International Day of the Rabbit 2025
A day of action for animal welfare
International Rabbit Day was launched in the UK in 1998. The idea of this special day has since spread to Europe, Australia and North America. The aim of International Rabbit Day is to send out a signal for animal welfare and conscious pet ownership and to draw attention to the needs of beloved pets in private households and also in conservation organisations.
What makes this day special
The International Day of the Rabbit is intended to remind people that rabbits should not be seen as “dear” pets, but as sensitive creatures that deserve care and species-appropriate husbandry.
Perhaps Rabbit Day is also an opportunity to ask yourself: What can I do in my everyday life to ensure that my animal flatmates with the long ears have a happy life?
Animals are not a challenge cup or a toy substitute
The number of rabbits taken in at Gut Aiderbichl is rising and rising. In most cases, rabbits are acquired for the children, until suddenly an allergy breaks out or the interest in the animal is no longer there. It also happens that the vet costs become too high, people die or the housing situation changes and the animals are not allowed to move into the new home.
Animals are not a substitute for toys and are not a well-considered way of giving someone a present. Nevertheless, rabbits, cats, dogs and guinea pigs are children’s favourites. The purchase of rabbits needs to be carefully considered, especially as they need a partner and must not be kept alone.
The happy and unhappy sounds of rabbits
Before acquiring rabbits, it is important to bear in mind that they are crepuscular. Domestic rabbits behave in many ways just like wild rabbits, including their sleeping behaviour. They sleep between 8 and 12 hours a day, but not all at once, but for a few minutes or hours at a time and are very quiet.
Happy rabbit sounds:
If you see a rabbit running, jumping and throwing itself on its side, it usually means that the rabbit is doing a happy dance. Weitere Anzeichen für Zufriedenheit sind:
- Gluck:The cluck of a rabbit does not resemble the cluck of a chicken, but is much quieter. A clucking sound from a rabbit means that it is satisfied with what it is nibbling on.
- Buzz:The purr of a rabbit is very similar to the purr of a cat, as both mean “happy and content”. However, cats purr with their throats, while rabbits make the sound by lightly rubbing their teeth together.
- Humming: All rabbits do this occasionally, but most rabbit owners associate humming with an unaltered buck courting his mate.
Unglückliche Kaninchengeräusche:
Some sounds are signs of pain or fear, such as crying. A rabbit only cries when it is frightened or stressed. Some other sounds that indicate anger, pain or fear are:
- Growling: Rabbits can growl, and this often precedes a lunge and possibly a bite. If the rabbit feels threatened, it has no qualms about growling.
- Snorting: The snorting can occur before or together with the growling.
- Hissing: That sounds exactly as you imagine it. The hissing is used to ward off other rabbits.
- Whining or whimpering: Rabbits whine or whimper when they don’t want to be touched. Whimpering is a protest against the environment they are in. This can be an unwanted cage mate or, in the case of a pregnant doe, a sign that she is not interested in the buck’s advances.
What do rabbits feel, do they really feel and what are they afraid of?
Whether it’s a giant bear, a long-legged camel or a small, soft rabbit – they feel insecure, they can feel fear or love and they can trust or distrust. Rabbits are afraid when they are carried. If it is necessary to pick them up and carry them, it is advisable to do this as follows:
To pick up a rabbit, one hand should be placed firmly in the fur on its neck and the other hand should be used to support the back of the rabbit.
If you are “carrying it for a walk”, you should carry it close to your body so that it can hold on to your clothing with its paws. One hand should be used to support the rabbit at the bottom so that it cannot slip away and the other hand should be placed on its ears to keep it calm.
Rabbit cries from the test lab
More and more progress in the beauty industry also means more and more suffering for animals in the test laboratories. Consumers may not realise that rabbit eye protein is identical to human eye protein. During the tests, liquids are dripped into the rabbit’s eyes. It is then observed how the conjunctiva changes colour: if it turns red, for example, the cornea is damaged. A rabbit cannot flush out foreign bodies using tear fluid because it does not naturally produce any.
During the experiments, the rabbits are strapped down and the otherwise quiet animals scream in pain.
So much fuss over one animal? Did you know that
...it is not just an animal, but that it has a heart that beats, a soul ... that feels and a life that wants to live.
– Sylvia Raßloff
By: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
