Bunny Blog

Category Archives: Rabbit Training

Featured Rabbit Organization: Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Abi Cushman

The Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society (MCRS) is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of companion rabbits.

MCRS works to let people know that domestic rabbits can and do make wonderful companions, as long as you are willing to meet them on their terms. They teach Bunny Basics classes, maintain a phone and email hotline so that people can contact them with questions or problems, and generally try to keep rabbits and their human companions living happily together.

Rabbit looking out window.

Meet Amber, one of the available rabbits at the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society.

The organization also hosts regular Hoppy Hour events, in which bunnies can come to romp and play with other bunnies. These socialization events are held at three locations around the Twin Cities. All rabbits must be spay/neutered and be in good health in order to participate.

Learn more about the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society at their website.

Make Your Own Logic Toys for Your Rabbit

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Abi Cushman

We recently published a new article called Logic Toys for Rabbits.  The article was written by Christina Chivers of the online store, Bunny Approved.

Rabbit doing logic toy

The article discusses the types of toys that challenge your rabbit’s mind and provide much-needed enrichment. Chivers also provides instructions on creating your own logic toys.  It includes photos and a video of her rabbit, Bunny, engaging in these toys. (We also included a photo of Cosette playing with one we made using her instructions.)

Of course, if you don’t feel like making the toys yourself, you can purchase them from Bunny Approved.

Learn more at: Logic Toys for Rabbits

Litter Training: Rabbit Adoptathon Week

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Abi Cushman

Coco in the litterbox eating hayToday’s theme for Rabbit Adoptathon week will be about litter training. We get a lot of emails from people who are frustrated by stubborn, “outside-the-box” bunnies. Here are our best tips:

  • Rabbits tend to poop while they eat hay. So it is always a good idea to place ample amounts of hay either in the litterbox or in a hayfeeder right next to the litterbox (so the bunny is forced to sit in the litterbox if he wants to munch on hay).
  • Mop up urine with a paper towel and pick up stray poop and place both in the litterbox. This helps get the message across that the litterbox is the place that they should do their business.
  • Be patient and persistent. Litter training takes time, especially if your rabbit has learned bad habits. It takes a while to retrain them. If you can see they’re about to go to the bathroom outside their litterbox (they may lift their tail or sometimes they sort of shimmy down in a seated position right before they go), try to pick them up and put them in the litterbox or corral them in. This is oftentimes easier said than done of course.
  • Limit their space. If your bunny is free rein, you may want to limit their space initially using a puppy pen until your rabbit is consistently practicing good litterbox habits. Then, very gradually increase the space, ensure those good habits remain intact. Eventually, you will be able to take away the puppy pen completely.
  • If your bunny is insistent on going in one corner of the room, sometimes it’s easier to give in to their stubbornness, and place a litterbox in that corner. Sometimes when rabbits consistently choose another place to go, they are trying to tell you that that’s where they want to go.
  • If your rabbit is pooping/spraying pee everywhere, this is probably due to your rabbit marking his territory. It’s a good idea to get your rabbit spayed/neutered in order to ease territorial feelings.
  • Sometimes rabbits deliberately pee on your couch or bed because they’re showing you who’s Top Bunny in the house.  You should correct their misconception immediately.  See our blog post, “Being Top Bunny” and the House Rabbit Society’s article, “FAQ: Training” for more information.

More litter training information:

If you have any other great litter training tips or tricks, please share them!

Product Review: Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Abi Cushman

When we switched from store-bought timothy hay to a locally-grown timothy hay-orchard grass mix from a farm, we realized there was one disadvantage.  The hay was more tangled together than the store-bought kind, and Cos, being very greedy/possessive of her food, started running away with large clumps of hay in her mouth. The hay got all over the carpet, and it was a big pain having to constantly clean it up.

Enter the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet.  We recently acquired this durable (but lightweight) hay feeder from Wabbit Works.  It’s actually large enough to hold a substantial amount of hay, unlike the hay feeders available at the pet store.  This feeder caters to a rabbit with a proper hay-based diet.   It keeps the hay contained (so no dragging large clumps out of the litterbox anymore), and it fits next to a litterbox.  (We actually have three small litterboxes surrounding it because our rabbits seem to like having options.)  There is less waste because the hay stays more or less in the feeder rather than being sat on in the litterbox.

Cos eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet
Cosette eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet.

Coco eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet
Coco takes his turn.

Coco eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet
Cos gets jealous…

Cos and Coco eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet
and joins him.

Cos and Coco eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet

Being Top Bunny

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Abi Cushman

Cos and P.A. Smith

I get a lot of emails describing the same scenario:  Bunnikins has taken to hopping on the sofa and peeing on it.

It’s a frustrating situation and one that has happened in our household as well. I remember after the third time it happened with Cosette a few years back, I had picked her up and put her in her cage.  (She still had a cage back then although it was always open.)

I closed the cage door and closed the kitchen door where the cage was located.  But even in the other room I could hear her thrashing around in the cage trying to break free.

For a rabbit who detests being picked up and despises even more being cooped up in a cage, this was the greatest insult.  I felt bad locking her in – and I did let her out  again after an hour –  but after that time, she never peed on the sofa again.

I later came across an incredibly useful article on the House Rabbit Society website which helps shed light on this behavior and suggests ways to train your rabbit.

The article is called “FAQ: Training,” and under the heading “Behavior motivated by social structure,” it delves specifically into the peeing on the couch problem.

Anyone who is experiencing this issue should read the article.  The entire article is actually very enlightening as well- covering various issues that most bunny owners will come across at some point.

Training (Take 1)

Posted on November 19, 2007 by Abi Cushman

I quickly learned that putting the treats in the same cabinet as the paper towels used for litterbox cleaning was not a good idea.

Now, every time Cosette hears the cabinet door opening, she bounds over with a crazed look in her eye. And since Cosette is excited, Coco will come running over so that he doesn’t miss out. (Even though he has no idea what’s going on.)

So after I cleaned their litterboxes last night, I decided that I didn’t have the heart to withhold a treat from them since they were so excited. However, I thought that maybe I could at least make them work for it and learn some tricks.

So, I thought I’d teach them the command, “Up!” I didn’t think it would be that difficult since they enjoy jumping onto tables, boxes, beds, chairs, shelves, etc. And they usually come over if I tap my finger on the ground (only to leave immediately if they see I don’t have food.)

So, I said, “Up!” and tapped the top of the box. After about fifteen minutes of this and Cosette running around and inside the box frantically with Coco chasing her, I settled for the command, “Walk!” which entailed me holding the treat in front of them so they had to stand on their hind feet and walk. Not quite as impressive as I would have hoped…

It makes me want to buy a clicker, but on the other hand, I kind of find Cosette’s sometimes surly attitude endearing.

Cosette looking surly