Rabbits make perfect pets, and you’ll be surprised to know that they can be trained to do various things. Just like dogs and cats and loads of other animals, you can teach your rabbit to come when you call them. Training your bunny is not difficult, but it will require some patience. How can you teach your rabbit to come when called?
You can teach your rabbit to approach you when called by standing a couple of feet away and calling their name. You can increase the distance after a couple of days of success and be sure to give them treats for positive enforcement. You can also lead them to you by using a trail of treats.
Training your rabbit to come on command is very different from allowing them to approach you alone. As long as your rabbit knows its name, it will make the whole process easier and faster. Let’s see how you can train your rabbit to come when you call them!
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Teaching Your Rabbit To Come On Command
Training your bunny to come when you call them can save them from a destructive or dangerous situation. It’s also seen as a method to get your rabbit to run to you excitedly whenever you have a delicious snack for them or want to shower them with love!
However, you need to realize that your bunny won’t be able to learn this trick in a day or two. It could take anywhere from one to two months before your rabbit will show consistency when you call them to come to you.
When you first start teaching your rabbit to come on command, they may listen at times and ignore you at others, but by showing consistency, they will start to come more and more until it becomes a habit! Consistency is fundamental in training any animal, and your rabbit is no exception!
Let’s look at the steps you can take to teach your rabbit to come on command successfully:
Step-By-Step Guide To Teach Your Rabbit To Come When Called
You need to practice the key fundamentals to get your rabbit to come to you when you call them. When learning how to train your rabbit for this purpose, practice the following steps:
Step 1: Sit Close To Your Rabbit And Don’t Make Sudden Moves
Before you can start teaching your rabbit to come on command, you need to get them to trust you. Because rabbits are prey animals, they can quickly become startled, and their first instinct is to run away.
When your rabbit trusts you fully, it means they will see you as a friend figure who makes them feel safe, loved, and comfortable. The first step to gaining your rabbit’s trust is simply showing them you have no intention of causing them harm.
Sitting quietly next to them is a way to get your rabbit used to your presence without feeling stressed.
Step 2: Say Your Rabbit’s Name And Give Them A Treat
The actual steps behind successfully teaching your rabbit to come when they are called are not overly complicated. You first need to teach your bunny to associate the particular sound of their name with getting a tasty treat!
You need to practice consistency to get your rabbit to make this association. It would help if you said your chosen word with the same intonation every time. For this reason, using shorter words, such as a nickname, would work to your advantage.
Practice this step two to three times each day for about a week, so your bunny will get used to the sound of its name or nickname.
Step 3: Stand A Couple of Feet Away And Call Your Rabbit
When your rabbit is starting to learn the sound of their name, you can now start to teach them to come to you on command. At first, stand only a few feet away from your rabbit and call their name.
It would be best to hold a treat in this case and then wait for your rabbit to approach you willingly.
Sometimes, you will see your rabbit sitting there and looking at you. When this happens, you know your rabbit is thinking and trying to figure things out. Give your rabbit roughly 15 seconds to figure it out, and call them again if they do not make a move.
You can repeat this three times, and if your rabbit doesn’t come to you, try to return to step one until you reach success. If your rabbit did come to you, be sure to award them with a treat!
Step 4: Stand Further Away And Call Your Rabbit
After your rabbit has come to you consistently when you are only a short distance away, it’s the perfect indication that you can start to move further away.
Eventually, you can even try calling your bunny around corners or standing in another room. When you start practicing longer distances with your rabbit, it may seem like they only come to you about half the time.
However, this is normal, as rabbits will take a while to pick up on different things. If your rabbit doesn’t approach you over long distances just yet, just try again later!
Step 5: Treats, Treats, And More Treats!
As your bunny starts to feel more curious and comfortable, it will start approaching you. You need to take full advantage of their curiosity and reward their good behavior with delicious treats!
Usually, you should avoid any unhealthy treats, and instead go for tiny pieces of dried or fresh fruits, as they will not gain any weight, but enjoy the taste!
Conclusion
When you’re training your rabbit to come on command, you need patience, as it is new for you and your furry companion. You and your rabbit’s bond will significantly affect how fast and accurate you can train them. You need to have consistency and try these steps with your rabbit each day until it becomes a habit.
Always make sure your bunny trusts you, and you can teach them without putting too much pressure on them!
