Breed Intelligence?

I've been wondering if one breed of rabbit is more intelligant than another

As an adult my only experience of rabbits was of Pippa and MJ who are rather lovely cuddle bunnies. However since putting them in their new hutch/run they have shown themselves to be rather dim - it took them weeks to figure out how to use the ramp and they still don't seem to realise their food is in the hutch, instead they are starving and I have to hand feed them in the run or grab and push up the ramp. They have never made any effort to escape either their shed, pws run or their present hutch/run

In contrast I also have Teddy and Jemima. Both of these bunnies needed no showing how to use the ramp, they know where their food is, if you open the lid of the run they will both try to escape (Jemima by standing on a pet carrier as a launchpad) and they just seem more 'intelligent' than Pippa and MJ which has led me to wonder if lop rabbits are dimmer than other breeds :lol:

I don't know if it's breed-related as only Rocket is a pure breed (Nethie), but Miles seems to be like a Labrador in the sense of he acts stupid but really is mega-clever!

For example, he is the only bunny who jumps onto the sofa and then uses it to get on top of the guinea pig hutch, jumps down from there into the guinea pig run and scoffs their food (no he's not allowed to do this, and whenever I'm out the sofa is blocked off). So, whenever I'm in the house and the barrier's down, he won't jump on the sofa - unless I'm out of the room for just a minute, then I can guarantee that when I come back in he'll be in the pig's run or at least on his way there! :lol: Also, as he knows he's not supposed to do it, if I come back in and catch him doing it, he puts on his "alert" face and then legs it back off the sofa as fast as he can manage! :lol:

AMETHYST

I can only say that my two lops are extremely intelligent! They taught themselves how to use the catflap in 10 minutes (of course with a little nudge of two by Mum :wink: :lol: )

If I move anything in the garden or garage they think its a challenge to get past it or in it! They are nightmares! They always need new stimulation!

I'm not sure it's breed-related either, as my 2 bunnies are sisters, but one is noticeably more intelligent than the other! :lol: Dusty is a bit of a dim-wit, whereas I half expect to see Clover wearing glasses reading the Financial Times! :lol:

All the up earred bunns I've had have been far more intelligent than lops too :?

Belgian Hares are reputed to be the most intelligent, even standing to attention when whistled at at Rabbit Shows by their owners. I've never seen this happen but read it on more than one occasion.

Neil

think dutch bunnies are intelligent. lily is a clever wee soul!

fi x

French lops are highly intelligent. When Darcy had trouble with his back teeth and couldn't clean his botty I had nightmares trying to do it on my own with him struggling...then i finally managed to get him under Trance to do it! It worked a few times and then he cottoned on and refused to "go under trance"!!! Now thats intelligent if very annoying.. :lol: :lol: :lol: Luckily he had his teeth fixed by then and doesn't need trancing of any kind now....unless of course you count the rustling sound of the Science Selective pellet bag.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Charlie (mini lop) is quite a smart bunny - he'll finbd his way into food anyway he can, he 'learned the stairs' the first day I had him! He has subsequently taught Jack the stairs (VERY cute to watch as he''d hop up or down a step, wait for her to figure it out, hop up/down another, then give her kisses at the top/bottom!!! )

Also there are certain places he's not allowed (like under a chair in out living room where there's a load of wires and behind the TV for the same reason) and, like Amethyst's Miles, will wiat until we're not paying attention or out of the room, even if for a second, and will race behind there and wait to be found... then when one of us says "Charlie.....!" in a 'warning' tone and he'll dash out, stop by the carpet under the litter tray and do his ears-half-up-alert face...

Jack is not stupid but I think she's too nervous! SHe's clever enough to run circles around me when she has to be caught!!!!

my lop is totally stupid, he couldnt work the treat ball, hasnt learnt how to use the dog flap yet, took ages to use the ramp out of his hutch. i love him to bits though because his stupidity means he hasnt escaped!!

Clover is so smart that I feel like I can see her brain working. If there is an obstacle in her path, she constantly tries new ways to get past it - she learns so fast.

I think Scarlett is my smartest bunny :lol: She knows to wait until I leave the room before she does anything naughty but I can see what she is up to from outside the door in a mirror. And when I tell her off she gets all excited and binkys about like a nutter :? :lol: I swear she sits there looking like an angel and watches me though and the second I leave the room she is trying to get behind the telly (its all bunny proof, just down want to encourage them) or jumping up onto the cabinet and knocking everything over. Her favourite thing to do right now is charge at the small bin in the living room and knock it over them try hiding in it :roll: And its not boredom because she has so many toys and boxes to be playing with :lol:

It took her a while to go down her ramp but I think that was because it was too steep for her, she was fine the minute I raised it

They all know where their food cupboard is and that they arent allowed near the telly though Buu knows when I tell her kiss and goodnight she gets back into her run

I also doubt it's breed-related... As admitted by all, our lop is the most adventurous, nosy, assertive and even manipulative rabbit. She knows exactly where food is incl. fridge, begs at the table, jumps on the table (knows she's not supposed to be there as runs very fast when caught), flies up and down the ramp or stairs, comes when you call her (if in the mood) etc etc. Dylan is learning fast too, he's a rescue rabbit and probably spent most of his life in some hutch, however has mastered going up and down stairs without any help or encouragement. I guess bunnies are just like people...different.

Fudge is without a doubt way more intelligent than my other rabbits and far more stubborn and argumentitive too :shock: :lol:

Clove definetly seems to be more intelligent than Fudge...poor Fudge bun, I feel like I have betrayed her now!:lol: Clove is too smart for her own good, and she has outsmarted me on several occassions and managed to escape, literally from under my nose. She will try to push, pull, slide or go under/over obstacles, Fudge however shows no notion of testing boundaries. Clove also seems to work out things quicker, ie where the hole in the new box is, how to get on top of the hutch roof etc. Maybe she is just more curious, but she doesn't do that mad 'don't know which direction to run' thing that fudge displays when I open the run! She knows where the door is, but as a ritual she goes mad....in the excitement I fear she looses her head:lol: :lol: :lol:

But as both are Dutch, I would guess rather than breeds, its just down to the individual, same as dogs. I've known dumb and very dumb airedales, as well as intelligent ones. Not quite sure where Hannah comes in though!:lol:

Oscar is my cleverest bun - a dutchie. he is also naughty though. He used to get up to all sorts when he was a house bun. He knew he wasnt allowed in the bedroom, but as soon as he heard the door open, he would be off like a shot trying to get in, and he would barge past you. He could also open the door... :roll:. he also got out of his cage one night, and felt the need to jump on my head, as if to say, wake up - look at me!! In comparison, Benji is pretty stupid. Oscar used to be able to jump really high, but benji never even attempted to jump up on the sofa or anything, but he would look up as if to say "let me up". Silly bun.

Polo is quite clever too... She quite cleverly used one of the plastic boxes to jump out of the run the other day while i was watching them play. Naughty girl!

Polly is quite intelligent & Barley my French Lop is.

Joey (English spot) is a thicko unless it comes to food

Smirnoff (lionhead) is quite good - he knows when he's doing wrong!

Calel - he's really brainy. He knows what is a distraction, & he has set routines. If you change them, he gets upset, but if he knows what is coming & when he's almost handle-able! (almost!!)

Rhia's really clever. She almost has a human brain, her thought path just seems so like ours. Ditzy buns are so much easier though, easily entertained. I think she's probably my cleverst babbit, but I have no idea what breed she is. I think some buns look really intelligent from pics and expressions on their faces Xx

I adore all of my rabbits totally, and they all have their own unique and endearing characteristics! But THE most clever rabbits I have had over the years have been my Continental Giants and British Giants.....they amaze me sometimes with the way they work things out!

our first bun..a dwarf lop was the cleverest bun ive met..and truly crafty too boot..
our second bun was an upp eared..and daft as a brush..a furry termite!
Oscar was our mini lop... he was cunning and clever but toosmall for most of the jobs he started..including the stairs..if he got up..he couldnt come down..his legs were far too short!
Bif is our rescue bun..lop when shes realxed..uppy eared bunny most of time..and hel;icopter ears the rest of the time! shes usually very clever asshes so nervous etc..she knows the frdge door in the morning means im making a cuppa and gone for the milk..so she rushes up and pesters me for the spring greens inside the fridge! i of course get a cuppa after the greens have been warmed up!
Willow a young frenchie is mad..but has learnt to use furniture as means to get to places..ie the setee up and onto the windowsill which shes too big for but she knows its where the kittens are! she then jumps formt here into the dolly bunk beds our cats and rabbits have used over the years and she gets inthe top ne to jump onto the arm of my chair..and then me! and off again..also we had the organic sun dried banana chips up there for taking meds with and she stupidly thought she could fit on the troley and get the chips:shock: :lol:
shes god at running but not much use at stopping!!
Then we have bertie..bless him..the rew frenchie..who knows the osund of the food bowl..green bag..carrots being snaped into nubs etc..and the sound of the hay being torn from the bale and being put inot the trays..
anything else..forget it..hes solaid back and soppy..hes lost his brain somewhere along the way..hes too cuddly and lets the kittens run riot ove r him.
however he knows when we are coming to mediacte bif and he hides her!!