PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 17 



not stint the hay. It is surprising what a warm bed 

 does for young rabbits, and you would be surprised also 

 at the early age at which young rabbits commence to 

 nibble the hay; which is beneficial. Young rabbits are 

 perfectly blind when born, but their sight comes at about 

 nine days old. Some leave the nest earlier than others, 

 but at a month old they will run out and feed as heartily 

 as the doe. They are very shy at first, and care is 

 needed to avoid fright, for that often induces fits. We 

 believe in separating the sexes at about twelve weeks 

 old. We have known them left on their parents until 

 four or five months old, but <ao not advise that plan 

 generally. It is not well to breed more than twice a 

 year from a doe, and she should be well and judiciously 

 fed between the periods of breeding. Some breeders 

 remove the young to a new hutch or " run." Others 

 prefer removing the doe, arguing that the young do 

 better for being left in their own quarters. The advan- 

 tage of leaving the young a little longer with the doe is 

 to avoid the danger of milk trouble with the doe. If 

 taken away at six or seven weeks the doe is sometimes 

 full of milk, and trouble often results. If the young 

 are left longer, the milk supply gradually ceases, for 

 does will not allow young to suckle longer than Nature 

 dictates. One of the chief items in breeding is to take 

 great care of the young rabbits. It is a mistake to 

 think that they can be suddenly removed, fed " as 

 usual " with the old stock, and then thrive. It is well 

 to feed young stock liberally. Old stock generally only 

 need corn once a day young stock, just removed, need 

 it twice. We are no strong advocates of mashes, but 

 we do urge liberal treatment of young stock, and if the 

 expenditure of a little milk or meal is needed, let it be 

 incurred. Another matter that bothers the breeder is 

 the weakling youngster. Unless of great value, we 

 never trouble. It gets the " happy dispatch." Don t 

 keep young rabbits too thick on the ground give plenty 

 of hutch room, or ill-health will result. Young rabbits 

 are, when in health, what we may, vulgarly, call 

 grubbers. Beware of this, and regulate their supply, 

 especially of green food, or you will soon get diarrhoea 

 amongst them. Young rabbits are sometimes 

 pugnacious, and this must be watched for; moreover, 

 those that look the most promising will be best singled 



