Idk if Bunjamin would notice my positive reinforcement if I said it in my normal voice. But just out of habit I’ve picked up doing this happy, loud, higher pitched voice for positive reinforcement and offering my hand for pets. After a few weeks of that. He would start binkying over to me when I praised him in this voice and I no longer had to offer my hand for pets (of course he still gets pets though). I don’t think this method would work on everybun but it does for Bunjamin.

Hmmm….well, I think it depends on the rabbit.

I’m not sure that a rabbit actually understands that “no” is no and “yes” is yes – probably never hear the word yes anyway LOL. You are probably right that it may be more tone than anything else. And who knows what tones they can hear (do they hear the same pitches?) and if they are ever really listening.

Now, I don’t think spraying is a positive reinforcement and it probably only has temporary results anyway. I get wet, I leave, I dry off and I go back to what I was doing. It’s a nuisance and an annoyance more than them learning anything.

I don’t have any rabbits right now that “misbehave” either to give examples. All my rabbits are perfect :~)

Haha don’t you love it when they “show off”? Bunjamins really good about showing people who don’t like rabbits or know anything about them how cute they can be. And smart.

As regards to the water bottle thing I used to use it sometimes. Now all I have to do is shake it or point it at him and he stops and runs away from what he’s doing. I think he knows the water sounds means “no”. I might just think my rabbit is super smart too . And its a good thing I only have to shake it to get him to stop because it broke weeks ago.

My ex used sprayed Poopy with so much water when she was penned up as a baby and trying to bite her way out that she became depressed. She wouldn’t even come out of her cage. I had to really work on her and give her lots of pets to reverse her depression. I think that she still is scared of spray bottles.

Powder responds well to positive reinforcement… I tell him good boy and baby talk him and he does binkies. Stickers couldn’t care less and only responds atm to water bottle and have to spray her like 3 times before that works lol or me going over and physically picking her up and moving her off whatever she was doing bad.

I tell mine what good boys they are. They don’t seem to care. Well, I suppose that is understandable with Leopold, but Wooly doesn’t care either.

Hmm.  When Cotton eats the hay that fell on the floor I use this really excited voice to say goooood boy.

When he chews n what he is supposed to he gets a happy good boy chew it up.  Get it.  Oh busy Boo.   His ears will twitch and he will continue what he is doing.

When Fouad is not here for a few days he tries to get on the other couch that has all our junk on it.  Or if I leave the xpen blocking the kitchen area open he will try to go over there.   If fouad is here he claps his hands and says no very loud.  Cotton will binky back into the living room.  Sort of like telling him off.  Making a game of it.

Now when Fouad isn’t here for a few days and he goes over there I say no Cotton you know you aren’t supposed to be there.  Don’t make me get up.  Sometimes he will come back. If he is on the couch he will take his time.  IN the kitchen area he hurries back. 

I have my speaker computer and headset wires by my spot on the couch and he won’t chew them.  He seems to know these are special not to mess with my stuff. 

Now the tissue box next to my wires he will come to chew. So I put him an old book on top his cage so he can chew that when he is up here.

I notice he spends more time getting petting when I brush him harness n hat him and go sit outside with him.  Otherwise he doesn’t come as long and seems depressed.   I was holding him outside the other day and he lies his little head and front paws on my shoulder.  He is so comfy.  Then come some tooth purrs. 

I just remembered.   I taught him to be still when I pick him up.  Using my excited voice and giving a raisin.  Now that his lip isn’t needing to be treated no more he is doing much better with picking him up.