PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. u 



Belgian Hares many breeders give meal mashes in the 

 morning. A splendid tonic, and one that well rewards 

 the outlay on Belgian Hares for example, is a mash of 

 equal parts barley meal and toppings, or pollard. To 

 this add a little soaked oil cake, and some boiled linseed 

 that has stood and got cold. Only sufficient to make the 

 food crumbly moist is needed. A good plan is to soak 

 the whole linseed for a few hours in cold water and then 

 boil it. Result, when cold, a thick jelly. Give this, 

 mixed with meal and cake, about two mornings a week. 

 The rabbits will enjoy it and marvellous results in flesh 

 and glossiness of coat will ensue. Such a mixture acts 

 as a fine pick-me-up and builder-up of rabbits of any 

 breed. Speaking of the mode of feeding Silver Greys, 

 Mr. A. Brazier, a long time breeder of the variety 

 says- "This is entirely a matter which must be 

 decided by the locality in which one lives. The great 

 thing is discretion as to how it is given. Almost any 

 green food will do, so long as it is fresh and shows no 

 sign of decay in any part. But one great thing to 

 observe is always let the rabbits be supplied with good 

 sweet meadow hay, so that they can pick up a bit of 

 something sweet, and that will often counteract any ill- 

 effects that may have arisen through eating a bit of bad 

 green stuff. The best green foods I can mention are 

 chicory, dandelion, tares or veitches, comfrey, and hog- 

 weed in the spring; but living in London, where often 

 the supply of green food is limited, I have even had to 

 resort to onion leaves and radish tops, and all has gone 

 well." We propose to append the views of other 

 breeders on the subject of feeding, as this is a point of 

 the utmost concern in rabbit keeping, and, after the 

 maxim" many men, many minds," so hints that are 

 useful can be gathered from the " multitude of counse 1 - 

 lors." It will be safe to take it for granted that the 

 staple food used by one and all is good sound, heavy, 

 clean, sweet oats, added to meadow and clover hay the 

 former for warmth in winter as well as food, and the 

 latter as a capital food. Too much oversight cannot be 

 expended on the condition and quality of the food 

 supplied. Many condiments are employed, such as 

 Spratt's Rabbit Food, Thorley's Spice, crushed oil cake, 

 Rabena, etc., etc. But, after all, these are not staple 

 foods, and that is what mostly concerns our purpose in 



