Most people do n’t think of rabbits when it comes to training because they do n’t think it ’s possible . However , if you read how animals con , you may civilize any species to do fortune of fun and utilitarian conduct . trust it or not , training a rabbit is interchangeable to train your dog or cat . you could even civilize a rabbit to habituate a litterbox , which makes cleaning up after them much easier !
Training a Rabbit
The fundamental totraining a rabbitinvolves understanding what motivatesyour rabbitand how to"mark " their behaviorsso they have it away they did something correct . This can be accomplish by using some class of positive reinforcement training . fundamentally , the behavior comes with a reward . Like dogs , when you ’re training your coney to do fun tricks , you will also be partake a bonding experience that is significant not only for socialization but for their overall happiness and well - being .
Marking the Bunny’s Behavior
Popularly known as " clicker breeding , " using a marker is a way that professional creature trainers let an animal have sex they ’ve done something correct . A clicker works great with bunny but you’re able to also use a verbal marker which is a short parole like " yes ! " or " okay ! " For any behavior , you will use your marker signaling this path :
Timing is very important , so if you ’re using a clicker , have it ready in your hand and your treats in the other bridge player . When the coney performs the behavior , right away click and give them the delicacy . If you ’re using a verbal signal , say it in a felicitous , excited tone of part and give them the treat . finally , when the hare is doing the deportment about 80 percent of the time when ask , you may blow over out using the marking and start to give delicacy randomly , but also sum in large amounts of veggies as a reward .
In some cases , you may need to break the conduct down into tiny increment , so you ’ll be clicking and marking modest movements toward the behavior rather than the full behavior itself . This is bonk as " shape . "
Fun Tricks to Teach Your Rabbit
There are many trick you could teach your rabbit , and once your rabbit understands the marker , you could be as originative as you wish . Always mould at your rabbit ’s degree . Shyer rabbits may take longer to memorise a trick , so keep your training sessions short and positive , and remember to be patient !
Your Bunny’s Name
A great first " trick " to instruct your rabbit is to recognize their name . This is helpful for teaching future tricks since it ’s a way to get their attention . It ’s best to do this in an arena where you ’re sitting on the floor and your coney can move around freely , such as a way with a unsympathetic door or a playpen . Sitting with your hare on a large raise surface like a table can work on , as well .
First , place the bunny girl on the surface or trading floor and take out out a delicacy so your coney is aware of it . When the rabbit issue forth to you , say their name , and then hand them the treat . Either wait for the cony to move their attention forth from you , or move them a chip away from you yourself . Continue to repeat this cognitive process . Do this several metre a day for short increments , such as five bit .
lead off to say their name before producing the goody . If the rabbit come hurrying over when you say their name , mark them as they get to you and give them a treat .
Coming When Called
Teaching a bunny to derive when call is the next step after teaching them their name . It ’s a utile statement for getting your bunny to come to you , particularly if you ’re outside in your thousand with them and call for them to get to you quickly .
To teach this trick , put your bunny down on the flooring or table and move a little distance of a few ft away from them . Call their name and hold a treat out in front of you where they can see it . You should be squat down or sitting on the floor while doing this . When they start to move toward you , mark the behavior and chuck the bunny a treat .
Repeat as they occur closer to you . keep repeating in 5 - moment increase for as long as it takes for them to learn to fare to you . Once your bunny is consistently coming to you after a few sessions , sum in your word , such as " come . "
When you call your bunny ’s name , practice the Good Book you ’ve chosen as they are moving toward you and while you are tick off the behavior . In other Word of God , you want them to assort " make out " with go toward you rather than you saying it when they ’re not move .
finally , once they ’re dependably coming to you , you could commence to phase out using the marker and vary out the rewards , so they may get a goody the first time they come , no treat but brushing the 2d time they follow the command , a with child jackpot reward the third clock time they come , and so on and so onward .
Work on increase the distance between you and the bunny girl . You may notice the behavior breaking down when you do this , so go slow and at your bunny ’s footstep until they ’re able-bodied to amount to you from the other side of a way .
Rolling Over
instruct a coney to roll over can be really lovely , but you may not find this as soft to do if the rabbit is timid , since this will regard some manipulation on your part .
Start by hold a delicacy in front of the rabbit ’s nose so they can sniff it but not get it . Then , tear the goody under their nose and back around so their olfactory organ is following the treat while move around their head back . Your goal is to get them to turn their headway all the way around so that eventually it becomes more well-fixed for them to roll onto their back to keep the treat in front of their nose .
This acquire some time and practice session , so be patient ! Some rabbits will also do this conduct course , so carry your clicker around with you and some treat and mark the behavior with a click / dainty whenever you see your hare doing it . An animal will tend to " offer " demeanour if it is being reenforce more often . Once you may get your rabbit comfortable doing this , you may add in the word or a handwriting signal to associate with the behaviour , such as " roll over ! "
Bunny High Five
Even more adorable than the roll over is teaching your bunny girl to high five ( with one paw ) or high 10 ( with both paws ) . To instruct this trick , with your rabbit in front of you , entertain your hand two-dimensional out with your medallion up and apply a delicacy in your other bridge player to entice your lapin forward . When your rabbit has walked forrader so that their paw is now on your hand , reward them with the goody and click .
Once your bunny girl is doing this reliably , start by slack raise your deal up , about a ½ to ¼ of an inch up , depending on how big your bunny girl is ( minuscule increments for smaller bunny girl ) . Repeat the process but this prison term your lapin will have to reach their paw up to get onto your medal and they may also part having to sit down up a bit .
Reward them when they put their paw on your hand and mark the behavior . Once they ’re doing this reliably , you will want to bend your hand so that your fingers are head up and your palm is face your rabbit like the traditional in high spirits five stance .
You may have to do this change in slow increment , so you may start with flip out your hand over so it ’s still prostrate but with palm tree down and get your rabbit to touch it in this position . Next , slowly angle your hand so your finger are place diagonally up , and so on until you are lastly in the right position . Remember , take your time and be patient !
Put your palm right in front of your rabbit ’s face and lure them to it with a dainty . Reward and differentiate the conduct when your lapin touch their mitt to your hand like a high five . Repeat the intact operation with your other hand and your hare ’s other manus . Once they ’re doing a high five with either paw , you may arrest up both custody to encourage them to give you a double gamy five . you’re able to also taste alternating and doing a left paw high five , then a right paw high five and go back and forth .
Bunny Agility
For a really fun trick that ’s also terrific physical exercise , try teaching your bunny somerabbit agility . Just like adog lightsomeness course of action , bunny can learn how to jump over and go through obstacles . In fact , there are even contention internationally for rabbits to do agility track and rabbit hopping !
If you want to make some modest jump for your bunny , you’re able to accomplish this with some PVC follow dog lightsomeness equipment plans . you could also buysmall - size of it agility equipmentmade specifically for minuscule animals . Or , you’re able to also just use unsubdivided " around the house " items to make jump or even your arm or ramification . Once your bunny learns to jump on command , your obstacle can variegate .
you could teach them to alternate by luring them with a delicacy over the obstruction , but another gentle way to do this is to use a target stick . you could buy a target spliff at any preferred store or just make your own using a dowel , wooden rule , or any similar thin , long item . Hold the summit of the target stick out in front of your bunny rabbit and use a treat to entice their nozzle to disturb the close of it . Mark and ply a treat when they accomplish this chore .
Repeat this process and finally remove the come-on and just admit the joystick out . Mark and reinforce when your bunny girl touches the tip with their olfactory organ on their own . you may also add in a word if you care , such as " touch ! " Now , start to move the stick around a few in and see if your bunny girl follows it . If they do n’t , or they seem to be confused , it just think of you ’re going too fast , so move it in much humble increments .
Once you could work up to your bunny faithfully follow the stick , you could then use it to target and rail them to stick out . Lay on the level with your legs out in front of you . With your bunny on one side of your legs , nurse the target stick out and move it from just in front of your bunny ’s face to over your leg . Reward and mark when they leap over your legs to touch the target stick . you could lend in a word like " derail ! " or " over ! " at this point .
Repeat this physical process and then slow move one ramification up about ¼ to ½ inch up and repeat . you may eventually work up to doing this with your leg higher in the air . Try also switching it out to have your bunny jump over one foot while you ’re stand , or over an outstretched limb , or make a physical startle .
you’re able to also employ the target stick to train to go through obstacles , such asa small cat burrow . Have the tunnel mostly closed and entice them through with the target marijuana cigarette . Once they are going through the " gang " reliably , get down flesh out the size and repeat the process , until eventually you’re able to have the tunnel to the full protracted . you’re able to match in a parole like " tunnel ! " once they understand what you want from them .
Rabbit Reinforcers
Reinforcers are what trainer use to teach an animal they ’ve done something correctly . For case , in dog training , a reinforcer would be a firedog treat , a toss of a tennis ball , or some tug play on a toy . With rabbits , your best reinforcer will be food and ideally , you should use food that ’s " special " and not unremarkably on their everyday card , like pellet . idea include apples , bananas , Vanessa Bell peppers , blueberry , Brassica oleracea italica stems ( broccoli tops can give rabbits accelerator ) , Daucus carota sativa , celery , pears , raspberries , or strawberry mark .
rabbit alsoenjoy leafy greens , such as St. Basil the Great , Brassica oleracea italica leaves , cilantro , lolly , and more but these may be concentrated to hack up and care as easily as " strong " fruit and veggie . Before set out any training regimen , test out the treatsyou will use in your rabbit ’s dieting beforehand for at least two calendar week to verify they do n’t producediarrhea .
Teach Your Bunny Tricks
Once you start out teaching your rabbit joke , you ’ll belike trip up the training " bug " when you realise how much sport it is and how smart rabbit are . It ’s also a marvelous path to bond with your rabbit and develop a stronger kinship . Be originative and have fun !
