Kaninchenwiese.de & Howtorabbit.com
Since January 2008, howtorabbit.com (the English version of Kaninchenwiese) has been dedicated to providing expert advice for rabbit owners. Founded by Ms. Schillinger, howtorabbit.com aims to offer reliable and well-researched information on rabbit care, while raising awareness about their specific needs.
Our main focus includes:
- Offering detailed information on all aspects of rabbit care (behavior, diet, housing, etc.) through our website howtorabbit.com
- Educational work and public outreach concerning the needs of house rabbits, using social networks, printed materials, posters, etc., especially on topics like care mistakes, basic needs, and common misconceptions.
- Providing support and advice for rabbit owners via email consultations and social media.
- Promoting the rabbit as a wonderful, intelligent, and playful pet (not just a „child’s pet“ or „solitary cage animal“) with distinct needs, and highlighting their full potential.
- Networking with other organizations and individuals who share similar goals.
- Building a community of committed rabbit owners who treat their rabbits as full members of the family, where they can exchange advice and experiences on rabbit care and related topics.
- Offering information and education for veterinarians.
Howtorabbit.com (and Kaninchenwiese.de) is a project supported by the efforts of many helpful and dedicated people.
Our information is based on the best knowledge available, but we remain open to learning and constructive feedback. We offer our content to rabbit owners who are committed to providing species-appropriate care for their rabbits, without imposing it on anyone.
We do not view rivalry in providing rabbit care information, whether it’s from howtorabbit.com (or Kaninchenwiese.de) or elsewhere. What truly matters is that rabbit owners seek out reliable information and guidance. We support all efforts, websites, organizations, authors, and initiatives that work honestly and earnestly towards improving rabbit care. Even if we may not agree on every detail with every organization, we value the core principle behind their efforts.
Who is behind Kaninchenwiese.de?
Viola Schillinger is a veterinary medicine student at LMU Munich and a renowned expert in rabbit and guinea pig care. Her work is distinguished by her expertise, practical experience, and commitment to ethical animal husbandry. Here are the key details about her:
Background and Expertise
Education and Vocation
Viola Schillinger is studying veterinary medicine at LMU Munich, combining her academic knowledge with decades of practical experience as a long-time rabbit and guinea pig owner. She has rescued and rehomed many animals in need.
Founder of Kaninchenwiese.de
In 2008, she founded the largest German-language rabbit care portal, which now receives over 500,000 visits per month and has been translated into several languages. The platform provides reliable information on rabbit care, nutrition, and health.
Publications and Editorial Work
Books and Publications
She is the author of several care guides, including „Zwergkaninchen. So geht es deinen Tieren gut“ (Kosmos, 2023), as well as books about guinea pigs. Her works stand out for practical tips, illustrations, and child-friendly formats.
Expert Articles
She regularly writes for magazines such as Rodentia Nager & Co., Kleine Heimtiere, and Kaninchenzeitung, covering a wide range of topics related to rabbits and guinea pigs.
Commitment and Awareness Raising
Ethical Animal Care
Viola Schillinger actively campaigns against keeping rabbits as „children’s pets“ or confining them to cages. She emphasizes the need for social contact, exercise (at least 6 m² for 2–3 animals), and natural behaviors such as digging or chewing.
Continuing Education for Veterinarians
As a lecturer, she gives talks on topics like breeding for traits that cause suffering in lop-eared rabbits and behavioral therapy for small rodents during veterinary training seminars.
Practical Projects
Animal Shelter
Together with Elisabeth Lübcke, she runs a shelter for rabbits, where she cares for neglected animals and rehomes them. She also serves as a point of contact for many animal welfare organizations and foster homes on professional matters.
Community Networking
She promotes the connection of rabbit owners through lists for vacation care, emergency shelters, and local consultants.
Media Presence and Influence
Multimedia Presence
In addition to her website, she is active in podcasts, radio shows, television programs, and online seminars to reach broader audiences.
Scientific Approach
Her knowledge is based on scientific findings where possible and is supplemented with experiential knowledge when no scientific data is available on a specific topic.
Viola Schillinger combines passion with expertise and plays a key role in shaping modern small animal care. Her work aims to uncover issues, educate pet owners, and sustainably improve the living conditions of rabbits and guinea pigs.
Who is behind howtorabbit.com?
Erika Kühne Escobar, of German and Colombian descent, grew up in Colombia and moved to Germany when she was 19 years old. She studied industrial engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and is now working in strategic purchasing at a German company. Since childhood, she has had a deep passion and love for rabbits.
For over five years, she has kept rabbits as pets. In her quest to learn more about properly caring for these wonderful animals, she discovered Kaninchenwiese.de. Around the same time, she began reading similar information in her mother tongue, Spanish. It didn’t take long for her to notice a significant difference in knowledge, particularly regarding the most controversial topic: that hay is not the main food for rabbits.
After almost three years of learning from Kaninchenwiese.de and improving her own rabbit care, Erika decided to start sharing the valuable new information she had gained, especially regarding nutrition and care, all thanks to Viola Schillinger, who has revolutionized our understanding of rabbit care. This became her biggest passion and hobby. For the past three years, she has been working almost every day on the Spanish version, conesalud.com, which has been gaining more recognition every day.
Now, Erika has launched the English version, howtoRabbit.com. She approaches this work with immense passion and love, driven by her deep affection for rabbits. She believes that with proper care, these animals give their owners so much in return. It is from this love that she dedicates herself to sharing the invaluable work of Viola Schillinger. Erika is incredibly proud to share all this precious knowledge about rabbits.
