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Time Spent Safely Outdoors Rabbits enjoy time outdoors
but have to be protected from preditors, neighborhood pets and poisonous plants. There are two options to letting your
rabbit enjoy time outside. The first is to have an outdoor pen for them to spend time in and the other is to train your
rabbit to use a harness and a leash. Never put your rabbit on a coller and leash as their necks are too delecate and
they can be injured or killed by doing so. Outdoor pens should be constructed to ensure that the rabbits cannot dig
out of them or hop over them. The should preferably have a cover if you live in an area with hawks or eagles like we
do. I can garentee that within 5 minutes of putting a rabbit outside in my yard that a hawk or eagle will show up!
Gaurenteed. If you live in an area with large snakes then you can use screening to make your pens. One of the
biggest threats is neighborhood dogs and cats so it is advisable that you do not leave them out in their pens unattended.
Both Doug and I lost rabbits as children due to neighbors pets. It is a horrible way to lose your rabbit. You will also make sure the rabbits have shade and water at all times when they are outside. Rabbits enjoy the opportunity to dig, smell new smells, feel the wind and get fresh air just like we do.
Physical Excercise Rabbits enjoy running, hopping, jumping and doing binkies.
When you see your rabbit binky, kinda a large hop like jump in which they twist mid-air, you know that they are happy!
Giving them enough space to do this periodically not only can give them a lot of enjoyment but also can be a joy to watch.
You can do this by having an outdoor space large enough for them to do so or a rabbit safe room in the house. In the
rabbitry one rabbit often gets to run around the rabbitry doing this while I do rabbit chores. Rabbits
can also be taught to jump over hurdles and this is a popular sport in Europe. You can start with a small height obstacle
and a raisin to encourage the rabbit over the hurdle.
Safe Exposure To Other Rabbits And Other Species Unaltered rabbits will
do one of two things with another rabbit and that is mate or fight! Given that they should be kept separated from the
same sex and only be with the opposite sex when mating. The exception may be two does that are litter mates and raised
with each other and never separated or mated. But with this said they do like to see other rabbits and have contact
from a safe distance. We keep cages in the rabbitry so that they cannot bite or box each other but close enough that
they can see and smell each other. Spayed an neutered rabbits can live as single rabbits
or be bonded to compatible companions. Bonding is a careful process in letting the rabbits get used to each other and
learning to live with each other. Once bonded they groom each other and appear to miss each other when separated.
Bonding is more likely with opposite sex pairs but can also be with same sex pairs or with more than two rabbits. Even
if not bonded they to can enjoy seeing other rabbits at a safe distance. Rabbits can also enjoy
seeing other species that are rabbit safe pals. Many house rabbits live with other pets such as cats and dogs that are
accustomed to rabbits and know how to interact with them safely. Our rabbits often greet our dogs Tipper and Lilly when
they go into the rabbitry to visit, but don't like the other dog, Fergus, because they know he reacts to them like prey
and not like a friend. Remember it is important to never leave rabbits alone with other pets that are predators just
in case instinct takes over.
Petting And Play Sessions Rabbits in general do not like to be picked up and
some don't like to be held. But most like to be petted once they realize you are a friend and not a predator.
Getting to know rabbit body language and behavior can help you understand their moods. Most rabbits love to have their
head scratched and the base of their ears massaged but do not enjoy having their feet handled. All of our rabbits will
lean in to have their head scratched. Grumpy even does so after he grunts at you first! Some rabbit like to play
tag and enjoy chasing you or circling you as a form of play. Some also will take toys from your hand to toss them.
Almost the opposite of a dog bringing you a ball to toss. In this case they are taking the toy from you so they can
toss it. Rabbit can also be taught to jump over hurdles, sit up and beg, spin in place and do other tricks for raisins
or other treats.
Behavioral Training Although many rabbit breeders "train" their rabbits
by repeatedly posing them in order to prepared them to show or accustom them to being groomed. Most show rabbits are
not trained to any particular degree. But if you want to live with a house rabbit you will want them to respond to you
and learn what they are allowed to do and what they are not. Often interacting with them over time they will begin to
associate the word "no" and a harsh tone with you being unhappy with their behavior and a pleasant tone or treat
with you being happy with their behavior much like a dog or cat would. You should never physically strike a rabbit as
they are easily injured but use of the word "no" and water spray bottles can be forms of negative reinforcement
and a pleasant tone, praise and treats can be positive reinforcement. Clicker training is a type of training originally
based on work with dolphins that uses exclusively positive reinforcement. Go to our links page if you would like to
learn more. Typical behavioral issues or tasks to work on would be not to chew on forbidden
articles, not to dig on unapproved surfaces, going to their cage or pen on command, coming when called, and going in their
litter box.
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