Same with Guinea pigs. They have a reputation for being dumb because they do often have a vacant expression, however I’ve taught mine several tricks like spinning, standing up and offering a paw.
They can also learn from each other. I adopted one into a herd that liked to lie down with her legs in a different position to my others, and within hours they had all watched her do it and started to try it out themselves.
The biggest barrier is that they don’t understand human speech at all (they can kind of learn to understand your tone of voice but that’s about it) however they are very good at picking up body language and gestures with your hands.
The ones in my yard are fairly clever, learning quickly if people are a threat and memorizing the garden layouts.
One in my yard is really dumb and kept trying to make a den in a potted plant. I had to keep chasing him away and then put rocks over his hole. He kept coming back and digging it out again though.
Yep, they can be litter trained. Not sure if coating things in an apple spray (something rabbits find gross) counts as training them not to chew stuff. Rabbits are pretty clean and are suitable as house pets.
I’ve seen YT videos of one playing basket ball and learning to signal for food and such. Mine used to push a ball back and fourth between me and them. Saw someone else also train a rabbit to high-five them. It’s also possible to be able to call them (although you might need to use a more arbitrary sound than a name, like squeal a certain tone or a whistle.)
Rabbits can also be trained fyi. I think the biggest limitation on what a rabbit can do is definitely it’s body, not it’s brain
Same with Guinea pigs. They have a reputation for being dumb because they do often have a vacant expression, however I’ve taught mine several tricks like spinning, standing up and offering a paw.
They can also learn from each other. I adopted one into a herd that liked to lie down with her legs in a different position to my others, and within hours they had all watched her do it and started to try it out themselves.
The biggest barrier is that they don’t understand human speech at all (they can kind of learn to understand your tone of voice but that’s about it) however they are very good at picking up body language and gestures with your hands.
Can they be house trained?
The ones in my yard are fairly clever, learning quickly if people are a threat and memorizing the garden layouts.
One in my yard is really dumb and kept trying to make a den in a potted plant. I had to keep chasing him away and then put rocks over his hole. He kept coming back and digging it out again though.
Yep, they can be litter trained. Not sure if coating things in an apple spray (something rabbits find gross) counts as training them not to chew stuff. Rabbits are pretty clean and are suitable as house pets.
I’ve seen YT videos of one playing basket ball and learning to signal for food and such. Mine used to push a ball back and fourth between me and them. Saw someone else also train a rabbit to high-five them. It’s also possible to be able to call them (although you might need to use a more arbitrary sound than a name, like squeal a certain tone or a whistle.)
I believe that they can be trained to use a litter tray, as for not gnawing on things I’m not so sure.
Even invertebrates can be trained. The principles of behaviourism are conserved.