Can you teach/train a bunny to sit beside you on the couch?

[funnybunnymummy]

I'd love it if Gus would come sit with me on the couch, but as soon as I pick him up and put him on the couch, he hops down again. I've tried tempting him up with treats, but he will streeeetch as far as he can to get the treat, but won't hop up. He's hopped up on the couch once (we were just sitting there watching TV when all of a sudden...BOING!...therehe was!), but since then has never tried again.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!

Rue

 

[degrassi]

I dont' know about hoping up on the couch as my bunny has never done it. but I have trained him to come sit next to my chair on the floor. That way I can sit and hang my hand down to pet him.

I didn't really consciously train him, it was more by accident. When I let him out to play I'm usually at my computer. He runs around and would usually go sit under my bed when he was resting. I started luring him out with some treats to get him used to being right next to the chair. I eventually was able to start scratching his head. At first he'd only take a few scratches then run away. Eventually he started sitting for longer and longer pets. Now instead of resting under by bed, he comes and sits(even flops) next to my chair and will sit there for as long as I pet him. Or if I hang my hand down and tap the floor he sometimes comes to that, but usually he comes on his own.

How long have you had your bunny? It took a while for my bun to do this and be trusting enough. When I first got him and let him out, he wouldn't let me touch him or come anywhere near him when he was out of his cage. Be patient and keep working with him. Maybe try sitting on the floor first and see if he'll come over and allow you to pet him.

 

[elrohwen]

I don't know the answer to this because I've been trying to figure it out too! We're just been putting our bun on the couch every night and then feeding him tons of pellets, one at a time, to get him to stay. He's also hopped up on his own, but only a few times. All have been after we had picked him up and put him there, so I'm hoping he'll do it again. But he will not come up when I lure him at all.

Hopefully someone has good ideas!

 

[kahlin]

I've never really tried training any of them to do that. I had one bunny who loved it - but she did it all on her own.

Behr does it sometimes. I just make sure to reward him for coming up to see me...with lots and lots of loving.

 

[mardigraskisses]

My bunny loves jumping up on my bed, but I have to let him explore it and get a feel first (every time he comes up) and eventually he'll come close and let me pet him and lay down for a bit.

If he's not ready though and I try to pet him or even move, he'll run away.

 

[BethM]

One of my bunnies loves to hop up on the sofa. However, she's usually looking for something to dig or chew, so she has to be closely supervised when she's up there. Her mate is perfectly capable of getting up there, but he prefers not to.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Billy hops up onto the couch, but only to say "hi" and to see what's going on. He likes to sit in front of the coffee table and watch TV. He picked that spot himself though. I put down a fleece blanket for him and he settles right in to watch movies or shows. The last movie he watched with us was The Invasion. He seemed to really like it and stayed for most of the movie.

In general, I find that I cannot train him to do anything he doesn't want to do. He has a mind of his own, and unlike a dog, is not eager to please. He'll do what he wants, when he wants, and if someone is in his way...watch out!

 

[silvermoon]

I trained Fluffy to come up on the couch but here's the thing: she only stays if she wants to! She will definitely come up if I have treats but as soon as the treats are gone, so is she. She usually runs around the room a bit and then comes back up for a licking/nose rub session.

A few things: my couch is out in open space. She will only approach it from one direction, where there are more hiding spots for her. Try putting a hiding box or basket or toy, or a row of them, leading to the couch.

My floors are hardwood and she hates hopping down from the couch onto them because she slides. I had to put a towel down on the floor at first to get her to come up and down.

Treats or favorite toys, definitely. I never lifted Fluffy onto the couch, I just kept leading her up. She tried to stretch too, but you give one and then move away farther. And farther. And farther. Until they decide to hop up!

Fluffy likes to be up high. Some rabbits don't. My couch isn't too high though, she can easily hop up and down.

If I'm sitting on the couch she will generally come check me out, see if I have any snacks, but I can't count on her to sit down and veg out to the tv with me.

Here's some proof! She had some carrot in the first picture.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Thanks, guys!

I guess we'll just keep trying and maybe one day he'll decide he wants to sit with us on the couch.

Rue

 

[elrohwen]

For those that have trained a rabbit to come up on the couch, how exactly did you do it? I don't want my bun to necessary come up and snuggle with us, but I would like him to hop up from time to time to get treats or something. He has done it 3 times so he physically can, but I can't get him to do it. If I try to lure with a treat he'll stretch and stretch, but never jump. Any tips?

 

[silvermoon]

Does your rabbit sit in your lap? Mine does not like being in my lap unless I have a blanket or towel in my lap.

With Fluffy I first had to coax her into the room that had the couch in it. It has a lot of open space that she doesn't like, and the whole house is hardwood floors so she doesn't really run because she slides. So I'd lure her into my lap farther and farther into the room each day. Until I was sitting on the floor next to the couch.

The next day I sat there, next to the couch and waited for her to come over. Before she climbed in my lap, I slowly stood/crouched up and sat on the couch, in the middle of the couch with room on both sides. Then I put the towel down on my left side, draped so part of it was on the floor and part was on the couch.

She preferred the towel to the wood floor and sat on it. I held a treat up at couch height and she reached up and got it. I put one farther back, she reached up and got it. The whole time I was talking to her and patting the couch. "Come on Fluffy, come on!"

Fluffy will keep searching for snacks until she knows they are gone. I held the next one way way back, where she couldn't reach. When she finally did hop up, I gave her lots of pets and lots of snacks! (I use her pellets as treats, I don't give her that many sugary things). I also led her over to my lap with treats and had her sit there and pet her.

I didn't try to keep her there though, that seems to be key. I let her hop down when she wanted to. When she came back up, more treats. The next day I just sat on the couch and called her, treats in hand.

She won't always come up but some mornings she hops up by herself. The left side is now 'her side' and she prefers it, even without the towel there.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Just thought I'd share an update:

Last nightIthought I'd try a different tactic. I pickedGus up and put him on the couch, then before he could hop down,I fed him several small slices of banana, all the time talking to him and petting him. He seemed REALLY uncomfortable and hopped down as soon as the banana was gone.

Then I went and cut another couplepieces and sat down on the couch. He came right over to the couch, but didn't seem really sure if he wanted up or not. He kept doing his streeeeetching to get the treat, but, after several tries, eventually he did hop up and eat the banana. Then he hopped down again.

Like Silvermoon,I didn't try to force him to stay. Just used the treats and pets as positive reinforcement.

Thentoday, my hubby (yes, my hubby!), got him to hop up on the couch with him for a couple more pieces of banana. He actually stayed a little longer, sniffing and looking over the arms, etc.before he hopped down.

But I think it's progress!

Maybe in time, he'll become comfortable enough to hang out on the couch with us while we watch TV!

Rue

 

[silvermoon]

Yay! I'm glad you are having some success with it now.

 

[wallice]

I've never really had that problem with my bunnies. My girl was definately a begger, so if anyone had food while sitting on the couch, she was all over them, and on the backs and arms of the couch to try and steal a bite.
My new boy doesn't come and stay for very long, but does come when he feels like a little affection. Every time he would come near the couch, I would pat the seat next to me and call his name. After a little while, he got the point, and now loves to jump up. Its become his favourite spot to binky.
I guess just don't try and put them on the couch physically, because they are stubborn and will do the opposite of what you want. Let them come to you at their own pace, regardless of how frustrating it is to us, and manybe eventually he will want to hop up.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Just thought I'd post another update:

Banana seems to be the secret. All I need to do is get out a banana now and Gus follows me to the couch. He's not quite running, yet, but he comes with a little encouragement. Then as soon as I sit down, he's up on the couch to eat the banana. He'll stay a few minutes after he's finished now, though he's still not totally comfortable yet, and will often rearrange the blanket that's usually sitting on it before hopping it down.

I'm confident, in time, he'll hop up on the couch without needing the encouragement. Whether he'll stick around for pets or not remains to be seen.

Rue

 

[barbarafairley64]

I keep mine in basket always and it’s works