Therapy Rabbit

[Dublinperky]

As some of you may know Merin and Nessa are expecting! I really want to work with the baby bunnies to be really used to people and situations. I was wondering if anyone here has trained their bunnies to be therapy rabbits. I think that it would be really great to help people and socialize my bunnies at the same time. Could anyone give me tips on how to try to start training them when they are born? DOes anyone have any experience with Delta Society?

Here is the link to delta society's web page https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

Aly!

 

[Malexis]

I was actually looking into this, as i think it would be perfect for my girl.. But im not sure how to get started?

 

[Lover_Of_Lopz]

We have 4-5 nursing homes right down the rode. Me and Summer are going to go very soon. It takes a very special bunn to work with elderly or special needs people Summer was a pound bunn but when I brought her home she blossomed and is wonderful around people and has never bit anyone and loves to be held. I don't think it is how you raze them I think only a few bunns have the right personality to be service bunns. If you hold them allot though it might help

 

[Dublinperky]

Lover_Of_Lopz wrote:

I don't think it is how you raze them I think only a few bunns have the right personality to be service bunns. If you hold them allot though it might help

I know I thought that I could help socialize them and then see if any of them have a great personality for the job.

Aly!

 

[irishbunny]

I guess you could handle them everyday, put them on a leash from a very young age, bring them everywhere in the car at a very young age, bring them to friends andfamilieshouses as much as possible, get them used to crowds at a young age, get them used to kids being a bit rough with them, get them used to all different types of people. Plus to be a therapy bun they would probably need to be spayed and neuteured, since you don't want the does being nasty and the bucks spraying people.

 

[naturestee]

We take Oberon (NZ White) to a home for developmentally disabled people every year around Easter. They love him! He tolerates it pretty well. They sit on the floor while he explores, and they like snuggling him (with my help) and kissing him. My other bunnies would have absolutely nothing to do with it, and we did try them before we got Oberon. None of my others will tolerate a harness either.

The local shelter brings animals to nursing homes too, including rabbits. They choose the ones that are the easiest to handle and least shy. It really can depend on their individual personality. They don't train them because by the time they do, they'd get adopted anyway. Same with dogs and cats, they just choose ones that are already trained or naturally behave well.

A good way to start is just to get them used to being handled a lot, wearing a harness, meeting strangers, and going different places. Don't force it- some just aren't cut out for it. Also, they'll want the buns litter trained when you bring them so messy babies or some bucks are out. Spayed/neutered animals are usually best but since you breed/show that won't be possible.

Do be aware that the elderly have really fragile skin. I wouldn't let them hold a bun, maybe sit it on their laps or beds but try to avoid getting the claws on their skin. If the bun spooks and leaps away, he can really hurt them.

 

[DeniseJP]

I have Delta Society experience but with Mercy, my miniature horse.

It takes a special animal to fit the bill - he/she must be healthy, undergo aptitude testing and other tests but the satisfaction of getting the OK was worth it.

From my memory of reading the test, bunnies were OK in a basket... Mercy's test was stringent - as stringent as a dog's minus the recall but she passed - the tester thought she would be pooping in the building but she did not. What she did not know is that Mercy HATES pooping in public - she prefers her horse trailer.

Handle the bunnies as much as possible - the bunnies that like it best and show patience are the ones to consider.

In my humble opinion....

Denise

 

[Dublinperky]

I saw the requirements of the test online and they seemed very hard. I am going to try though! Would it be okay to carry the bunnies in one of those dog purse carier. I just worry that they could jump out through the head hole thing!

Aly!

 

[pla725]

I took a pet therapy course through a local community college. I also spoke to a few people in adult day programs and Long Term Care facilities. They were okay with me bringing one of my rabbits in as long as they are vet checked and easy to handle. They said they didn't need to be certified.

 

[DeniseJP]

It depends on the facility - Mercy was certified so we could visit a local hospital but the coordinator of the pet therapy program there wanted her dogs on the Animal Planet show that was being filmed on Mercy so we ended up not visiting the hospital (their choice, not mine).

I have to look at the rabbit test... it would have to be a patient and willing bunny to do this.

Denise