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Dear Yvette

We have a pet rabbit and have heard they can be litter trained. Ours goes everywhere. Help!

Sandra

Rabbits can make wonderful companions, and pets within the home. And it just so happens that as a child, part of my menagerie of pets included a dwarf that was a constant companion. Rabbits are intelligent, and yes they can be taught.

One of the best features of using positive reinforcement, especially clicker training, is that it can be used across species. Dogs learn obedience. Cats can be taught to fetch and shake a paw. Pigs can be taught to do agility. Fish can be taught to swim through hoops. Almost all zoo animals are taught with a form of positive reinforcement, from Whales to Lions to Giraffes. So, rabbits can learn to use a litter box.

To make litter training easier, go the extra mile and have your bunny spayed or neutered. Unaltered rabbits have a tendency to mark. Some people even report that having an animal fixed often does most of the work when it comes to elimination in one area. Most pet rabbits choose one area. By choosing an area that your rabbit already feels comfortable with, you up the ante by working with nature, rather than against it. Rabbits are naturally clean animals, and as you watch your new companion you will likely see them grooming themselves similar to the way a cat does.

Set the box up to maximize success by providing some mixed grass hay. For the first few litter box changes, keep a little of the soiled litter in with the fresh so the smell tells the rabbit, “This is the right place to go.”

Encourage your pet to use the box, and reinforce with gentle praise, or a favourite treat. Most rabbits I have met enjoy Auntie Em's, and they are a healthy choice.

Easter is a time when many families decide to buy a bunny. The holiday just seems to encourage the practice. Even though rabbits are small, quiet and fit in a cage – it does not mean they are in any less need of interaction, socialization and exercise. According to Emily Ugarenko for O.R.E.O., more than 80% of all rabbits are surrendered by the age of three. Fifty percent of those are surrendered due to behaviour issues because the animal was left intact.

This Easter, if the thought of bringing a bunny into your home crosses your mind, do your homework. They require care just like any other pets, and cost money for care. Since rabbits are so often given up, a great option is to look at rescuing one from a rescue group. One to try that also provides great information on care is www.ontariorabbits.org.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

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