Make New Year's Eve Comfortable for your Rabbits
With the most pleasant time of the year approaching, the inevitable fireworks are also coming again. As we look forward to celebrating the New Year, our rabbits often experience fear and uncertainty because of the fireworks.
In this blog we give you advice and tips on how to make this unpleasant period more bearable for your rabbits.
Why are Rabbits Afraid of Fireworks?
Rabbits are prey animals by nature, and their behavior and responses are strongly influenced by their instinct to protect themselves from potential threats.
Loud Sounds: Fireworks are accompanied by loud bangs, hissing sounds and flashing lights. Rabbits have very sensitive ears and can perceive sounds at frequencies that are difficult for us to hear.
Flashes of light: In addition to the noise, the bright flashes of fireworks are also disturbing for rabbits. The sudden and intense light can startle rabbits.
Vibration and Odor: Fireworks also produce vibrations that can be felt by rabbits. In addition, the typical smell of fireworks plays a role in their anxious reaction.
Rabbits, as prey animals, experience fireworks with sensitive ears, fear of loud bangs, startle reactions to bright flashes of light, feeling of vibrations and influence of the typical smell. These unpredictable elements activate their natural flight instincts, which can lead to panic and stress.
How do you recognize a scared rabbit?
A scared rabbit can show that he is stressed or anxious in different ways. Every rabbit is unique and will therefore deal with this in its own way. We have made a list of the most common signs of stress:
Flight behavior: Frightened rabbits often exhibit flight behavior. They may try to run away, hide, or retreat to a safe space.
Flattened and Alert: A rabbit that is scared may flatten itself on the ground and remain alert to its surroundings. This is a natural reaction to become less noticeable to any threats.
Trembling or Trembling: Physical symptoms such as shaking or shaking can indicate anxiety. Rabbits can tremble due to the tension and stress they experience.
Fleeing, squashing, shaking, stomping, hiding, changes in eating behavior and observing fear in conspecifics are signals of stress in rabbits.
Stamping: Some rabbits make a powerful stamping sound with their hind legs as a warning of possible dangers. This behavior can also occur with anxiety.
Hide: A fearful rabbit will try to hide in dark corners, tunnels, or other hiding places to feel safer.
Changes in Eating Behavior: Rabbits that are anxious may change their normal eating behavior. They may stop eating or consume less food.
Observing behavior of conspecifics: Rabbits are social animals, and if there is fear in the group, they can observe each other's behavior. If a rabbit sees that another rabbit is anxious, it may also become more anxious itself.
Outdoor Rabbits and Fireworks
The fireworks period can be a challenge for outdoor rabbits, fortunately you can help your rabbits in various ways during the fireworks season.
Leave it outside or bring it in?
The decision to let your rabbits outside or bring them inside during the fireworks period can depend on several factors.
If your rabbits have a good indoor cage that is adjacent to their outdoor enclosure, where they can retreat and is well shielded from fireworks, it is generally advisable to leave them in their familiar environment. A safe and familiar terrain provides comfort and minimizes stress.
However, if there is a risk that fireworks may enter the run or cage, moving them to a safer environment is a must.
Are you going to move your outdoor rabbits?
When you move your outdoor rabbits, we recommend that you take the following into account:
Temperature difference: Place them in an unheated room. Your rabbits have a winter coat during this period that keeps them warm.
Space: Provides enough space to prevent mutual tension between your rabbits.
To get used to: Let your rabbits gradually get used to the new space to avoid extra stress.
Provide distraction! Stimulate your rabbits' natural behavior by challenging them to... forage. Hide treats in different parts of the cage, such as corners, tunnels, or hiding places for them to look for.
Move your outdoor rabbits with care: choose an unheated space, provide enough space to avoid tension, let them gradually get used to the new environment and provide distraction with food hiding games.
Do you leave your rabbits in their outdoor enclosure?
Your rabbits could also use some help to get through this period.
Safety: Check whether your rabbits' current outdoor environment is safe from fireworks. Inspect for possible hazards or places where fireworks could occur. Do your rabbits have an outdoor run that is not fireworks-proof? Then keep them indoors around New Year's Eve.
Low stimulation: Try to provide a low-stimulus environment. Do your rabbits have a shed as an indoor environment? Then turn on the lights and tape up the windows to prevent the worst flashes of light.
Hiding options: Rabbits are prey animals and like to hide in a fearful situation. In the days leading up to New Year's Eve, provide a nice new house, a beautiful willow tunnel and fill the coop with a thick layer of straw.
Create a safe and low-stimulus environment for your rabbits during the fireworks period. Offer extra hiding places, stimulate natural behavior with distractions and provide supervision. If necessary, there are special sprays and atomizers with calming pheromones to create a comfortable environment.
Distraction: Provide distraction by keeping your Rabbits busy. Stimulate your rabbits' natural behavior by challenging them to... forage. Hide treats in different parts of the coop, such as nooks, tunnels, hay racks, or hiding places for them to look for. And use a rabbit sniffing box, sniffing meadow or a food ball where you hide food.
Supervises: Make sure you are at home and stay close to your rabbits, so that you can quickly intervene if fireworks get too close.
Check on your rabbits regularly to see how they are doing. Do you notice that the stress level is becoming too high? Then intervene. There are special sprays and atomizers available with soothing pheromones that have been specially developed against anxiety and stress. You could hang a diffuser in the living room and use a spray to provide your rabbits' outdoor enclosure with a calming scent.
Sedatives for Rabbits
The use of calming products can be a valuable addition during the fireworks season. These tools provide great support and help take the edge off anxiety and stress.
- Soothing agents with pheromones
- Ideal for local application such as travel, docking location and vet visits
- For stressful situations and behavioral problems
Calm your rabbit effectively with Beaphar RabbitComfort® – a product based on a copy of the comforting mother pheromone for rabbits. By using species-specific pheromones, this provides a simple and effective solution to calm rabbits and create a sense of security for your rabbit during stressful situations.
RabbitComfort Spray
The pheromone in Beaphar RabbitComfort® Soothing Spray is an effective solution to help rabbits in stressful situations and calm them down.
RabbitComfort Evaporator
Beaphar RabbitComfort® contains a clinically proven pheromone, a simple and effective solution to help prevent unwanted behavior and calm rabbits.
RabbitComfort Refill
Beaphar RabbitComfort® contains a clinically proven pheromone, a simple and effective solution to help prevent unwanted behavior and calm rabbits.
Inside Rabbits and Fireworks
Rabbits that live indoors can also suffer from anxiety and stress during this period.
- Keep them in their familiar environment.
- Provide extra hiding options in the form of houses, tunnels and extra straw.
- Keep windows, doors and curtains closed to reduce outside noise and flashes
- Turn on a radio or TV to create counter-noise.
- Provide extra challenge and distraction by hiding snacks, use toys like a rabbit sniffing box, sniffing meadow of feeding ball, and create a stimulating environment for your rabbits
- Use tranquilizers such as the Beaphar RabbitComfort.
Conclusion
Understanding rabbits' natural responses to fireworks is crucial to ensuring their well-being.
Whether they are indoors or outdoors, creating a safe, low-stimulus environment with hiding places, distractions and tranquilizers is essential.
By being proactive and taking timely action, we can ensure that our rabbits get through the fireworks period with less stress, allowing them to better enjoy the New Year.
