210 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



Rabbits' Livers Spotted. 



/ have lost rabbits when about a third grown. I feed green feed 

 entirely to them. I dissected one after dying and found white spots on the 

 liver. Would muriatic acid in the drinking water help? 



All rabbit raisers agree in feeding dandelion for spotted liver, but 

 this does not mean all dandelion and nothing else, but just enough to act 

 as a tonic. Milk weed and young teazel are also relished and are splendid 

 if not fed exclusively. If your rabbits are kept in too close confinement 

 without proper room for exercise and without sunlight at least a part of the 

 day, attend to that without delay, as nothing is more conducive to spotted 

 liver. Straw, barley, and a variety of green feed (except cabbage) with 

 plenty of room and sunlight, ought to mend matters. If you have an 

 enclosed field where dogs cannot molest them, turn them loose awhile and 

 note results. A little muriatic acid (one teaspoonful to the gallon of water) 

 once in a month is a good thing, but an ounce of prevention is worth a 

 pound of cure. Mrs. B. H. Gilkey, Santa Rosa. 



Rabbits Die After Eating Wet Green Feed. 



Why do I lose my weanling rabbits? Every morning I find one or 

 two dead, though they were practically well the night before. The trouble 

 seemed to occur after feeding green alfalfa. 



We must warn rabbit growers to avoid the use of wet feed. If, as is 

 usually desirable, green feed is given to the rabbits, be sure that they are 

 accustomed to it by gradual introduction of the green feed ; and always be 

 sure that no dew or water is on the outside of the grass or alfalfa. The 

 safest way is to wilt your green feed in the sun a little while and keep it 

 under cover, but not in large piles, for it might sweat. 



Rabbit Feeding. 



Are apples, green corn stalks, and corn on the cob good for rabbits? 

 All of these things may be fed in small quantities, perhaps without 

 injury, but not as a whole diet. 



Weaning Rabbits. 



When about a month old my little rabbits die. Should I wean them 

 before that? 



The young are greatly benefited by leaving with the doe until six or 

 eight weeks old. Remove one or two each day, selecting the most vigorous 

 at first. This removal on the installment plan seems to better dry up any 

 milk the doe may be supplying the young. Some breeders claim that the 

 rock salt we get here is not safe but that fine table salt in the feed or in 

 bran made a little damp is much better. The salt in the feed of the doe 

 assists in drying her up when removing the young. Simply leaving these 

 youngsters with their dam could hardly be considered the cause of their 

 death the trouble should no doubt be charged to something else. 

 Geo. H. Croley. 



