# How much verbal understanding do rabbits have?



## TheBladedRoden (Aug 28, 2011)

Like will they recognize when they're being called their name or anything like that?


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## SOOOSKA (Aug 28, 2011)

Hi all of mine know their names very well. They respond when I call them.

I'm not sure they know what NO means, I think they do but ignore me. lol

Susan


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## JadeIcing (Aug 28, 2011)

I think it depends the rabbit. I also think they choose to ignore most of what comes out our mouth. I see them as babies they get we are speaking but don't understand all the words.


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## gmas rabbit (Aug 28, 2011)

Benjamin has the personality very much like a cat. If he feels like responding he will, he is the boss and you had better know it. Most of the time he will respond to his name or sometimes I wonder if it is the tone of my voice. He knows no, but tends to look at me and ignore me if it suits him. A more empathic NO will get him scampering. So again, is it the words or the tone.


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## MikeScone (Aug 28, 2011)

Yes, rabbits can and do learn their names and come when called (if they feel like it). 

Natasha Rabbitova has a large vocabulary of words she understands and responds to. If I say, "breakfast" in the morning or "dinner" or "bedtime" at night, she runs into her cage and stands up to look out the top so she can see the snack approaching. She knows "go in", and runs into her cage when I tell her that. She also understands lots of food words - "treat", "snack", "craisin", "carrot", "banana". If I say, "up up", she stands on her hind legs. 







She also understands "NO", but that doesn't mean she always feels it applies to the particular situation she's in.


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## MILU (Aug 28, 2011)

Yes, rabbits understand everything we say to them - well, the ones I had did. 
MILU actually even developed the ability to say "no" with his head. Many people said that was not possible and gave other explanations for that, but time proved he was really saying "no"! He was brilliant! He even learned how to change channels on the tv without the remote. 

I think the matter actually is: how much do rabbits WANT to understand? hehe
My rabbits understood all I said, but sometimes they did naughty things and pretended it wasn't them.. LOL
If you spend enough time and give them enough attention, they'll show you all they know. If they don't trust people though they won't show what they know.


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## Nancy McClelland (Aug 28, 2011)

We also think they understand quite a bit, but also, choose to ignore some of it. They all know their names and come "sometimes" when called. Definitely know "treats". Half of them go into the "box" when I say it and it's time for them to go up. Since everything is subject to "interpretation" they do respond in different ways. Nikki makes two laps around the room before she goes in the box, while Lilli makes a beeline to it so she gets the treat she knows is coming. They all have me so well trained!


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## MiniLopHop (Aug 29, 2011)

All of my buns know the basics- their names, treats, "go home", no (although this gets frequently ignored), breakfast, dinner.

Houdini knows "naughty boy" and it makes him binky every time.

Becky knows the most words- I will talk to her and if she disagrees she will shake her head no. At first I thought it a coincidence, but I swear it is accurate. When we go to the pet store and I ask her which one she likes as I hold two kinds of hay or treats in the cart, she sniffs each one carefully and then will nose bonk what she wants. I really think she knows she is making a choice. Indy just drools on them both


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## TheBladedRoden (Aug 30, 2011)

Hmm Bunny doesn't seem to have a clue what I'm saying. If I go, "Food, Bunny?" she'll just look at me blankly. But once I actually get out the bag of food she'll get all excited and run around.


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Aug 30, 2011)

I think it really depends on how much effort you put into it. Like any animal, words have no meaning unless they are associated with something. For a dog, you can say Sit all you like, but until you teach him what sit means, he will not know what it means. This goes for rabbits as well. You can say Banana over and over, but unless you give a piece of banana at the same time, you are just speaking gibberish to your rabbit. 

If you talk to them a lot and make it mean something, they will start to understand what you are saying to a point. Don't expect them to understand everything you say, but they can learn some words. Of course, we will probably never know how much they understand, they don't seem to want to talk back. Probably good to not let the slaves know too much about what you are thinking.


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## jamesewaller (Oct 9, 2018)

have anyone studied lagamorph psychology 101..or the Vulcan mind melm.-thay will out smart a human all the time-as we are predators and they know it..!!sincerely james waller for joseph r cottontail rip


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## Bam Bam (Oct 10, 2018)

I found that my bunnies recognize the tone of your voice and eventually hear certain sounds and will understand which sound Is their name.
They are incredibly smart. My bunnies always knew what time they get their pellets, veggies and treats. God forbid you are late for any of those they will let you know.
My new bunny Destiny has started learning her name and does come most of the time.


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## Orrin (Oct 10, 2018)

In no time at all my buns learned their names and will come when called. Of course, I do not call them unless I have either a treat or grub waiting for them. My ladies understand "kiss" because I hold a raisin in my lips for them. It works every time.


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## RWAF (Oct 11, 2018)

In my experience, they understand as much as they want to. Obviously not as much as we do but probably more than you realise, especially if things are repeated and there is incentive to understand and remember, based on a reward system. You can find a lot on Clicker Training for rabbits on YouTube and you'll see that they can understand a great deal with often-repeated training. Individuals vary of course.


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## RWAF (Oct 11, 2018)

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clicker+training+rabbits Lots of videos here


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## Joanna (Oct 11, 2018)

Very interesting... I know my rabbits know when I'm coming to their cage and they do recognize noises in the house and respond differently when members of my household or friends of ours show up they will hide when my grandpa visits they can smell his cologne and know he wants their attention When my kids come home from school they will run around with excitement trying to get the kids (12 & 11 ) to play with them.


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## allisur (Oct 11, 2018)

I don't know the science behind it but I do know, mine for sure knows when I say NO. She knows "come" and her name.... now IF she answers to you asking her to come... all depends on her mood- she is a sassy little thing!


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## Alek (Oct 11, 2018)

My Sadie understand 'no', and 'come here'. Eartha doesn't understand anything yet, except maybe 'hey, stop it!'.


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## allisur (Oct 11, 2018)

Maybe more sound than word. I know I keep Surs treats (granola bites), in a mason jar, she gets one every morning. She’ll usually eat half of her breakfast, get antsy for a treat, then after she’ll finish her breakfast and nap time! The MOMENT I touch that mason jar and she hears the treats or me unscrewing the lid, she is at my feet in seconds!!! It’s amazing! So may it’s noises more so. She also knows the crinkle of bags. But she knows what bag is what- she knows the sound of treat bag, pellet bag, hay bag, carrot bag...... I swear it’s amazing!


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## Popsicles (Oct 12, 2018)

Poppy recognises no, because she finds being told off very funny and binkies away *eye roll*


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## jamesewaller (Oct 13, 2018)

my rabbit says jump and I jump!-he says feed me,i feed him!-he tells me to fetch,i fetch!--I think I am well trained,-oh-he tells me what to think,,,rr,,rr-sincerely james waller-check out a website language of the lagamorph---


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## LyndaB (Oct 24, 2018)

Yes, I have had many pet house rabbits over the past 40 years. I actually have a short video called Snow Bunnies, where they listen to what I am saying, and respond to their names: 


Rabbits are like any other mammalian pet - the amount of time you put into teaching them is directly proportional to how well they understand you (but if they are inherently stubborn, no amount of education can fix that!) All pets have their independent moments, like kids - but the key to understanding for rabbits is to also learn _their_ language, and bridge that gap while teaching them _your_ language. Communicate with them by doing what they do sometimes, for the same reasons, and they are more apt to learn your language. Also, when you call their names, do it with the exact same inflection every time...rabbits aren't only responding to words, but also how they are spoken. House Rabbit Society has some good info on learning the language of rabbits: https://rabbit.org/interpreting-body-language-and-behavior/


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## A & B (Oct 24, 2018)

I find that if I get down to my rabbits level and say his name in a certain voice, he comes running. It's adorable!


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## Evelyn Gomez (Oct 25, 2018)

Oreo definitely understands "NO" but I think that might be tone. But if I ask "who wants a cookie?" he binkies and comes running!


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## MandytheBun75 (Oct 26, 2018)

Mandy binkies when I say "Who's the best bunny? MANDY is!!" I do it every morning when I am feeding her, she runs back and forth jumping in the air. Sometimes I will binky with her. She definitely knows her name, and the word "no".


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## Mystical (Feb 4, 2019)

All of my rabbits know their names very well, and usually come when I call for them, unless they are munching on a carrot. Also, mine will stop doing something if I say No, No along with their name
e in a stern voice. Rabbits are very smart.


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## My Bunny Drake (Jun 12, 2019)

As my father would say, this is a question of philosophy. Do we really know that they understand us? We don’t know their feeling.

As I would say, yes! Rabbits are smart creatures!


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## John Wick (Jun 12, 2019)

Rabbits, like many creatures, can learn sound-to-action associations. So the owner's [pitch, inflection, and actual word] signals the rabbit should do/expect [something]. The signal can be a single word, an action, etc..

Rabbits unfortunately cannot learn to understand English language though; only what they've learned associations with.... But they are good listeners regardless.


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## katlupe (Jun 13, 2019)

My bunny, "Rabbit" spends all day with me in a small studio apartment so I talk a lot to him. He loves to listen to music and recently I got a flat screen so when I watch videos he lays down nearby. He knows his name for sure and if I come in and say, "Look what I got for you." He comes running out of wherever he was. I can't say for sure he knows what I say but he seems to like to listen to me talking to him or reading out loud. He knows the word, "banana" I am pretty sure. And he knows how to communicate to me and my boyfriend, who he loves. Spending the time with him, one on one, has increased our bond and our conversations.


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