# New to raising meat rabbits, question about Tularemia?????



## nstone630 (Jul 8, 2013)

So we have 5 NZW rabbits that are about 11 weeks old. We purchased 1 doe and 1 buck and they had this litter. I've read up on a lot of things regarding how to do this, but then all the sudden someone mentioned TULAREMIA. Now..from everything I've read it looks like you cannot get this from eating an infected rabbit...as long as the meat is cooked properly. 

Please advise. Alot of people say not to eat rabbits in the summer, but we have 5 that are of butchering age. 

ANY help would be appreciated. I'm hopeful that our new found rabbit venture will not be a total flop. 


Thank You
Nicole


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## sawfish99 (Jul 8, 2013)

Unless you have known cases near you, I would put this in the unlikely to ever happen category.  We have been raising meat rabbits for a while now and I had to google TULAREMIA to figure out what it was because I had never seen it come up in a discussion before.

Kill the rabbits.
Freeze (optional).
Cook.
Eat


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## nstone630 (Jul 8, 2013)

ok...yea, I didn't read about it in any of the books I've read since starting this. I work at a Neurologist Dr Office, and some of the Dr's were like you have to look this up. So I did...got nervous, and wanted some more opinions. Other then ones from Dr's who have never raised a thing in their lives. lol

So the whole summer time thing isn't an issue to butcher them? I was hoping to this week...


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## sawfish99 (Jul 8, 2013)

I prefer to butcher in the summer.  In the winter, the hose is frozen and my fingers go numb.  It sucks to cut your finger with a knife because you couldn't feel it.  Just work in the shade and I have found early morning better than evening for mosquitoes.


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## nstone630 (Jul 8, 2013)

Thank you so much for the help!!! I'm not so worried now.


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