# Therapy Rabbits in Training



## MiniLopHop (Mar 19, 2012)

Becky and Gary are therapy rabbits in training. They had their first visit to a local senior center last week. I'm not sure who had more fun, the rabbits or the people.


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## LakeCondo (Mar 19, 2012)

How great. I love the idea.


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## gmas rabbit (Mar 19, 2012)

Great photos, love that Becky was so relaxed she was snoozing in a couple of them. Good thing they are small rabbits, can you imagine a flemish giant or french lop in a basket. lol Everyone seems to be really enjoying the whole experience.


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## MiniLopHop (Mar 19, 2012)

LOL yeah, Sophie would have been killing me. 

Bunnies in Baskets is a great orginization. They have been so helpful in getting us prepared for the visits.


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## patches2593 (Mar 19, 2012)

omg the grey bunny is adorable!!!!! what type of bunny is he/she???? my bun could never stay in a basket or let people hold him. i have enough trouble trying to hold him and im his most trusted person!!! ughh


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## Samara (Mar 19, 2012)

AWESOME. Props to you and your buns!


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## Nancy McClelland (Mar 19, 2012)

So cute. Serena would be good as she's a lap rabbit and loves to be rubbed. Only problem is she's an 18 pound Checkered Giant.


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## MiniLopHop (Mar 19, 2012)

patches2593 wrote:


> omg the grey bunny is adorable!!!!! what type of bunny is he/she???? my bun could never stay in a basket or let people hold him. i have enough trouble trying to hold him and im his most trusted person!!! ughh



Becky is a mini lop. She loves to cuddle.


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## ZRabbits (Mar 22, 2012)

Brandy, you are amazing as well as your bunnies. What treat you give to those elderly when they hold your bunnies. It IS such a good therapy. I know, I've seen it with children. In my eyes, you should be awarded the "Golden 10 Bunny Ear" Award.

Wishing you all the best. You ROCK!

K


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## audrinasmommy88 (Mar 22, 2012)

This is great!!! Do they do this in my area? I would love to do this with Olivia!!


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## MiniLopHop (Mar 22, 2012)

Oh Karen you made me blush. Thank you

Rachel, they are on-line. Your vet fills out a form, sort of a health and temperment certificate. So it doesn't matter where you are! Check out their website, it really is great. It's helpful because a lot of places won't let you visit unless you are certified and this also covers you with liability insurance just in case. There's lots of educational reading and responses you have to complete, but it is wonderfully informative. I like their approach of compassion for your buns as well as the patients.

For example, I had a visiting session planned for Tuesday of this week. Normally when I put the carrier down, a little tickle and the buns hop right in. For some reason that morning when I put the carrier down Becky thumped me and ran under the dresser (her burrow). I talked to her and she thumped me again. I was not going to force her to be social, she didn't want to go. I called and post poned. The next day I tried again and she hopped right in. Go figure.


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## audrinasmommy88 (Mar 22, 2012)

Thank you so much for the info Brandy. I am going to look into doing this. This is great


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## MiniLopHop (Mar 22, 2012)

Great! Let me know how it goes 

And it's easier to keep them in the basket than it seems at first. Just give them a few treats in there at home, then the difference of location keeps them in.


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## blinkrawker (Apr 22, 2012)

Hey there, I am so very glad I found this thread (and this forum! : ) I have two 2 month old bunnies, Hawkbit and Buckthorn. Or Hawk and Buck for short. (I named them after characters from Watership Down.) Their momma is a New Jersey Wooly and the daddy is supposed to be a Californian, although none of the babies looked anything like him. 

Anyways, back to the point. I have been wanting to use bunnies for therapy just like you are. Have been researching it for months and I have found very little online.

Almost everyone I've talked to about it acts like it is the most stupid, far out idea they've ever heard. I know it can done, I just need a few tips on how to get started. 

I'm handling my boys every day so that they are tame and hopefully not quite as skittish and will be used to being petted.

When my late grandmother was in a nursing home I used to take my dog and my late cat to visit her. She loved it and so did a lot of the other patients. However I noticed that so many people were scared of my dog. My dog is too big to be sat on someone's lap, and my kitty, who was perfect for therapy visits, passed away shortly after my grandmother did. From my research it sounds like bunnies are perfect. they are small enough to be held, or sat on someone's lap. They are seen as fragile and cute and most people are not afraid of them. 

Shew...sorry for being so long winded. Just so excited that I found this forum and hoping you can give me some tips on how to get started. I no longer live in the same state so I am not sure if the nursing homes in my area will accept therapy pets of any sort.

Thank you so much, and your bunnies are adorable. : )


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## LakeCondo (Apr 22, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. More & more people are recognizing the usefulness of therapy pets, so I hope you can find places to visit.


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## blinkrawker (Apr 22, 2012)

Thank you! I'm getting extremely excited about this. : D I'll have to upload some pictures of my bunnies too, although I don't have any really good ones yet. 

Also I found the website that was mentioned and have been researching it. It sounds really great and I'm going to keep socializing my babies and find a nice basket I can use. Plus contact the BIB organization.


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## Nela (Apr 23, 2012)

Goodness, look at Becky! What a sweetheart!


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## wendymac (Apr 24, 2012)

What a wonderful, wonderful service you're doing! And love the sleeping bunny pics. You can tell that both the buns and the people enjoyed themselves. Kudos to you!


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## Paddy Ohara (Apr 24, 2012)

*gmas rabbit wrote: *


> Great photos, love that Becky was so relaxed she was snoozing in a couple of them. Good thing they are small rabbits, can you imagine a flemish giant or french lop in a basket. lol Everyone seems to be really enjoying the whole experience.



I do this with my flemish but we do not use a basket, we use a wagon along with harness and lead. She loves hopping around and will visit room to room too. I do need to post some photos.

I do love the photos. They are naturals and the people get so much enjoyment out of it.


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## MiniLopHop (Apr 24, 2012)

I am so excited that we just completed our training! Now I'm just waiting for our badges to come 

I think Becky and Gary really enjoy the experience as well as the humans. When I put their carrier down they hop right in, ready for visiting. Now I am just trying to set up some interesting places to go. There's a school for the blind I would like to visit as well as the hospital.

Bunnies in Baskets have been so wonderful working with us to make sure the buns have a safe experience as well as the people.


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## blinkrawker (Apr 24, 2012)

MiniLopHop, 

Do you know if the online class can be taken at any time? On their website it mentioned classes running in August. Have emailed them about it but I was wondering if you knew since you have just completed your training. Here's to hoping we don't have to wait until August, I'm so excited to get started.

I love your photos as well. : )


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## blinkrawker (Apr 24, 2012)

I know this is the wrong thread but I wasn't sure where at in the forum this topic would be. Can anyone point me to a thread that is about litter training? I'd like to litter train my babies but I'm not entirely sure where to begin as I've never done it before.


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## ZRabbits (Apr 24, 2012)

*blinkrawker wrote: *


> I know this is the wrong thread but I wasn't sure where at in the forum this topic would be. Can anyone point me to a thread that is about litter training? I'd like to litter train my babies but I'm not entirely sure where to begin as I've never done it before.



RO Library has some articles to help with litter training.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12213&forum_id=17

Hope this helps! Good Luck!

K


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## MiniLopHop (Apr 24, 2012)

I started my class when I wanted, but I did it by myself. I don't know if they are going to have a group do it together so you get more interactions? They should send an email back to let you know what is planned. I know Sarah is working on an updated version of the training manual. Perhaps that is due to be finished in Aug and she wants to hold new people until it is available? 

Even if you can't officially start, you can work with your buns to make them more comfortable. You can get them used to riding around in the basket (I use treats to bribe them to jump in and then would cary them around the house). They stay in the basket better during a visit due to unfamiliar territory, but it's good to get them used to it so it is associated to good things and a safe place.

I also take my rabbits to pet stores and have them ride around in the cart. At first it was a little stressful for them with all the new sounds and smells. Then they connected the trips with getting to pick out treats. I will put down two kinds of hay for them to sniff, Becky is great at telling me what she wants. Then when they get home they get the treat hay. Gradually over time they became energized and curious when we went to the store. Now I take them to the park and all over the place in their stroller. 

Getting them comfortable with being out and about I think is one of the most important steps because then it will be easier to add the people component. The goal is to have this be a mutually beneficial interaction. Becky and Gary look forward to their trips out and love interacting with the people. The people love the visits, everyone wins.


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## bunnylovexoxo (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi! 
I was wondering if you could give me the name of the site you used? I love doing volunteer work, and this would be great for my little bun! :bunny24


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## MiniLopHop (Apr 26, 2012)

Here is a link to Bunnies in Baskets:
http://www.bunniesinbaskets.org/

They are a wonderful organization and very helpful.


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## bunnylovexoxo (Apr 26, 2012)

Thanks a bunch! [:


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## MiniLopHop (Aug 29, 2012)

Well, as many of you know, Becky has been having head tilt issues. She has had to retire from being a therapy rabbit. I am now working with Panda and Bunnicula to have them take over the family past time.

Over the weekend all 6 rabbits went for an "unofficial" visit. My co-worker's son was born with severe disabilities. The rabbits relaxed in their playpen and then took turns getting pet, brushed, and fed. Everyone did a super job! I was impressed with Sophie but she had a short tollerance, not really cut out for the job but that's ok. Bunnicula in particular was super. Houdini got his fur pulled once and Gary got his ears pulled twice. They took it in stride, but I made sure to protect them.


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## katherine at sacred stories (Aug 29, 2012)

:clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo::clapping::yahoo:

Brandy, I just love these photos and the work that you and the bunnies are doing!!! BRAVA!!! Everyone looks like they are doing such a good job. I have tears in my eyes!!! Thank you for sharing. Made my day


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Aug 29, 2012)

This is so awesome Brandy! GO YOU AND THE BUNS!!!! WOOOT WOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love that pic of Houdini, such a good looking bun!


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## gmas rabbit (Aug 29, 2012)

oh for the first time out they did really, really well. Loved the ones of Houdini, they all looks so tolerant. Good for them. The little boy looks like he is just loving it.


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## larryng (Aug 30, 2012)

Great photos.


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## MiniLopHop (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks guys, we did have a very nice time and will visit with him again in the future. I didn't get any pictures of Becky or Sophie. I was worried he might hurt Becky because she is so very delicate and that Sophie might hurt him because she really is not suitable. 
Becky got tilty after a minute so her visit was very short. She got mad after a while though that everybun else was getting all the attention so I let her out and she crawled up on my lap. She's still tilting, I think the day was just too much for her so she will not go out again other than vet appointments.
Sophie kicked me a bit getting her out of the playpen but was surprisingly good on his lap. He grabbed her dewlap and she grunted, but didn't nip (thank goodness!). Houdini would love to do therapy but I can't seperate him from Sophie and she gets too grumpy with people so wouldn't enjoy it. I can only handle a pair at a time on a regular visit anyway, so Panda and Bunnicula will be great.
I was just so happy how calm and docile P&B were. Bunnicula in particular even let him pick up her front end to show his mom (who was right there taking pictures). Everyone was so cute!
I think we are going to the senior center tomorrow for their official training session.


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## LakeCondo (Sep 9, 2012)

:airborne::airborne:


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## WhyMista (Sep 15, 2012)

Thats awesome. I can attest to the fact that animals in general can be great therapy but since I don't really like large animals(idk why) and I love rabbits they do just relieve stress and make you happier.

I miss my bunnies


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## dungeonbunnies (Sep 16, 2012)

I'm actually considering this for my herd. My stud has the perfect mellow disposition for the job. And my son's 5 month old silverfox/NZ Cross is remarkably patient with her owner. Thanks for the pictures and information!


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