I'm really starting to dislike the pet store rabbit thing..just from the posts I see here about them. Not sure what i'd do if someone wanted to buy my rabbits for a store..probably say "GO AWAY"

buying from others...so far I've just bought animals for breeding purposes..and I've been pleased. I suppose it's like computers. EVERYONE has a "right" way to do stuff. And it's almost ALWAYS different than anyone else. And the guy that works on the computer after YOU fix it...says "what an idiot"...and you say the same about him

Always interesting to hear how someone raises their stock and deals with the public.

Lol, Ann, my hubby works on computers on the side, and I hear "what an idiot", an awful lot, lol. (then again, I hear it from the people he fixes computers for just as often, but not about him, lol)

I have been struggling with the whole pet sales thing myself, and am thinking I am no longer going to offer rabbits for sale, except in exceptional cases. Pet stores would NEVER get one of my rabbits. Things like broken legs really bug me.

I think it's interesting that you can say or write something in a million different ways, and it can be taken in any one of those ways.

When I first found out there were online forums dedicated to rabbits (earlier this year) I asked a question on HT, and got some answers back. It was one of the first times I posted. The question was about natural feeding, and I was advised to feed pellets until I moved to the country. I took it so personally, bawled all day, didn't go back to the site for three days, I was so hurt and upset. I told my hubby I couldn't have any friends, even the people nline were mean to me (one of the offenders was Maggie, lol).

I went to the site to show him the horrible, judgemental things people were saying, and I was shocked. None of the comments were mean or downputting at all. They were all very nice, polite comments suggesting that there were probably too many polutants and stuff and too little weeds growing in my area to make it worthwhile. Nothing that I had remembered.

So now I take everything with a grain of salt. If it seems "mean" I can come back later and read it, and my perspective is usually different. I also have the knowledge (after being on here and HT for four months) that you guys are very nice people and not mean at all.

My point was, even with the same person, same writing, perspectives can change according to how you feel (I was hormonal and pregnant, lol).

Shara, that was an excellent post!

I agree w/ Ann about the petshop thing too. I may be very off base but since reading this thread for the first time, I keep wondering why Ladysown wasn't told about the rabbits being returned from a petstore, before there was an issue. I would want to know something like that if I were buying live rabbits or meat either one.

Oh Ladysown, don't be hard on yourself. You did well. I can relate. I recently bought 8 rabbits from a breeder, because I wanted meat for my family right away and didn't want to wait until my rabbits had their own, etc. Out of the 8, one died before slaughter time, and all but 1 or 2 had spotted livers. I had never encountered this before. I knew of coccidiosis, but didn't know how to tell if a rabbit had it or not. After slaughtering them and seeing the spots, and after finding out what it was from, I have had to ponder whether or not to approach the breeder and tell him his rabbits may have it. I say "may", because I wonder if maybe I just hadn't kept my rabbits clean enough? Maybe it was my fault. I did have them quaranteened for a while, but then moved them into the rabbitry later on. I think I may have to treat my whole herd. How do I do that? Do you put the medication into their water, and for how long? I have does with litters. Will the kits be treated also via the does' milk? I have been raising rabbits for years, but had never encountered coccidiosis. Scarey for me.

What Shara says holds a lot of truth. Some people are more sensitive than others and some are more blunt than others. I am both. I stopped going to HT for ages because I seemed to be the ultimate thread killer. That hurt. lol. Now, eh.

As for treating for Cocci, the only time I have treated my entire herd was when everything got sick in December. I do treat incoming breeding stock as part of their quarantine 'treatment'. It gives me peace of mind. I've never (knock on wood) opened a rabbit and found Cocci.

i find that coccidia isn't that hard to treat... once you get rid of it and maintain good standards it stays gone. I love it when I open up rabbits and their livers are clean.

I used sul-met, others use a tri-sulpha drug, I gave it to each rabbit individually as opposed to putting it in the water as it tastes horrid and my rabbits wouldn't drink it. It's about a two week treatment. Some days on, some days off. I find that small rabbits need a shorter rotation than bigger rabbits. some rabbits will act a bit off so I'm careful in administering it.

This might help:
COCCIDIOSIS

There are two types of Coccidiosis Intestinal and Live Form. The disease is caused by a protozoan parasite which attacks the bile duct or the intestinal tract. There are ten different species of the genus Eimeria which may infect the intestine. Generally these are not of much concern, unless a case of enteritis makes an appearance. This can lead to enterotoxemia and or Mucoid enteropathy, although enterotoxemia has been reported in rabbits which are free of Coccidiosis. Liver Coccidiosis is a problem as it causes white spots on the liver which renders the rabbit uneatable.

SYMPTOMS

Include lack of appetite, rough coat, loss of weight, poor weight gain, potbelly, listlessness and diarrhea. All of which often lead to death.

TREATMENT

The best treatment is the use of sulfaquinoxyline in the drinking water as the only available water for 5 days on, 5 days off then 5 days on again.. [one teaspoon per gallon of water] Repeat the treatment in 30 days to get any hatchlings. DO NOT use the treated rabbit[s] as a food source for at least 30 days after the last treatment.

PREVENTION

Brush the cling-ons from the cage floor within 24 hours. This will aid greatly in preventing the spread of Coccidiosis. Do not allow fecal contamination of the feed or water.
Ottersatin. [From my Website]

I wouldnt worry about it. After reviewing your letter, I dont think it was harsh either..You clearly run a business and have a reputation to maintain. Tough luck if they dont like it..It is what it is. I run a home renovation business. When it comes to my rep I could care less what suppliers think. its the customers that come first.

Liver coccidiosis does not "render the rabbit uneatable". It just means the liver is not fit for eating. Commercial processors dock the price paid for rabbits that have spotty livers... but they do not reject the rabbit.