Training a deaf rabbit

[nessar]

hey, just joined so I could ask your advice about my new bunny...

On Wednesday I took on a house rabbit. He had been given to Pets at Home. He's a big rabbit, his old owner said pure breed but the staff couldnt remember what. He looks identical to Blanc de Bouscat (google image it) and weighs in right (4.7kg) but he has blue eyes, rather than the breed's usual pink. The staff reckon he is about 2-3 years old.

He's very friendly, litter box trained in his cage, but wees and poos all around my desk when he is let out, ignoring his other litter tray there. Today I bought 5 paint trays and lined them up around my desk so there were no gaps and he has used them to poo in a little more than what is on the floor, but not wee, so partial success there! Not sure whether he had a litter box in his old cage, as he has large urine stains on his rear, he definately wasnt house-trained.

The main problem is he is possessive and aggressive about his food. He won't let me remove his empty bowl from his cage to fill it, and if you dare go near a treat he hasnt eaten he will charge, grunt, and once when I didnt move fast enough, bite.

I've been trying to train him, but noticed he didnt respond to any verbal or noise detterant. I tried getting louder and louder, but to no avail. So when I took him to the vet to get him vaccinated and checked over, I asked about deafness. He said wait till he is in the same room but round a corner so he cant see you, then bang pans together. Being a prey animal he should be startled and run like the clappers. His ears didnt even twitch.

So I have a deaf rabbit! And trying to train a deaf rabbit is hard. Saying 'no' or clapping your hands like they say to do in the books doesnt work as he cant hear you, and obviously you cant tap a rabbit. I've tried to find info searching through google but cant find anything on training deaf rabbits. So far I have got him to respond to being sprayed with pressurised air in a can (for cleaning keyboards) to get him to stop chewing things. As regards litter training I have tried picking him up when he is toileting (normally near the litter tray) and placing him in the litter tray, but he just runs off and messes up the carpet somewhere else.

The aggression is the main thing, and I dont mind pellets but I just can't have him urinating on my carpet 4 times a day! I've had many rabbits before, but never one indoors and never one so aggressive about food. The vet said neutering might help with both problems but where he is older the behaviour is probably at least partly permanent. Not sure if I will get him neutered as there is a risk, but even if I do it wont be probably for another month, as he is getting vaccinations first. So the question is:

How do I train a deaf rabbit? (and sorry for the essay )

 

[The Duchess]

Hi there.

This is absolutely normal behaviour in an unneutered rabbit both male and female. Whilst some behaviour can remain learned/ingrained rather than natural, you will have no chance of litter training a boy if he isn't neutered IMO. (undoubtedly there may be exceptions). Following neutering it will still take a good 4 weeks or so for the hormones, which are making him territorial and hence marking with wee and poo, so you shouldn't expect him to change over night.

The only time we have an issue with a neutered rabbit doing the same thing is if they are very close in proximitiy to other rabbits (but not bonded) and feel the need to still mark.

As far as being deaf making a difference in litter training - I don't think hearing is relevant at all. We have a number of totally deaf rabbits (that are neutered) and they use a litter tray very happily, despite only being neutered later in life when they found their way into the rescue.

For training to do other things we always use pellets as a treat to train any animal. Works every time if they aren't given too many for their main meal - they love a couple of extra to reward good or desired behaviour. He should also stop being 'agressive' or as I would prefer to call it 'defensive' of food when neutered, although I agree that some bunnies will still box when you put your hand near. We have three rabbits that are food 'agressive' but there are good reasons for this and we accept it. Two boys who's original owners taunted them as they thought it was funny that they boxed and their wife who was double her correct body weight when she came into rescue so now we have her slim and on a good low pellet diet, as soon as the food comes out she chases the others. They are about 5 so it has become ingrained.

For all behavioural issues I would always advocate neutering as the first thing to try.

Helen

 

[amyhhh]

Our rabbit Hector is deaf as well (and it doesn't seem to bother him at all ) His litter training was terrible until we got him neutered and then once he was neutered he started using his litter tray religiously almost over night! So neutering definitely makes a huge difference.

 

[dbu13mr]

The method of testing his hearing isn't foolproof. Rabbits when sacred will often just freeze rather than run, and hence it can be difficult to tell. That's what I was told when I asked about Peach. We've been convinced for a while that she can't hear (probably due to abuse), and it's been 'confirmed' by my kitten: Peach is nosy, but seeing how Tilly reacts to noise emphasises how much Peach doesn't.
As for training, have you tried thumping hard on the floor, or whatever surface he's on? He'll feel the vibrations even if he can't hear the round. Another thing to try is to turn your back on him. Rabbits don't like being ignored like that.
As to the food, I agree that neutaring should help. I'd also suggest wearing a thick glove when getting removing his bowl and not making too much fuss. It may be that in time he learns that he'll get it back with food in and that there's no need to attack. Peach always used to nip my neck if I picked her up (I'd be pre-warned), but within a month of being here stopped.
Keep persevering and good luck.
M

 

[helgalush]

I have a deaf bunny too, Starbuck. He was a rescue bunny and so was neutered when he was a bit older, but we dont actually know how old he is.

I definitely agree that neutering will help with the litter training.

One of the important things about deaf bunnies is that they can react to sudden movements, particularly if near their face, or a pair of hands coming in to their territory. They also startle easily so it is best to approach slowly from the side, make sure he has seen you before you go near him and make slow movements so as not to startle him and make him grunt/bite. But again this is one of the things that may calm down once neutered. Spraying something at him may startle him and make him more grunty, I know you need to find a way to keep him away from wires but the best bet is to conceal them and make them so that they are out of reach.

Other than that, I find lots of tactile loving attention, especially down at his level goes down well because he cant hear me talking and singing to him like my other buns can. (Poor bunnies! :lol

 

[nessar]

Hey thanks for all your help everyone I think I will most definately get him neutered then.

He seems to be doing well, using the trays I lined my desk with. He still poos all around that area on the carpet but seems to confine his wee to the trays. He misses the edge sometimes but Im not going to get bigger/higher edged trays just yet as I dont want to upset this good habit of using the trays!

I've tried banging the floor but he doesnt take any notice. The only way seems to be to spray him with water or compressed air.

Just wondering with deaf rabbits, do yours make more noise breathing than normal? He seems to breathe very loudly and heavily for a rabbit, but the day after I first had him I took him to the vet and he said his breathing sounded fine. I didnt mention the loud breathing as I hadnt noticed it much at that point.

How would he freeze exactly, would he crouch down or just stay in whatever position he was already in? Because the position he was in when we banged the pans was him on his hind legs stretching up to see the bed, and he didnt budge from that nor did his ears move, just as if he didnt notice the racket. He doesnt seem to notice the hoover either.

 

[helgalush]

Starbuck definitely is more noisy than the other buns, I think it is because he cant hear the noise he is making. He doesnt do heavy and loud breathing, although sometimes you can hear it, more than the others and he also makes cute little whimpering noises that I havent heard any of other bunnies doing (occasional snores too :lol::lol.

 

[Jess1]

I wonder if feeding him little and often might help? Maybe break up his pellet allowance in to several portions, and space out feeding (if you are out all day maybe morning, when your home and a couple in the evening?) That way he will learn that more food will always come, and he dosent need to worry about losing his food. Maybe distract him when you do take the food too, put some treat down (herbs etc) then whilst hes distracted, take the bowl.

For the litter training, tempt him into his box with herbs etc, so he associates nice things! Hay in there really helps too (Eat and poo at same time).