92 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING 



less bread and milk help to keep the doe in 

 better condition and better flesh during this 

 trying period. A better flow of the lacteal 

 fluid seems to be created also, which is import- 

 ant if the litter is a large one. 



Beginners often ask if table scraps cannot 

 be fed to rabbits. They can be given in mod- 

 eration and with limitations. Meat should be 

 withheld, although some rabbit keepers advise 

 the use of fresh chopped beef. Rich, sweet 

 foods should be kept out of the rabbitry, but 

 pieces of stale cake and of dry hard bread may 

 be fed without fear. All that has been said 

 applies to rabbits that have reached the age 

 of three or four months. , 



With young stock the feeding of green food 

 must be done very carefully. For the first few 

 weeks it is best that they have none at all. Af- 

 ter that a little may be given, and the amount 

 increased gradually, but if the rabbits are seen 

 to be growing big and pouchy under the stom- 

 ach, the amount of green food should be re- 

 duced or cut off entirely, because the condition 

 known as pot-belly is being produced. This 

 is a common trouble with youngsters which 

 have too much food of any kind, and espec- 



