TinysMom
Well-Known Member
First off - I'm what Art calls a "Bunny-holic". If I'm not talking rabbits on here, I'm reading about how to care for rabbits, talking on breeder's lists (usually asking questions to learn more), or trying to talk to him about rabbits (I'm pretty much done talking him INTO more rabbits). Oh yes - then there is feeding, grooming and cage cleaning.
Anyway - for an early Valentine's Day present, Art bought me Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits- the most recent edition. On pages 160 and 161, the author talks about his preventitive health plan for his rabbitry and I really liked it. I'm going to paraphrase it and not go into all the detail he did..
One week a month - he treats the water with a sulfaquinoxaline-sodium solution. This is to prevent coccidiosis and also diaherrea.
Once a week he treats the water with oxytetracycline (Terramycin soluble powder). He does this for grown promotion, diaherrea prevention and because he's certain it increases litter size.
Finally - before each litter emerges from the nestbox - he disinfects and rinses the hutch floor. (He doesn't specify this but I'm assuming the rabbits are NOT in the hutch when he does this - that he has removed the nest box.
He states that these measures are cheap and trouble free - and that his stock has maintained good health with very little diaherrea and no signs of coccidiosis....and he hasn't had snuffles in years!
When he disinfects the hutch - he uses a lysol solution (I would've thought bleach and water or vanodine and water).
This book is a really good read for breeders - it gives advice on preparing your stock for the show (feed-wise) and well...just all sorts of good stuff. I guess it helps that he's been working with rabbits for over 50 years!
Peg
Anyway - for an early Valentine's Day present, Art bought me Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits- the most recent edition. On pages 160 and 161, the author talks about his preventitive health plan for his rabbitry and I really liked it. I'm going to paraphrase it and not go into all the detail he did..
One week a month - he treats the water with a sulfaquinoxaline-sodium solution. This is to prevent coccidiosis and also diaherrea.
Once a week he treats the water with oxytetracycline (Terramycin soluble powder). He does this for grown promotion, diaherrea prevention and because he's certain it increases litter size.
Finally - before each litter emerges from the nestbox - he disinfects and rinses the hutch floor. (He doesn't specify this but I'm assuming the rabbits are NOT in the hutch when he does this - that he has removed the nest box.
He states that these measures are cheap and trouble free - and that his stock has maintained good health with very little diaherrea and no signs of coccidiosis....and he hasn't had snuffles in years!
When he disinfects the hutch - he uses a lysol solution (I would've thought bleach and water or vanodine and water).
This book is a really good read for breeders - it gives advice on preparing your stock for the show (feed-wise) and well...just all sorts of good stuff. I guess it helps that he's been working with rabbits for over 50 years!
Peg