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How Smart Are Rabbits? 7 Easy Steps To Test Their IQ

Are you wondering how smart are rabbits? Here’s an amazing fact: Rabbits are smarter than you thought they could be. They can solve problems using logic. You can teach them tricks if you want.

They make the right companion pet, and you want to know why? It is because they can understand human words in a wide range!

How Smart Are Rabbits?

As its owner, you have to exercise its mind by training it well rather than locking it up in a cage. For instance, you can train your bunny to use a litter box.

Or maybe, you have to allow your rabbits to play. You can buy them safe toys; I give my pet, Thumper, a lot of these, for him to enjoy, learn, and be entertained.

With proper care and guidance, rabbits can be brilliant and even understand some words and actions you instruct them.

In this blog post, we will learn more about the intelligence of rabbits and how they can improve it.

If you wish to know more about how smart rabbits can be, keep on scrolling!

Intelligence Of Rabbits

how smart are rabbits

There are many animals that depict an adequate level of intelligence in them. However, these gifts vary from one species to another.

So how smart are rabbits?

As for rabbits, their sense of smell exceeds that of humans, and can even find their food even in half a mile range (genuinely fascinating!)

More so, rabbits can jump farther than we do and can even see above and behind their heads!

Mind you, bunnies are also engineers because they can dig complex tunnel networks. What’s cute is that they often use the roots of trees as structural support.

Some strongly believe that giving a bunny a piece or many toys can improve the way it thinks.

On the other hand, locking it up in its cage without any other thing to do will make its brain stagnant as it can’t exercise it.

Improving its intelligence can be very healthy for its body and mind!

Are Rabbits Smarter Than Dogs Or Cats?

I tell you, rabbits know what they want to do. For this reason, their intelligence is comparable to dogs and cats.

What’s more surprising is that they know how to ask you something.

As a pet owner, you can make a conversation with your furry friend.

are rabbits smarter than dogs or cats

But wait, when I say they can converse with you, it doesn’t mean that they can answer back, obviously.

Take note of this:

They can understand what you are saying to them, and through body language, they will respond to you.

All you have to do is train your bun well, and by that, I am sure that your bond will be stronger.

There’s this one story that I want to share with you.

I have a pet named Thumper, and he loves to eat carrots more than any other veggies I serve him. One time when I got home and had my groceries with me, I saw him nibble on the paper bag.

Why do you think that is so? Because there are carrots in it!

He looked at me with sadness in his eyes, like he was telling me he wants to eat the carrot. I just smiled a bit and prepared a carrot for him. He hopped with so much joy when he saw me carrying the veggie.

Isn’t that cute?

How To Test A Rabbit’s Intelligence? 7 Steps

As a pet owner, I know that you will wonder how intelligent your pet can be, right?

There are games in which you can test the capacity of their brain and IQ.

Not only, you will know how they solve logic, but also it will keep your beloved pet entertained.

You should encourage your pet to do well by giving it treats!

how to test a rabbit’s intelligence

There are a lot of games to test, but you can also make one; here are the instructions that you have to follow:

Step #1. Getting containers

The first thing that you can do is to get three containers which are different in colors. These should have lightweight so that your bun can flip over quickly.

Step #2. Placing vegetables in the containers

Next, take away your pet for a while. Place a piece of vegetable or fruit under one of the said containers.

Now place all of the containers into the rabbit’s hutch.

Step #3. Putting back your rabbit in its home

Then, put your rabbit back inside of its habitat. Of course, it will be suspicious of the new things which are new to its vision. That is the time when it will investigate the containers and smell the food in them.

Step #4. Observing what your pet will do

The most natural reaction that you will see is that your bun will try to get the food.

Expect that it will dig up, push, or knock down the containers to have the food.

Step #5. Patting its head if it chose the wrong one

When your pet flips over a container, which is the wrong one, pat it on the head as part of the training.

Then, return the container to its original position.

Step #6. Giving more time to check the remaining containers with food

Since rabbits are intelligent as a gift of nature, you will notice that they will then approach another container.

Soon, it will find the treat and finally eat it.

A few tries won’t hurt it, and you have to make sure that you are gentle even if it makes a mistake.

Step #7. Repeat the process

Do this game every day, and you will observe that your furry friend will knock down the container containing the food.

Do not try to switch the food location and see how your bun chooses it every time.

Take note of this: The one that you have just read is an example of an IQ test.

You can also devise your test so that you can train your bun in different types of games. Keep in mind that there are a lot of options and ways to challenge your furry friend.

As you can see, rabbits are curious, and they can be very entertaining to look at.

Funny how sometimes they get nervous over an object which is new to their eyes. The best way to connect with it is to talk, play, and listen to it in the best way you can.

Which Are Some of the Smartest Rabbit Breeds?

Although the breed has little to do something with the level of intelligence as individual intelligence usually varies irrespective of the breed there are certain breeds of rabbits that are preferred owing to their sociability and overall intelligence. 

These breeds include Holland Lop, Mini Rex, Lionhead, and Belgian Hare.

Are Rabbits Smarter Than Rats?

are rabbits smarter than rats

Rabbits are not smarter than rats. Rats are way more intelligent, quick, and easy to train than rabbits that is the reason rats are used in psychological studies to analyze human behavior. 

Conclusion

So, how smart are rabbits?

In the final words, rabbits are intelligent and curious at the same time.

Challenging a bunny can enhance or improve its IQ, and at the same time, it will also be away from boredom.

As we all know, bunnies are playful and a piece of advice, the best time to teach them is when they are hungry. They will then have the instinct to strive to get the food, so assume that they will play well in every game. The treat will then be a motivation, and the most effective reward is its favorite one.

I use carrots to treat and reward my rabbit because I know that he smells this better than I can. He would then play energetically and my rabbit hops with happiness every time he gets his food. Not that he will have food to eat but also he’ll also be entertained. 

You can also buy them safe toys that will help them learn and keep them entertained.

We hope you had much information through this blog post and good luck in improving your bun’s IQ!

Thank you for reading.

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