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~ Rabbits & Guinea Pigs~
Training
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Rabbits and guinea pigs are not as trainable as dogs but they are lively and inquisitive creatures that offer wonderful companionship. They have their own personalities too.
Rabbits can be toilet trained to use litter trays whilst inside your home. Unlike cats though, they will need several trays around the house as they can’t remember where it is. The sides shouldn’t be higher than 3 to 4 cm so that it is easier for the rabbit to hop into it. You can use cat litter or shredded paper which is cheaper.
To encourage your rabbit to use the tray, put some of his droppings in it and show it to him. If he urinates sponge it up with a paper towel straight away and leave it in the tray. Rabbits are not as reliable as cats at using litter trays so it may take sometime before your rabbit understands what you want it to do. However, they do go to the toilet in the same area of their hutch or cage so if you catch them ‘going’ in a particular spot inside, place a litter tray there and make toilet training your rabbit much easier.
Training your rabbit to being picked can be tricky. Neither rabbits nor guinea pigs enjoy being picked up off the ground. Rabbits have strong back legs that can cause deep scratches if they panic and try to get away from you. To avoid this, pick up rabbit by the scruff on it neck behind its ears and quickly hold it to you firmly securing its body with your other hand. As soon as you can, put the rabbit down safely. For this reason, it’s not a good idea to allow children to handle them without parental guidance. As well, a dropped rabbit can be very difficult to catch. It is better to let the rabbit sit on your child’s knee while your child is sitting on the ground. If you give the rabbit special treats at this time, it will soon learn to be relaxed near your child.
It is recommended to pick up your guinea pig under the front legs and around the tummy. Once you have it close to you, secure it by holding your other arm around its body. As with rabbits, small children shouldn’t pick guinea pigs up for their safety and that of the animal. Guinea pigs respond to treats and can be trained to stay with your child inside the house or outside.
Be wary that any loud noise or interest from a cat or a dog may scare your rabbit or guinea pig and they may quickly dart away and be lost. For this reason, you may want to bring them inside when being petted or handled by children or yourself.
