Dogs are usually the pets that everyone thinks of when it comes to doing tricks, but don’t underestimate your bunny rabbit. Rabbits are just as capable of learning commands and just as cute while doing them! Here are 18 ideas for things you can teach your bunny to do on demand.
Hop On Command
Hopping is a good first trick for a bunny, although the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society suggests that “before starting agility jumping, you’ll first need to train the rabbit to walk on a leash with a harness.” When practicing this trick, reward your bunny as they learn to hop larger distances.
Spin In A Circle
This trick is fairly self-explanatory and quite easy to teach to your pet rabbit. Hold a treat above your bunny’s nose and move it in a circle, encouraging your bunny to follow it. Only reward your rabbit once it has completed the full circle.
Jump Through a Hoop
You’ll need to go out and get a hoop specifically for this trick, but it’s easy once you have one. Hold the hoop fairly low and show your bunny a treat on the other side. You can start raising the hoop as your rabbit becomes more confident.
Stand On Hind Legs
Getting your bunny to stretch up onto its hind legs so that it’s ‘standing’ like a person is really cute, and it’s quite easy to teach them to do. Just make sure that you use different techniques to get your bunny to hop up and stand up, as they’re quite similar tricks.
Give A High Five
For this trick, you need to gently lift your bunny’s paw and give it a treat. Repeat this until your rabbit brings up their paw to your hand on their own, and always reward them after they’ve done it. You can use a verbal cue like ‘high five’ too.
Fetch
Yes, rabbits can play fetch, too! You have to be a bit more careful with bunnies than dogs, though, and the RSPCA recommends toys that have “no small parts that they could swallow.” Rabbit toys should be small and lightweight, so your bunny can easily pick them up.
Come When Called
You can pick any phrase that you want when teaching your bunny this trick, but some common choices are simply its name or ‘come.’ Make sure you use the word consistently and try to pronounce it the same each time and practice in different areas around the house.
Jump Over Obstacles
Pet rabbits can go through entire obstacle courses if they’re taught how to. Setting up an obstacle course for your rabbit can be really fun, and all you need to do is use a treat to guide them over each obstacle and reward them when they complete the whole thing.
Use A Litter Box
Not only can rabbits play fetch like dogs, but they can also use litter boxes like cats. The Spruce Pets notes that “most rabbits take well to litter box training, as rabbits are fairly clean animals that like to pick spots to be their toilet.”
Push A Ball
Going even further than fetch, a bunny can be taught to push a ball on its own. You can encourage the bunny to nudge the ball with its nose by using a treat and reward them every time they manage to push it.
Climb Stairs
This is another trick for which you’ll need specific equipment. Start with a small step or ramp and use a treat to get your rabbit used to climbing up it. Gradually increase the height and number of steps, and soon, your rabbit will be an expert climber.
Pedestal
You don’t actually need a fancy pedestal for this trick – any old cardboard box will do. The important thing is that you have a raised platform to encourage your bunny to get onto. However, make sure it’s not too high for your rabbit, as that can be dangerous.
Ring A Bell
Attach a small bell to a string and put it somewhere your bunny can reach it, then use a treat to get your bunny to nudge the bell. Reward it every time it rings the bell, but don’t be surprised if giving your rabbit access to the bell causes a lot of ringing!
Sit Still
Teaching your rabbit to sit still is a cool trick, but it can also be useful in situations where you need to examine it or when it’s at the vet. Use a specific word or hand signal to tell your bunny you want it to sit, and make sure to stay consistent.
Go To Bed
Your rabbit might not understand the implications of ‘go to bed’ as a child does, but hopefully, that means you won’t get any bedtime tantrums! For a bunny, ‘go to bed’ means training them to move to a specific area or bed. Reward them when they stay there.
Roll Over
Be very careful when you train your bunny to do this trick, as you’ll need to roll it gently onto its back while using a treat to guide it. Give your rabbit the treat once it completes the roll, and then practice until it rolls over on its own.
Being Held
Teaching your rabbit to behave well while being handled might not be the most exciting trick, but it’s definitely useful for nail trimming and vet visits. Pet Health Network advises “daily handling positively reinforced with food rewards” to get a bunny used to being held.
Wave Goodbye
It seems right that the last trick on this list is teaching your bunny how to wave goodbye. It’s similar to a high five, but you’ll want your bunny to wave its paw about. Of course, you’ll need to reward it with a treat when it starts waving its paw by itself.
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