases affect his stock,
the amateur will find 1t advantageous
to obtain a standard treatise on the
of rabbits. This will con-
tain detailed instruction for the treat
ment of the more common ailments.
AS the business of rearing rabbits is
carried on much more extensively In
England than In America, the best
are published abroad.
They may be obtained through any
bookseller.