# Changes in the Stress Tolerance of Dwarf Rabbits in Animal-Assisted Interventions
## 1 Introduction
### Preparing the Rabbits to AAI Work  
Rabbits struggle less if their owners frequently make contact with them and are confident in handling their rabbits. According to [PERSON] et al. 's observations, rabbits with a regular companion spent significantly more time grazing, hopping and playing [18]. According to [PERSON] et al. 's findings, the conditions in which pet rabbits are kept have a great effect on their welfare. Frequency of handling by the owner and the environment have an impact on the behavior of rabbits: when rabbits kept alone are picked up, they display strong resistance that indicates socialization problems, and their lifespan is reduced [22]. Inadequate socialization, territorial behavior [19], learned dominance, lack of concern, illness and physical pain, food competition, and reproductive behaviors increase the aggression of pets toward humans [19; 23; 24]. In many mammal species, there is a sensitive period during which the nervous system of young animals can be greatly affected. Certain specific stimuli trigger learning processes, which influence the behaviour of the individuals for the rest of their lives, i.e., there is a sensitive period for socialization. Under experimental conditions, such interventions may include handling. The taming effect of handling may have high importance in large-scale production, where working with tamer animals could be advantageous in several ways; for example, they can perform better. Handling is also important for animal therapy because an animal that is less afraid of humans from the beginning will be more suitable for therapy and easier to teach and handle; thus, better results can be achieved [25]. In rabbits, handling consists of touching and holding [26]. [PERSON] et al. [27] found that even minimal handling carried out in the first week of life reduces shyness. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [28] concluded that repeated handling had a positive effect on the behaviour and the welfare of rabbits kept in cages. Kits will become less shy of humans if handling is carried out at times close to succling. The first week after birth has been shown to be a sensitive period for successful handling. [PERSON] et al. [26], [PERSON] et al. [20], and [PERSON] et al. [29] have found similar results, i.e., handling at an early age has a significant effect on rabbits' reactivity in behaviour tests. [PERSON] [25] examined the effects of early handling under laboratory and natural conditions. He used chinchilla rabbits and New Zealand white rabbits in his research. In the laboratory tests, handling, i.e., touching the kits, was carried out during the first week after birth within half an hour following succling. At these times, the weight of the kits was typically measured, and their ears were marked: all this took about 3 to 5 min per litter. These \"handled\" rabbits showed less fear towards humans and became calmer in nature, which continued in their adult life. Another study was conducted to determine if the effects of handling can be specific and whether young rabbits can distinguish between two people. Handling was conducted on two litters (13-13) by two different persons for 7 days. At the age of one month, the litters were divided into two, and the same two persons conducted further handling in an approaching test. The comparison of the animals' behaviour showed that the person handling the animals did have an effect. The kits showed a preference towards the tester who had been handling them after birth, and both groups were less afraid of people compared to the group which had not been handled at all. [PERSON] [25] believes that this can be most probably attributed to olfactory learning. In another experiment, [PERSON] [25] examined whether the length of handling influenced its effects. In addition to the usual handling lasting for 3-5 min, 5-s-long handlings, which are actually more applicable in large-scale environments, were conducted with different groups half an hour after succling and at least 2 h later, and finally, results were compared at the age of one month.