How to teach a rabbit to handle: rules and deadlines, stages of training

Soft and delicate fur, touching appearance of rabbits are pleasant to people - many choose them as pets, especially if the family is allergic to traditional cats and dogs. After acquiring an eared animal, you need to be patient and take the time to tame, establish contact and educate. Consider how to accustom a decorative rabbit to hands, make communication with a pet safe and enjoyable.

Can decorative rabbits be trained?

You can accustom any rabbit to certain actions and behavior, even ordinary (non-decorative) individuals can be trained.So that the owners do not lose patience and optimism in the process of training, we recall that training for the development and consolidation of conditioned reflexes involves repeated repetition.

A rabbit's intelligence alone is not enough, it will take time for the animal to get used to acting automatically, not to be afraid of the owner, to know how to behave. A pet needs care - this is the main reason why taming and training is needed.

In nature, relatives of decorative rabbits live in families united in colonies, they are collective animals. Ushastiki are accustomed to the team, they need communication. In the absence of relatives, the pet will be friends with the owners, who will replace his family.

Factors affecting the taming process

The owners want not only to establish contact with their pet, to tame, but also to instill certain skills that will make living together easier. Not all rabbits are equally easy to train, there are a number of factors that affect the trainability of an animal.

Age

The younger the pet that got into the house, the easier it is for him to accept the requirements of the owner. The kid grows, feeling the smells of the house and people, like relatives, familiar. He learns the rules, like his own mother, considers them natural and necessary. The rabbit perceives household members as an ordinary family, elders who need to learn knowledge and skills.

He alth

The sick rabbit suffers, is closed on his feelings, does not make good contact. When purchasing a pet, you need to check the eyes, ears, make sure that the coat is shiny and even. A sick baby will have to be treated, time for learning will be lost.

Genetics

The hereditary factor is one of the main ones. If the parents of the rabbit are sociable, well trained, the owners managed to instill in them the skills of living with a person, then the little animal will easily follow in their footsteps.

Advice: it is better to buy a pet, first looking at its parents, realizing how well-educated and friendly they are to people. Genetics will play their part.

How to pick up and pet a pet?

To make petting and playing with a pet pleasant not only for a person, but also for a rabbit to like communication, you should learn to pick it up without causing horror and pain. You should not, like a magician, grab a pet by the ears, pull it out of the cage or from the floor. Fingers or palms are brought under the front paws from the side of the abdomen, lifted, supporting the back of the body. If the rabbit has not yet mastered, you should not do it abruptly, with cries of delight.

Even a child for a small pet is a huge, noisy creature that looks like a predator. Instinct requires to perceive attempts to grab, pick up, as a danger. You need to be careful with the rabbit so as not to frighten with sharp sounds and actions.

How to tame a rabbit

Taming requires patience, friendliness and trust. You should not exercise with a sick rabbit, it is better to postpone classes when the pet recovers and is in a cheerful mood. Taming is a process that needs to be started on time, and not to force things. Each animal has character traits - some get used quickly, differ in contact, others will take time to get used to and make friends with pets.

Main steps

The first days in the house should be in a warm, quiet environment - the rabbit needs adaptation. The animal must get used to new noises, smells, conditions of detention. A cozy cage should be a place where the baby feels safe. No need to accumulate around the rabbit house, pick up, examine, stick your fingers in and pull out the animal. You need to teach your pet to your voice, talk calmly, like with a child.If the rabbit shows interest, looks out, reacts to the voice, you can give him carrots or a piece of apple.

The initiator of communication in the early days should be a pet, you do not need to forcibly draw him into contact. Gradually, the communication time is increased, observing the following rules:

1. It is better not to hang over the baby, to be on the same level with him. To do this, the cage is raised on the table or sit on the floor.
2. Open the cage, make it possible to leave - leave a safe corner.
3. Teach in the hand - slowly serve from the side of the face, quietly approach without rapid movements. Give a lick, touch yourself. In this case, it is better to keep something tasty.
4. Stroking begins when the animal is used to - gently touch the back, neck, head. They don’t give a hand from the side of the muzzle, they don’t stroke it under the mouth.
5. While establishing contact with the animal, they talk quietly, when addressing, they clearly pronounce the invented name so that the baby gets used to the nickname.
6. If the baby shrinks into a ball, freezes in horror - he is left alone, allowed to recover or immediately returned to the cage.
7. Eared is allowed to walk if he is not afraid to move away from the cage. The door is not closed so that the rabbit can return to the house at the first request.

The main thing when establishing a warm relationship with a new family member is patience, caution, goodwill, gradualness. When communicating, they do not use perfume - the animal must master the smell of a person.

Tip: adult family members should make contact with the baby. Children begin communication when the animal stops being shy, gets used to the elders.

Hygiene procedures (combing, cutting nails) are carried out when the animal is accustomed to the owner, has adapted to new conditions. Taming is considered completed if the animal calmly leaves the cage, readily makes contact, allows itself to be stroked, and sits on its hands without fear.

Tame timing

How quickly a rabbit will feel comfortable, take root in the house, depends on the characteristics of the animal, its contact and the efforts of people, their patience and perseverance. Some babies are fully mastered in a few days, they willingly sit on their hands. Sometimes it takes weeks or even months to tame.

Possible causes of aggression

Usually decorative rabbits are distinguished by a good disposition, they are happy to let themselves be caressed, there are no problems with them. They bite when trying to stroke or feed from their hands, grab their legs from around the corner, beat them painfully with long hind legs - all these are examples of inappropriate animal behavior.

Why a pet can show aggressive behavior:

• rooted in character fear of a person, if the animal was treated rudely - shouted, beaten, hurt;
• females become vicious due to hormonal surges during pregnancy, after the appearance of cubs - they fear for the offspring;
• hormonal changes during puberty, the desire to mate cause a sharp activity, jumping, animals bite, grab legs, circle around the owner.

The cause must be determined in order to figure out how to deal with an unfriendly pet. What may be required to calm the animal:

1. The reason is sexual problems. Find a mate or spay your pet.
2. Isolation should be provided to a pregnant or pregnant female, reduce contacts with her, do not annoy with affection and communication.
3. A frightened rabbit will have to be re-educated, convinced by gentle treatment of complete safety. Screams, scandals in the family unnerve the animals, they feel aggression. It is useful to establish peace at home, treat the pet kindly. Gradually, the animal will calm down, stop being afraid, and become less aggressive.

An uncontrollable hooligan can be intimidated - pressed to the floor, showing who is the real boss in the house and who is the pet. Rabbits are quick-witted, they can be taught a lot of tricks, with due perseverance, it is quite within the power of a person to wean them from bad habits.

Easy to tame breeds

Rabbits of decorative breeds have a sweet appearance and good disposition. Breeders specially bred animals intended for home keeping and close communication with humans. The following breeds are easily tamed, have a docile nature and a touching look:

1. Dutch Dwarf. An active and friendly creature quickly gets used to the owners. Weight - 1.2-1.5 kilograms. The ears are small, the color is varied. He loves to communicate with a person, but if there are small children in the house, it is better to choose a different breed.
2. Lionhead. The elongated hair on the head looks like a lion's mane, for which the breed got its name. They have a soft, conflict-free character, become attached to their owners.
3. Dutch Fold. Long drooping ears give the pet a special touching. They live up to 10 years, they are distinguished by a good disposition, aversion to aggression.
4. Dwarf sheep. Big eyes and a bulging forehead make the pet look like a lamb. Ears fall off by 3 months - this is a lop-eared breed. Persistence, independence and distrust can be traced in the character, although they get along with the owners.
5. Dwarf butterfly. The sweetest creation of white with contrasting spots. Rabbits are playful, nimble, curious.
6. Pygmy rex. A calm, phlegmatic creature with plush fur that is pleasant to the touch. Suitable for the role of a pet in families where peace is valued.
7. Hermelin. The breed is also called Polish. Snow-white pussies have soft fur, red or blue eyes. Females are more active than males. Pets are calm, friendly, feel good in a large family.
8. Angora. Lush fur of monochrome colors completely hides the contours of the pet's body. You will have to take care of the fur coat so that the fur does not fall off. Shy, but well trained.
9. Chinchilla. Rabbit fur is soft and chic, like a chinchilla. Pets are gentle, love to spend time with their owners.

New breeds of small size rabbits appear regularly. The main directions of selection are funny appearance, lack of aggression, ease of taming.

When purchasing a rabbit, you need to tune in to patience, indulgence and goodwill. A pet that feels love and friendliness will quickly get used to it, acquire the necessary communication skills. Many people train their pets all their lives. Rabbits easily learn funny tricks that bring pleasure to everyone, making life together in the house varied and fun.

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