Rabbit Lissy
A beautiful grey dwarf rabbit in search of...
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
Some time ago, the dwarf rabbits Flecki (recently deceased) and his partner Lissy were handed over to Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf in connection with an animal rescue programme. The two rabbits needed to be well looked after, have mates, plenty of freedom and everything a rabbit needs: cuddles, a clean hutch and the right food.
Unfortunately, Flecki was found dead a few days ago. He was lying peacefully in his hay bed. In any case, his Lissy is not alone now, as both had already been integrated into the large group of rabbits. Nevertheless, she is still searching …
The needs of a rabbit that humans cannot fulfil
Rabbits are very sociable animals. Even in the wild, rabbits never live alone, but always in groups with a social structure, because the social behaviour of rabbits is very intense and pronounced. A large part of rabbits’ daily activity consists of playing together, grooming each other and cuddling. From these observations we can learn that a rabbit would never voluntarily live alone and always needs at least one conspecific to fulfil its needs.
No human or animal from another species can replace a rabbit’s mate. If you do, you will learn that the human will always be an inadequate substitute for what the rabbit is deprived of, because the rabbit suffers when kept alone, even if it often tries to cope with its loneliness. No matter how much time you spend with a rabbit in solitary confinement, you will not be able to satisfy its need for company. A human and a rabbit simply do not speak the same language.
Rabbit Lissy is still mourning her Flecki
Rabbits need to be able to say goodbye. If you observe the situation in the rabbit hutch, saying goodbye is similar to what people do at a funeral.
Our carers know that they should give the rabbits time with the body of the deceased. You get the impression that the rabbits don’t understand at first why their partner is no longer hopping around, that he has died, but after a while Lissy had certainly understood that Flocki had gone over the Rainbow Bridge.
The procedure of saying goodbye is important so that the rabbit knows and feels that its friend has not simply disappeared, but will not get up again. Lissy would have looked for her Flecki and might have panicked.
Surprisingly, Lissy has already found a new partner in the large group of Aiderbichler rabbits in Henndorf – the handsome Clyde has taken a shine to her.
It is not just an animal ... It is a heart that beats, a soul ... that feels and a life that wants to live
~S. Raßloff
Everything will be fine dear Lissy – the days are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger and soon you can play catch with your many friends in the enclosure, dig holes, hide or lie in the sun. And in the evening, a little star will twinkle in the sky just for you.
– Yours sincerely, Gisela
