Food is generally used as motivator, but toys may also be a reward for your rabbit. [1] X Expert Source Jamie Freyer, DVMLicensed Veterinarian Expert Interview. 7 December 2021. Rabbits are prey animals, so if they feel frightened, they will usually flee and try to find somewhere to hide. If they exhibit this behavior, it means that you need to find a way to make them feel more comfortable and safer before attempting to train them.
The rabbit will use scent and whisker feedback to detect anything in the immediate environment more so than sight, so you will want to place treats under the rabbit’s nose and mouth. You may notice that rabbits change their head position as you get closer. This is an effort to see you better, like a person with bifocals trying to get the glasses and their eyes lined up to see. Rabbits are prey animals and need to see predators from far away, so that they can run and hide in time to save themselves. Because of this, before you touch it, you need to let the rabbit see and smell you. This will give you an easier time handling the rabbit. By letting it see and smell you, it can verify that you are not a predator, and therefore no danger to it.
Not all rabbits enjoy being stroked, but some enjoy it so much that stroking can be an even better incentive than food. Spend plenty of quality time petting your rabbit, and attend to all its basic needs so that it feels secure and comfortable in your home. Never hold your bunny by the ears! Don’t hurt your rabbit. Be kind and gentle to your fluffy friend and it will respond more positively to your training. [2] X Expert Source Jamie Freyer, DVMLicensed Veterinarian Expert Interview. 7 December 2021.
If you’re not sure if a particular food is safe for your rabbit, check with your veterinarian (one that is familiar with rabbits). Do not feed anything but vegetables, greens, or fruit to your bunny. If your rabbit is not used to eating much fruit or fresh greens, go easy on the amounts for a few weeks to avoid causing diarrhea or digestive upset. [4] X Research source Your rabbit may like Blueberries or Kale or Carrot (try shreds of carrot) as a treat. [5] X Research source
If the rabbit does something else before you give the treat, you are reinforcing the wrong behavior. If you want to teach your rabbit to come when called, start its training by having it positioned very close to you. When it comes to you, give it the reward. Be consistent so that your fluffy companion knows why it’s getting treats. Use the exact same commands, such as “Sit, (Your Rabbit’s Name),” or “Up, (Your Rabbit’s Name),” every time, so your rabbit will learn to recognize your requests and associate those exact words with getting a treat. Add praise to the act of giving the treat. For instance, “Good Sit” or “Good Up. ”
If you are training your rabbit to allow a harness to be placed, start with rewarding the bunny for going over to the harness on the floor and sniffing or touching the item. Work up to placing the harness on the bunny’s back and rewarding them for staying still. Reward the bunny for calmly allowing you to lift up a front leg then work up to placing their foot through the appropriate part of the harness. Reward as you go and move slowly. Don’t frighten or rush the rabbit. Once you have the harness in place, allow the rabbit to wear it for a few minutes at a time and take it off. Work up to having the rabbit drag the leash around the house before picking up the leash yourself.
Try to click right as the desired behavior is happening so the animal knows what it did to get the reward. Give the rabbit a treat or something else they enjoy within a few seconds of the click for each and every time you click, even if you click accidentally. The rabbit will learn that a click means a treat and try to earn clicks.
In time, reward your rabbit with petting and toys and only use food occasionally to keep the behavior strong. Rabbits like gentle strokes on their heads. Do not stroke the rabbit on its body; this is alarming to a rabbit. Be patient and take things slowly to avoid creating fear in your rabbit.
Never scold, punish, shout or even say “no” to the rabbit during training. This is counterproductive and will make your rabbit more fearful and delay training.
Of course, larger litter boxes are possible when the rabbit is enjoying “bunny hop” time outside the cage.
The most common way rabbits try to assert dominance is inappropriate nipping or biting you to try to herd you or get you to leave your sitting place. If this occurs, let out a short, loud, high-pitched squeal and either put your rabbit down on the floor (if it has jumped up where you’re sitting) or pick it up and move it out of the way from you (if it is on the floor already). [7] X Expert Source Jamie Freyer, DVMLicensed Veterinarian Expert Interview. 7 December 2021. Do this firmly, but gently. You don’t want to hurt your rabbit or make it fear you, you simply want to assert that you are in charge. If your rabbit continues the behavior, put it in its crate for a “time-out. ”
If you do not back down and avoid the reflex to “run away” if the bunny charges you, the rabbit will learn that this behavior does not work to intimidate you. [8] X Research source Never hit the rabbit. You and your hands are the sources of food and pleasure, like petting on top of the rabbit’s head. If you are afraid of being injured, wear long pants, shoes, long sleeves and gloves if necessary to protect yourself from bites. [9] X Research source Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, Behavior Problems in Pet Rabbits, Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 38-44, ISSN 1557-5063
Hormones can also influence bunny behavior and having your rabbit spayed or neutered may help decrease territorial aggression, for instance.
