How to train a rabbit at home?

Rabbits are becoming increasingly popular pets today. They are cute, sociable and playful, which attracts people's attention to them. However, these animals are also distinguished by their intelligence. With skillful approach, they can be taught different tricks. Let's talk about how to train a rabbit.

Decorative rabbit

What breeds can be trained?

Rabbits of different breeds have different types of temperament, but most of them show learning abilities. If you want to get an eared pet and then teach him various tricks, you should pay attention to the following breeds:

Flanders, the gray and white giants. These related breeds have a good-natured nature. Cute animals easily find contact with people, are tamed and trained.
Shorthaired dwarf. The miniature animal will become a good friend for families with children and single people. Having learned to trust the owner, the animal will be able to master interesting tricks.
Dutch. Representatives of this breed love to play, they are sociable and active.
The Angora dwarf is a fluffy animal with a good-natured character. The Angora rabbit is a little lazy, but smart.
The lop-eared ram is distinguished by its playfulness and ability to find a common language with people.
The dwarf rex is smart and aristocratic, amenable to training.

Reference. Dwarf breeds love to play; they perceive training not as a need to follow the owner’s commands, but as entertainment.

Basic Rules

The main secret to successful team training is encouragement. Animals need to be treated to something tasty to get what they want. It is important to completely eliminate aggression and negativity from the learning process. You cannot spank the animal or shout at it; such methods will not achieve success in training. The owner’s main task is to make the process enjoyable for both. Training should be an enjoyable game for both the pet and its owner.

Rewarding your rabbit with treats

Rewarding with treats is not the basis of training, but an enjoyable part of it. The rabbit should receive a piece of carrot or apple only when he has completed the command correctly. But this is just a learning phase. The basis of training is a detailed action plan and joint adherence to it. What is required from the owner:

Choose a trick he would like to teach the rabbit.
Break it down into stages or steps.
Make a list of commands that will accompany each stage of the exercise.
Choose words to encourage your pet that will be constantly used during training (“well done”, “good”). Such exclamations are always accompanied by a treat.
Determine the time intervals for performing a particular trick and its individual stages.

Important! Additionally, the pet owner should consider what commands will be used to help the rabbit.

Learning basic tricks

Teaching a rabbit who completely trusts you basic tricks is usually not difficult. Such activities are enjoyable for both and should be carried out in a relaxed atmosphere.

It is best to teach tricks to young animals that have reached the age of 2-3 months. Rabbits learn well, remembering commands during play. But training can also be done with adults.

You can come up with tricks on your own and conduct training gradually moving from simple to complex actions. Immediately identify a list of commands that should not sound similar to one another.

Make an action plan, stretching the time intervals between individual classes, and gradually reducing the number of rewards. To prevent your pet from losing the skills he has already acquired, try not to interrupt classes that will soon give the expected results.

When to start training?

Rabbits absorb information better and are trainable at a young age, just like children. The optimal time to start classes is from 2 to 3 months. If you recently acquired a pet, you should give it time to adapt. Training cannot begin until the baby rabbit gets used to the new place and learns to trust the people with whom he lives. This will take time.

Reference. It can take from 1 to 2 weeks to tame an eared animal.

How to tell if your rabbit is ready for training:

he is not afraid when his owner approaches him;
calmly accepts food from human hands;
litter box trained.

The rabbit is ready for training if it is not afraid of hands

After arriving at its new home, the rabbit will be scared. He is afraid of unfamiliar surroundings, people and voices. Let him calm down and sniff around your home. In a day or two, the eared one will recover from stress. It's too early to let him out of the cage yet. Now we need to get acquainted. To do this, you should offer him a treat by extending your hand to the cage bars. Let the rabbit sniff it and the owner's hand and take the treat himself. In the future, the pet will get used to the smell of its owners and learn to trust them if no one frightens it, forcefully pulls it out of the cage and screams. You can start training a rabbit when its level of trust in humans increases.

Taming process

You should start taming an animal from the first days of its stay in the house.

It is important to understand that the rabbit itself is not aggressive, it is a kind and sweet creature, but very timid. It is fear that gives rise to aggression and reluctance to communicate. It is necessary to ensure that the animal learns to trust its owner

As soon as the animal feels that the person does not pose a danger to it, it will begin to show tenderness

It is necessary to ensure that the animal learns to trust its owner. As soon as the animal feels that the person does not pose a danger to it, it will begin to show tenderness.

In the first few days after buying a rabbit, you should give it time to get used to its new home. Let him get comfortable, sniff his possessions, eat and calm down. When the rodent finds a place to rest, you can begin to get to know it. At first it is better not to pick him up, but only talk to him in a gentle voice through the bars of the cage.

Important! The animal must get used to the smell of the owner, so it is worth refusing to use perfume for the duration of the acquaintance. Some treats, for example, a piece of fresh carrot, will help reduce the animal’s stress level. Offer him a vegetable by slowly extending your hand

At first, the animal will be distrustful of such contact, but the smell of the treat will attract it. Each time you treat the animal with something tasty, you can achieve its favor. Over time, the animal will stop being afraid

Offer him the vegetable by slowly extending your hand. At first, the animal will be distrustful of such contact, but the smell of the treat will attract it. Each time you treat the animal with something tasty, you can achieve its favor. Over time, the animal will stop being afraid

Some treats, such as a piece of fresh carrot, will help reduce the animal’s stress level. Offer him the vegetable by slowly extending your hand. At first, the animal will be distrustful of such contact, but the smell of the treat will attract it. Each time you treat the animal with something tasty, you can achieve its favor. Over time, the animal will stop being afraid.

When letting your rabbit out of the cage for a walk around the apartment, you need to speak to him kindly. You shouldn’t pick it up right away; let it explore the new territory. Just extend your palm to him and lightly touch his fur. Always have a treat ready. Soon the little ear will begin to perceive its owner as a breadwinner and will cease to feel fear. When the degree of trust increases, you can try to hold the little rabbit in your arms for a while.

Attention! Never pick up an animal from above - this is what wild animals do. Hold your pet's lower body with your hand. Mistaking the owner for a dangerous object, an ornamental rabbit can die from a heart attack

Mistaking the owner for a dangerous object, an ornamental rabbit can die from a heart attack.

Veterinarians and experienced breeders give valuable advice on taming these animals:

Animal Taming Tips

You cannot stand over the animal or its cage. The rabbit sees a person as a large spot; he can perceive him as a dangerous object.
It is forbidden to suddenly grab the baby rabbit by the ears or paws or forcefully pull it out of the cage.
You should not make noise in the presence of your pet.
When petting a rabbit, your hand should be held above its head, not in front of its muzzle.

Rabbit training

Experts recommend starting exercises with your pet when he is ready to communicate and is a little hungry. He will have an incentive to get the treat. First you need to teach him to respond to his nickname, and start practicing tricks later.

Teaching a rabbit to respond to a name is easy. Arm yourself with a piece of carrot or apple, call the animal by name and show it the treat. If the animal turns around, praise it, caress it and give it a treat. Do this exercise several times every day. Soon the pet will remember its name and will come running when called.

Apple as a reward for a rabbit

Making a stand

The stand exercise involves the rabbit standing up on its hind legs. To teach him this trick, you need to take a treat in your hand, show it to your pet and raise the treat higher. At the same time, the owner pronounces a command word, for example, “up.” Reflexively, the rabbit will begin to pull its muzzle for a treat, rising on its hind legs. At first, you can hold the animal under the forelimbs to avoid falling and tipping backwards. The treat is given when the rabbit has successfully completed the task. Over time, the exercise is brought to perfection; it is important to teach the pet to fix its body position in the soldier pose, and then praise and encourage it every time.

Advice. When the eared dog masters the trick, it is recommended to continue training, but without a treat in your hand. The treat is given only after completing a full exercise cycle, as a reward for success.

Jumping over obstacles

The rabbit can be taught more complex tricks, for example, jumping over obstacles or going through a maze. This task is more difficult than the previous ones, so it requires time and patience. How to train:

first they master one element, the simplest one;
gradually adding new tasks one at a time;
When the rabbit learns to carry out one command, the process is gradually complicated by connecting elements of the exercise.

For an obstacle course you will need various equipment - mats, labyrinths, bridges, tunnels. You can make them yourself. When training, they use the same methods - commands and rewarding the pet.

Ball game

The sight of a rabbit playing a ball like a real football player is touching. Anyone can teach him this trick. For your pet to start pushing the ball with its muzzle, just put a piece of treat under it and show that it is there. The animal will quickly understand that you need to make an effort to get the treat. The owner must accompany this process with commands, for example, “roll”, “push”. Over time, the animal will begin to respond to these phrases; it will remember that by pushing the ball, it will receive a treat.

In a similar way, a rabbit is taught to drive a ball into a small goal. In this case, it is recommended to secure the treat to the ball using double-sided tape. As soon as your pet manages to get the ball into the goal, pamper him with a treat and praise him.

Read also: Mating and mating of rabbits: age, problems, tips

Turn over the saucer

Having mastered the skill of pushing a ball with its muzzle, the rabbit will easily learn to turn over a saucer. You need to train him like this:

show the pet a treat;
place it under the plate;
we give the appropriate command (you need to come up with a word, for example, “search”);
When the rabbit manages to turn over the saucer, he will have access to the treat and hear praise.

Having memorized the command, the pet will eventually practice this exercise, because then he will receive a piece of carrot or other treat. The animal is more likely to use its teeth to knock over the container and get the treat.

Training a rabbit requires patience. You should not raise your voice at your pet if it fails in some action, especially if you do not hit it. Let training resemble an exciting game and evoke only positive emotions. Then the pet will soon delight its owners with its skills.

Recipe for success

You brought a small decorative rabbit into your home, and it immediately became the favorite of the whole family. The fluffy animal is very sociable, he likes attention and good attitude. If you carefully observe your new pet, you will very soon notice that rabbits are very smart.

But naughty and capricious animals can ruin the mood of the household. Therefore, owners often think that it would be a good idea to start training a rabbit. These furballs are very smart, despite their small constitution. Don't hesitate: you can teach him many funny tricks, which will delight your family and guests. Trained rabbits cause special delight among children.

You can successfully teach an animal commands if you follow simple rules. The most important thing is that your pet must trust you. Rabbits are very sensitive, so they easily detect aggression and bad mood of the owner. If you have just picked up your baby from the store, let him get comfortable, sniff new smells and examine his surroundings.

Simple rules

You probably know that the main tool in training is reward with treats. Therefore, start training when your rabbit is a little hungry. Give him small pieces of treats to encourage further learning. The main thing is to give a tasty piece only if the animal has followed the command correctly.

Never yell at your long-eared pet, much less hit him. Even a light slap will greatly upset the rabbit, and there is even a chance that he will harbor a grudge against you. Remember: no sticks, only carrots!

Do not force the animal to train if it is not in the mood or is passionate about something. But don’t start training yourself in a bad mood. Classes should be enjoyable for both parties. Turn training into a game and you will see how quickly your rabbit will learn everything.

You need to start with light exercises. More complex tricks can only be learned after the rabbit has mastered the previous command. Master the commands gradually, do not rush your pet and do not rush yourself. It is also very important to practice regularly, and not occasionally. Only then will the result not take long to arrive.

When to start?

You should not think that, having crossed the threshold of a house with a new inhabitant, you will immediately begin to train him intensively. The little animal needs to get used to it, because it is going through a lot of stress: it was brought to an unfamiliar place. Therefore, before you start teaching your rabbit various commands, make sure that he is comfortable at home and not afraid.

As for the age at which you can start training, it is best to do this when the rabbit is 2-3 months old. These animals, like children, absorb information faster at a young age. However, if you already have an adult rabbit, you can achieve great results in training. The main thing is persistence and patience.

Pet animal

To tame a decorative rabbit, from the first minutes you cannot suddenly grab it in your arms, toss it and press it tightly to you. This will only push your pet away and may provoke aggressive behavior. Therefore, if you have a small child at home, explain to him that the animal is tired and scared. Make sure that your baby does not squeeze the animal, pull its ears or spank it.

Let your rabbit get comfortable in the cage. Let him see his new home for himself. When he gets used to it a little, he will leave the house on his own. It is advisable not to force the rabbit out of the cage: he will consider this an invasion of his territory.

Decorative rabbits love affectionate treatment and delight if you scratch them behind the ears or gently massage their backs. Talk to the animal in a gentle voice, offer a tasty treat. Then the new resident will trust you and will soon become completely tame.

Clean animals

The most common desire of owners is to accustom their pet to the tray. Observe for some time where the rabbit relieves its needs. Place a tray with litter in this corner. Every morning and evening, place the rabbit's soaked straw and solid feces into the tray.

Unobtrusively place your baby in his potty, repeating the same phrase. For example, “Bonya, go potty.” Say it kindly, without threatening intonations. Repeat this ritual daily. A smart girl will quickly figure out what's what. When your pet is completely accustomed to your household and relieves itself in a strictly designated place, you can begin to train it. Start with the simplest exercises and gradually move on to more difficult tasks.

Is it possible to accustom a rabbit to being handled and is it necessary to do so?

Decorative rabbits, like many other pets, can be trained. You can’t expect the same success from them as from a trained German Shepherd, but teaching an animal to come running when called and perform a few simple tricks is quite possible. The most important thing in a rabbit training program is to get it used to being handled. Is this necessary? Definitely yes, and there are several reasons for this.

Most owners want not only to see their pet in a cage, but also to pet it and play with it. The process of forming friendship between an animal and a person does not always happen by itself.

Even if no one will play with your pet, it is important to accustom him to being handled. After all, you will need to bathe, comb and examine the animal, wash its enclosure, and therefore make contact with the animal.

Rabbits are very shy. If you simply pick up an animal without first accustoming it to handling, it may behave aggressively, for example, bite or scratch heavily. What’s worse is that the rabbit’s heart may not be able to bear it due to severe fright, and the animal will die.

What can't you do?

1. Do not overdo it with treats during training, especially be careful with special treats for rabbits, most often they are not healthy, especially in large quantities.

2. Never hit a rabbit, this can be disastrous not only for your relationship, but also for the life of the pet itself.

3. Even an animal with extensive training experience can refuse to follow a command; do not expect that everything will work out according to the first request and, of course, do not give up training.

4. In no case should you leave your pet without food; the rabbit should not be hungry during exercise; let it be interesting entertainment for him, and not forced to beg for food.

We can conclude that training rabbits at home is a very real and very enjoyable activity. Remember that anything is possible, surprise your family members and guests with your furry pet, don’t stop and come up with new interesting tricks. The main thing is to be patient and surround your pet with love and kindness.

Characteristics of rabbits depending on breed

It would be wrong to choose a pet based only on its external characteristics. Although it seems that a fluffy rabbit should a priori be kind, in fact you can end up with a shaggy bully who bites everything that moves.

It cannot be said that there are definitely friendly or aggressive breeds of decorative rabbits. It’s just that affectionate individuals are more common among representatives of some breeds, while independent ones are more common among representatives of others.

Dutch Lop rabbit (ram)

Very affectionate and sociable, requires a lot of attention and communication. It is easy to train and does not tolerate loneliness very well. Sometimes the Lop-Eared Ram can become depressed and even die if left alone for a long time.

Dutch lop rabbit

Representatives of this breed are quite friendly, but are jealous of the owner's attention. Because of this, they may conflict with other pets.

Rex (beaver rabbit)

Rex rabbits are calm and easy to interact with humans. At the same time, they do not have the most frisky character, they prefer calm communication, so they are not suitable as a pet for a child.

Dwarf lion-headed rabbit

Another friendly breed. Lion-headed rabbits are quite affectionate and easy-going if you treat them well. If you carelessly cause pain to an animal, you can immediately suffer from its strong teeth and strong paws.

Animals differ from their counterparts in that the males of this breed are more accommodating and affectionate than the females - but usually the opposite is true.

Angora, fox and colored short-haired rabbits

Representatives of these breeds are distinguished by their contradictory character: this means that even among the rabbits of the same litter there can be both calm and frisky, both phlegmatic and aggressive individuals.

Tame wisely

Despite the general belief that rabbits are only phlegmatic and affectionate, this is not so. Aggressive individuals are common, but their training is worth the effort, since you have come across a definitely smarter and more intelligent specimen. You need to establish contact with him, and in a more complex form of communication than described above.

Not all rabbits are gentle

The main reasons for unfriendly and threatening behavior:

the pet is afraid of you;
the rabbit is afraid and makes it clear that it cannot be picked up with “bare hands”.

Try to earn his trust through simple daily communication. Give him food, explaining its qualities, read a book with him, listen to music, watch TV and even play chess. Try putting it on and showing it in the mirror. Don't forget that these animals have poor frontal vision. The pet may try to turn away (turn sideways) to see itself better. All animals perceive such a friendly attitude; over time, the rabbit himself will demonstrate this.

Bunny in festive clothes

To win over a developed animal, you need to communicate with it, but not impose your attention. In the end, the rabbit also needs a friend and will gradually cease to consider you an enemy, but will want to receive pleasure in the form of additional “sweets”, friendly pastime and affection.

A frightened rabbit will try to hide

The owners of such rabbits notice that over time, their own special language of communication is established, the rabbit finds the opportunity to show what it wants. Ask or demand to go to meet him. Never hit this animal, in this case your image will be associated with a predator, and the pet will show concern.

Rabbit castration

If a rabbit regularly bites its owner's ankles, it is a sign of sexual behavior. There are two ways out of the situation: sterilize and find him (her) a mate. Both options are equivalent in terms of the level of problems for the pet; of course, procreation is more natural. True, in this case it may cease to be decorative and yours, since it will have its own family and worries. Even in such cases, attentive owners find a common language with the animals.

How to properly accustom a rabbit to handling?

It all starts with the process of choosing a pet. Regardless of what breed the animal belongs to, it is worth getting to know its parents: if they are calm, friendly and have a stable psyche, it is most likely that their rabbits will have the same qualities.

Sometimes unscrupulous breeders sell not ornamental rabbits, but wild ones. They can also be trained, but much more difficult. Therefore, it is better to purchase a pet from responsible breeders with a good reputation.

It is best for a rabbit to get used to a new owner when it is under 8 weeks of age. You should not take an older animal: most likely, the baby rabbit has already gotten used to another person, so such a change will be very stressful for him.

When a rabbit is selected, purchased and brought to a new home, it needs to be given time to get comfortable: look around, sniff everything, eat and choose a place where it will lie. After this, you can approach the cage and speak to the animal in a quiet, affectionate tone, calling its new nickname. This way the pet will get used to the presence of the owner and his voice.

The next stage is physical contact. It is better to start it in a cage - there the little rabbit feels safe. First you need him to see and examine the hand. To do this, you should not bring it too close to its face - rabbits are farsighted and do not see objects close up: a hand appearing out of nowhere can frighten the animal.

When the rabbit sees the hand, you need to wait for him to come and sniff it. It is better to have some kind of treat in your hand: the pet should associate the owner’s hands with tasty food and affection. After he has eaten the treat, you can gently stroke his nose.

When the animal is in a cage, you should not try to pick it up or stroke its back or tummy. In most cases the rabbit will not like this.

After the rabbit gets used to the voice and hands of the owner, you can proceed to the next step - communication outside the cage. You need to let your pet out of the enclosure and sit on the floor at his level. At this time, you need to talk to the animal - hearing a familiar voice, the pet will feel safe. You need to place your hand next to you, palm up, and place a cracker or a piece of vegetable on it.

If the previous stages of acquaintance went correctly, then, most likely, the little rabbit will quickly want to approach the hand himself. After he eats the treat, you can lightly stroke his back. This action must be done several times.

Read also: Russian ermine rabbit - description of the breed

After the animal gets used to sitting in the palm of your hand, you can lift it up to a small height, holding it with your other hand. It is important that the rabbit feels solid support, otherwise it will get scared. At the same time, you need to continue talking to him. After the rabbit gets used to this action, you can hold it in your arms for a little while, pressing them to your chest.

If the rabbit begins to squeal and tries to escape, you need to carefully place it on the floor. Haste can lead to animal aggression, injury and bites.

How to gradually accustom a rabbit to your hands is described in this video:

If the rabbit is very small, very scared and cannot calm down, it needs special sensitivity. It’s not surprising - too many changes have taken place in his life. In this case, you can gently wrap the baby in a soft towel while continuing to talk kindly to him. The warmth and soft fabric will remind the animal of its mother rabbit, and it will calm down faster. And the owner’s voice will be associated with maternal warmth.

What not to do when taming a baby rabbit:

immediately and abruptly pick up the animal;
standing over him, suddenly bending down - he may think that this is a predator;
lift by the ears;
touching the nose is the most sensitive organ in rabbits;
give or leave for a long time to strangers.

How to avoid diseases

In a greenhouse, it is impossible to achieve a level of sanitation comparable to cage housing. Feces and urine scattered throughout the area contribute to the development of coccidiosis. Therefore, animals must be given coccidiostats in a timely manner.

In winter, rabbit breeders fear frost. But he is not afraid of rabbits. And the greenhouse does not warm them, but only protects them from the wind. But due to the design features, excess moisture is created inside. Especially when there are a lot of animals. Such conditions contribute to the development of many diseases. The situation is aggravated by the evaporation of urine and the increased concentration of ammonia in the air. There must be ventilation.

When kept for walking in winter, it is better to plant only females in the greenhouse. The presence of males leads to indiscriminate mating. And if there are several of them, it leads to constant fights. Therefore, males must be left in cages.

If you spend time once and adapt the greenhouse to keep rabbits, you will get a full winter run for all subsequent years. This means you use the favorable summer time to maximize the reproduction of your herd. At the same time, after winter you get well-fertilized soil and high yields in summer.

Training: what tricks can you teach rabbits and how?

Rabbits can be taught a few simple commands. To do this, it is enough to devote up to 10 minutes three times a day. The essence of training is to divide the command into parts and give the rabbit his favorite treat for completing each part of the command.

Come when called

To teach a rabbit to come when called, you need to start from a short distance: call your pet, and after he comes, give him a treat. Gradually, the distance needs to be increased, and then you can even call the animal from another room.

sit, stand

It is better to learn these commands after the pet has learned to come when called. To do this, you need to pronounce the name of the team and help the rabbit take the required position. After it succeeds, give a treat. Repeat several times, and then help the rabbit less and less until he takes the desired position on his own. After every success, no matter how small, you need to give your pet something tasty to encourage.

Jump on the lap of the owner sitting on the sofa

This command can be divided into three parts:

The rabbit comes to the sofa when called.
Jumps on the sofa
Climbs onto the owner's lap and stays there.

After completing each part of the command, the animal needs to be given a treat, stroked, praised and the name of the command pronounced, for example: “*rabbit’s name*, on your knees!” This way the animal will connect its actions with the command and the treat.

Go to the litter box

If the rabbit goes to the toilet past the tray, you need to determine in which corner the place for the toilet is in the rabbit's opinion. You should put a tray in this place and put part of the dirty litter in it, and remove the rest of the dirty litter so that even its smell does not remain. Once the rabbit understands what this tray is for, you need to give him encouragement.

Run after a toy

Many people like to play with a cat when it runs after a candy wrapper or a toy mouse. A rabbit can also be taught this game. You need to attach a toy to a stick or string and show it to the rabbit. After he sniffs it, give him a treat.

Most likely, the rabbit will want to touch the toy, after which you also need to encourage him. Then you should move the toy some distance away and wait until the rabbit comes up to it again and touches it - and again give the animal something tasty, for example, a piece of banana or a sweet carrot.

When the rabbit understands the relationship between touching the toy and the treat, he will run after it. With the help of such a toy and additional rewards, you can subsequently teach your pet to jump over small obstacles, climb a hill, and so on.

The toy should not look like a rabbit - the pet may think that it is a rival and try to attack it.

Gradually, you should wean your rabbit off the reward treat. To do this, you can first replace it every other time with verbal praise and affection. Another time, give encouragement again, and the next two times, praise and stroke again.

What not to do during training:

overfeed the rabbit or give it food that is harmful to it;
deprive him of food so that he is hungry before the start of training;
Trying to teach a large number of commands at once is better to wait until one action is established before moving on to the next.

It is worth remembering that much greater success in training rabbits can be achieved with kindness and affection. If, as a result of training, the animal begins to fear its owner, then soon it will have to return to the beginning, namely, to establishing a trusting relationship. But the older the rabbit, the more difficult it is to do this.

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Have you decided to get this cute animal? Amazing! Rabbits are not only valuable fur, but also beautiful and charming creatures! Rabbits have different personalities. Sometimes you come across rather obstinate creatures that just don’t want to be tamed. They are either too shy by nature or overly aggressive. But affectionate, sociable and friendly animals are not at all uncommon.

Most often, owners of dwarf rabbits complain that their absolutely tame and dearly loved pet suddenly begins to show aggression towards the owners: bites, tries to hit with its paws. This seemingly unexpected and in no way justified change in behavior from the owners’ point of view is explained by the onset of puberty. True, aggression towards people most often subsequently fades away, but in some cases it can persist.

It should be remembered that if you do not constantly work with the rabbit, devote at least 15-20 minutes a day to it, then it may lose all interest in life and will either not respond to all your attempts to re-establish friendly relations or become aggressive. Now I’ll tell you a little about some rabbits.

Usually, baby rabbits quickly get used to their owner. The taming process should be gradual, but after a week, with gentle and skillful handling, your little rabbit will become completely tame. The rapidly growing popularity of dwarf rabbits as pets is no coincidence. The tame dwarf rabbit is an affectionate and pleasant creature to talk to. In countries where Catholics live, dwarf rabbits are usually given to children for Easter.

Rabbits are smart and quick-witted animals. It is not for nothing that they often appear in Western fairy tales, and in them they replace our foxes, that is, a character who is cunning and intelligent, but, unlike the fox, not evil. Rabbits are rather silent animals. From them you can only hear a muffled “purr” or a very specific dull sound when a male and a female meet. Sometimes rabbits will emit a long, high-pitched cry during mating (relatively rare) and in situations of extreme fear and pain. Therefore, if you pick up a baby rabbit, and for some reason he starts screaming loudly and piercingly, this means that the baby is scared. Put him back in his cage and leave him alone for a while. When the little rabbit calms down, you can pick him up again. If a rabbit begins to drum on the floor with its hind legs, it is likely that it is frightened or irritated by something. But such behavior can also serve as an alarm signal.

What to do with aggressive rabbits?

What to do if the rabbit begins to attack the owner, bite or play dirty tricks? There are three possible causes of animal aggression and three ways to solve them.

Explain who is boss in the house

It happens that a rabbit tries to take the position of the owner. In this case, he can bite, forcing the owner to move. With rabbits, as with dogs, it is important to show who is in charge. To do this, when a rabbit has bitten, you need to slightly raise your voice at him, and then firmly but gently push him off of you or put him away. If after the second or third time the animal does not understand, you need to lock it in an enclosure so that it understands: its freedom of movement is in the hands of its owner.

Balance hormonal levels

Sometimes the cause of aggression in a rabbit is hormones. This applies to cases where this character trait appeared unexpectedly, at the age of 3-5 months. In this case, castration or sterilization of the animal will help.

Help you feel safe

Another reason for changes in an animal’s behavior is fear. Perhaps one of the family members or guests behaved incorrectly towards the animal, for example, carelessly hurt it. In this case, you need to completely isolate them from each other for a while and re-establish a trusting relationship, first with the owner, and then with a family member or guest, if necessary.

Read also: Is it possible to give beets and their tops to rabbits?

What not to do:

hitting an animal with your hand or a newspaper - only something good should come from the owner;
starve to make more compliant;
withdrawing your hand when the rabbit tries to attack - this way he will understand that his owner is afraid of him.

Decorative rabbits are friendly and cheerful pets. But first you need to establish a trusting relationship with them, teach them commands and not allow a careless attitude towards your pet.

What do rabbits need for a comfortable life?

If you have decided on the breed, then you can safely move on to preparing for the arrival of a new pet in the house.

Remember, first you buy the cage and its accessories, and then only the rabbit! What are these add-ons? And this is a drinking bowl, a wheel (rabbits love to run), a tray, toys (all kinds of small balls).

You need to immediately purchase a larger cage, as rabbits grow quickly. The standard size is one meter.

A comfortable temperature is plus 18-20 degrees, and relative humidity is 50 percent.

Do not place the enclosure in direct sunlight as rabbits are very sensitive.

In the rabbit’s “house” it is necessary to make flooring (hay) approximately three to five centimeters thick. Replacement should be done every two weeks (rabbits are clean).

The tray needs to be cleaned daily.

Secure everything tightly. If something comes off, your pet will start gnawing on it.

The bottom of the enclosure should not be slippery. A lattice bottom is absolutely not suitable, as the legs will fall through.

Rabbits are sensitive and can catch cold from any draft. You cannot place the cage near air conditioners and radiators.

Rabbits eat hay, food and water. Additives include greens, fruits, vegetables. In the summer there is no need to completely replace hay with fresh grass.

Decorative rabbits are cowardly, so hold them tightly in your arms, as they can jump out and hurt themselves. A rabbit can die if it jumps from a certain height.

It is strictly forbidden to have a baby rabbit if you have small children. They can grab him by the ears, pull his fur, and this can lead to stress in the pet (rabbits often begin to get sick).

The rabbit needs walks and games, it must be active

It is important not to let him go for a walk unattended (he may chew something dangerous to his health)

There are two points of view regarding vaccinations: the first is that they should be given even if the rabbit does not go outside for a walk; second, there is no need to install them if the rabbit lives at home and does not go outside. The decision to vaccinate is yours to make.

If, after reading our article, you are still confident in your decision to get a rabbit, then here are six tips for making a smart purchase.

1. It is better to buy a decorative rabbit from breeders or in a nursery, but not in a store (often they do not monitor the animal, and there is no absolute guarantee that you will buy a healthy animal).

2. Find out the age of the rabbit; you should not buy a baby rabbit if it is not one and a half months old.

Pay attention to the wool, it should be shiny, without bald spots, tangles, etc.

4. The rabbit’s skin should be free of spots, redness and various growths.

5. The rabbit should be of medium size, active, cheerful.

6. When purchasing, find out about the conditions of keeping your decorative rabbit (what he was fed, what he was accustomed to, etc.).

Good luck to you and your pet!

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Are decorative rabbits trainable?

A rabbit is no less a smart pet than a cat or dog. To reveal all the talents of a little fluffy ball, you need to be patient, show care, affection and show a good attitude towards your pet.

During training, it is necessary to repeat the commands repeatedly; the rabbit will soon remember them and will carry them out without much effort. Trained animals can wash their faces while sitting on their hind legs, can run fast, jump high and surprise with other tricks.

You shouldn't train a rabbit if it's not in the mood. Nothing good will come of this. Pets are vindictive, so they will retaliate by making a puddle near the toilet or ruining a child’s toy.

Training for a rabbit is a kind of game that gives him pleasure. When he himself is interested in the game, learning will not be burdensome for him.

The rabbit is not easy to handle: how to train it

It will take a lot of time and effort to accustom a shy pet to being handled. Daily, gradual, purposeful actions will help you gain trust.

Rules for taming rabbits

Pamper your pet with treats. You need to spend more time with your pet. You shouldn’t try to teach them something during taming; you just need to be nearby so that the rabbit gets used to its owner and perceives him as something ordinary, normal.

When communicating with your pet, you should not raise your voice. You need to talk in a quiet, melodious, gentle voice. It is this kind of communication that calms rabbits.

The pet should not be disturbed from sleeping. He must get used to the fact that he can rest even in the presence of his owner.

While feeding, it is recommended to touch your pet's fur.

Rabbits don't like to be stared at. After all, animals have preserved the instinct of wild animals: when they are looked at, they must run away from danger. During communication, you need to blink more often, this way the rabbit will feel the owner’s indifference towards itself.

You cannot make sudden movements, sneak up on the rabbit and pick it up when it doesn’t see it, and you cannot catch up with the pet if it is trying to hide.

Before picking up your pet, you will need to extend your palm to him so that he sniffs it and gets used to the smell. Pets do not tolerate being held forcibly; if the fluffy ball is not ready to sit in your arms, it needs to be released until better times.

For any action, the owner must reward his pet with something tasty.

Establish contact and understanding

Now let’s talk about whether it’s possible to pick up a pet immediately after purchasing it, and how it will react to it. Let’s say right away that it’s possible, but this may threaten you with certain troubles in the future.

When changing its place of residence, the baby rabbit experiences serious stress, and taking the animal in your arms only intensifies it. The taming of an animal must be preceded by the process of its adaptation to the owner. This may take a few days, but is completely worth it if you plan to start teaching your animal various commands.

Rabbits have very poorly developed frontal vision, so if the animal constantly turns its head to the side, looking at you, then this is the first sign of interest and attention.

When starting to communicate with an animal, try to keep your face at approximately the same level with it. Then it is easier for the animal to establish contact with you, and training the rabbit is much faster and more successful.

How to train a dwarf rabbit: teach simple commands

It is better to start training when the rabbit is slightly hungry. First, you should think about where the training will take place: in the house or on the street. If the first option is chosen, a lawn with short grass will do; you can train at home anywhere.

Remember the name

It’s great if the pet responds to its name. You can teach this, armed with a tasty piece of apple, a sprig of parsley or an apple slice. You need to call the rabbit by name with the same intonation. If the pet responds, you need to treat it with a prepared treat.

Learning to play football or kicking a ball

Pet football player. To teach your pet to push a ball with its muzzle, you need to hide a bunch of parsley or a piece of fragrant parsnip root under the ball.

Then you will need to show the little ear what kind of treat is waiting for him under the ball.

The pet will see the food and will try to push the ball away with its nose.

Let's take a stance

The audience is delighted with this trick. On command, the pet rises on its hind legs, stretches out its body and becomes like a soldier. You need to let the animal take a small bite of the prepared treat, then raise your hand up so that the pet, standing on its hind legs, can reach it. When the animal follows the command, you need to treat it with the remaining piece of food. During training, you can repeat the same phrase, for example, “Timosha, up!”

With each training session, it is recommended to raise the treat higher and higher, but not sharply, otherwise the rabbit may topple back. Regular repetitions will become a habit, and the animal will independently carry out this command. You can also teach your pet to run on its hind legs. Every success should be rewarded with a piece of your favorite treat.

Saucer flip game

This trick is similar to playing catch. For the eared cat, it is more convenient to turn flat objects over by taking them in its teeth. You need to put a treat under the saucer in front of your pet. To get the treat, the rabbit will have to move the obstacle. If you cannot quickly solve this problem, you need to wait until he develops the skill. You can complicate the task if you glue a piece of treat with tape to the bottom of a plate or saucer.

Skateboarder

To skate, you will need to make a skateboard, small in size, no larger than a pet. At the very beginning, you need to put the rabbit on the skateboard yourself and ride it back and forth. When your pet gets used to the skateboard, you can complicate the task and make the rabbit ride the vehicle down the slide. To do this, you will need to place the skateboard in an inclined position and place the animal on it. Then you should call your pet, responding to your name, the pet will slide down the slide.

Overcoming the obstacle course

Young athlete. When the big-eared cat has become brave, it can be taught a trick such as completing an obstacle course. The entire path must consist of tunnels, bridges and labyrinths. But you need to teach a rabbit to walk the path from one element. When the rabbit masters it, another one is added to it and so on.

If you show persistence and are consistent in action, soon your pet will no longer be distinguishable from a circus performer. He will perform all the tricks with pleasure, as if playing a game.