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Just How Intelligent Are Bunnies?

Tamsin

Tamsin

Administrator
Staff member
This post reminded me of something I was thinking about the other day... how clever are bunnies really?

Two things Scamp does:

He has a cat treatball that splits in to two halfs to fill. If I fill it and give it to him then he'll jump on top of his box and drop it on to the tile. He jumps down, picks it up and repeats this until it breaks open. I've had to seletape it together.

He knows that at some point in the evening my dad will raid the kitchen and sit with a snack in front of the telly in a particular chair. When my dad goes to the kitchen, his ears perk up (Scamp's not my dad) and he races my dad for the chair and is sitting there waiting for him. He can definitely identify my dad, recognise a trip to the kitchen instead of general wondering around and anticipates where my dad will sit.

Does your bun do things that make you think maybe they know more than bunnies should?
 
Very clever I'd say.:D My late bunny Ruby used to love her treatball but worked out that instead of knocking it and getting the pellets out slowly (as they are supposed too) she could pick it up in her teeth and slam dunk it to the ground causing all the pellets to fall out at once.:lol::lol: I miss my Ruby Tuesday.:(
 
Callisto will pick up her treatball in her mouth and put her head right back so it touches her spine, she then propels it towards the ground but rather than let go of it and throw it like most rabbits she holds on.

It appears the aim is either to smash it open and release the treats or punish it for being empty :lol::lol::lol:

I do worry about her teeth though :?
 
they know when its feeding time when i shake their food container :D
they get all exited, and run to their bowls lol
 
Lenny knows when its feed time and runs into the kitchen :lol: If I try and cut veggies quietly he is in the kitchen within seconds :shock: He hears the cats bells on their collars and runs to find them within the house :lol: Lenny is a mastermind bunny :lol:
 
My bunny Scrappy (pictured left) lived in the room where I work from home. I usually work in the evening (as I'm supposed to be doing now!!). It was playtime for Scrappy at the end of the working day. She would sit patiently late evening but when she heard the noise the computer makes shutting down, she would start stretching and running around, before I'd even got up:love: She would also roll over if I asked her to because she knew she would get lots of attention for doing it. (Sometimes I got a dirty look to say 'If you wanted tricks, you should have got a dog')
 
treat ball story - alvin sits back and lets pearl do all the hard work and as shes manically chasing the ball alvin is eating all the treats :lol::lol: hes very very smart.

they wait outside the cupboard where the pellets are kept about 1/2 - 1 hour before pellet/bed time

alvin will wait until im upstairs in a bedroom and cant see the bottom of the stairs and hell then attack his fav wallpaper spot, he also knows how long he can safetly rip before i hear him and get down the stairs to stop him :roll:

alvin knows that when the fridge door opens his veg lives in there and hes too cute for me to stop the fridge raid

and finally food again. 4 times now alvin has gone on hunger strike if he doesnt get his breakfast on time.. not so sure its clever but he knows his times.

so i really really think bunnies are definately more intelligent than the human race give them credit for :D
 
Bunny Buddy said:
My bunny Scrappy (pictured left) lived in the room where I work from home. I usually work in the evening (as I'm supposed to be doing now!!). It was playtime for Scrappy at the end of the working day. She would sit patiently late evening but when she heard the noise the computer makes shutting down, she would start stretching and running around, before I'd even got up:love: She would also roll over if I asked her to because she knew she would get lots of attention for doing it. (Sometimes I got a dirty look to say 'If you wanted tricks, you should have got a dog')
Click to expand...

lol

Just as i'd finished typing that last post, Lulu had jumped on top of her hutch and knocked over the tin of Excel pellets so that the lid came off and she could munch away :lol::lol::lol:
- she's suppose to be on a diet
 
Yes, the wallpaper story - this has reminded me.

Artie knows he hasn't to rip the wallpaper, and doesn't. But he went through a phase where if he wanted attention he would get it by having a go at the wallpaper - he just knew he's get a reaction.... As soon as I went over the reprimand him he'd binky:lol:
 
My three know that when I get home from work it's not long till veggie time. My home time is now different to my O/H's by almost two hours, and they stay asleep when he comes in!

Lucifer was looking very worried on Friday after I threw up, and when I gave her a cuddle to reassure her she stayed still for ages - usually she'll tolerate a minute or two.

Lucifer thumps if she sees a spider - I think she knows I don't like them! :lol:
 
They are very clever indeed, I was very surprised actually as they are not know for being clever.
Lolly worked out how to open the bunny gate she watched me for a few weeks then mastered it herself, she bites the end bar at the bottom with her teeth, pushes it up and pulls it towards her to open!! I had hooked it over a little hook now i have to tie it shut as well :shock:
She also knows when shes been naughty and i tell her go to bed naughty girl she goes back into her pen into the corner and lies down for a sleep.
Lionel is ace at the treat ball (something Lolly has never understood) If it was an olympic sport he would win hands down!
He has also learned that to clean himself with both front paws he can lie down on his back to do it as he only has 3 legs and can't stand.
They both know their names and come when you call and know when its breakfast and dinner time and give me a nasty look if i dare to be late with it! They also know when i shake the treat box what they are going to get!
They do things all the time that amaze me, i'm sure theres loads i have forgotten!
 
My buns know that the sound of the carrot being banged on the grater means carrot is there..... yummy....

However, they have also cottoned on that it's used as a bribe to get them back in the hutch so they will only go in the hutch one at a time for the precious bits of carrot :lol: ... one gets it then hops out so the next one can hop in
 
I'd think Boris is pretty smart. I don't know if this is enough evidence,but..
1. He learned how to open the raisin jar.
2. Whenever my mum comes into the kitchen while he is there,he goes to hide underneath the table,making sure she can't reach him (he definately has something against her lol,dunno what)
3. He can tell I'm approaching just by listening to my footsteps (apparently I have a particular way of walking or something lol,once again,he goes into hiding when mum comes down)
4. There was this one time when I had forgotten to fill his empty water bottle, and he began to chew the bars of his cage to let me know he had nothing to drink (or well that's the only explanation I have,he doesn't usually do that)
 
Bunny Buddy said:
Yes, the wallpaper story - this has reminded me.

Artie knows he hasn't to rip the wallpaper, and doesn't. But he went through a phase where if he wanted attention he would get it by having a go at the wallpaper - he just knew he's get a reaction.... As soon as I went over the reprimand him he'd binky:lol:
Click to expand...

yup the demon does that in a different spot, he actually doesnt rip now (except the stairs area) he puts his face to the wall and waits for my reaction :lol::lol:
 
And I thought Scamp was bad - he's positively a little angel :lol:
2. Whenever my mum comes into the kitchen while he is there,he goes to hide underneath the table,making sure she can't reach him (he definately has something against her lol,dunno what)
Click to expand...

Scamp hates my brother - no idea why he's not done anything to warrant it. He wont go near him though and hides if he comes close. He also won't go near things that smell like him. I had to carry him past a backpack cos he wouldn't go past on his usual route out for exercise.

They can definitely tell people apart.
 
Just remembered there is being litter trained of course! My indoor 2 do all their wee and poo in the litter tray, i had so many people tell me 'you will never litter train a rabbit they are stupid' but oh no they're not!
 
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