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RussianHow Do You Crate Train a Rhino?
Posted at 12:21 pm August 20, 2007 by Laura Weiner
Gram, our Indian rhinoceros, is about to go on a trip. He was born at the Wild Animal Park in 1999 and has been a popular resident at the San Diego Zoo since 2004. Now it is time for him to move on to greener pastures. Literally. He is going to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas, a new park opening this fall.
So how do you get 4000 pounds of rhino into a box? By operant conditioning, of course! Gram is trained to target (touch his nose to a buoy on a stick), lift his back feet, lay down, back up, open his mouth, give voluntary blood draws, and his most favorite, paint (he is pictured above with one of his paintings). He has created many a masterpiece for auction at Bowling for Rhinos and other fund-raising events sponsored by our keepers. So with all of these behaviors under his belt I had to train a new one. As with most of our animals, the most encouraging reinforcement for Gram is food. He enjoys sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, and bananas.
First we had to modify the chute area for him. An old door was removed and some of the chute cut out. We were worried that Gram was too big for the chute (we had to make the door larger on his barn as he grew) but he fits perfectly. The crate was repaired and lifted into place. A bar was placed across the door so Gram could see the chute and crate but not access it all the time. The first day, I removed the bar and asked Gram to enter the chute by using my target buoy. He entered the chute, touched the target with his nose, and was given a treat. He was very interested in the chute and the new view.
He continued to walk all the way into the chute and sniff around. Rhinos have very powerful senses of smell and hearing. He was a little upset when a guided bus tour went by and he backed out calmly. But once the bus had passed he came right back in. Throughout the experience I reinforced him for being calm in the chute. He even went up to the gate closing off the crate and rubbed his nose and horn back and forth on it. Rhinos love rubbing their horns on things!
For next time: relaxing in the crate.
Laura Weiner is a keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
Read a profile about Gram’s artistic side.
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August 20th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Thanks Laura. Sounds like Gram is quite a fellow with many talents. He must now be breeding age and ready to take on the lady Rhinos. Best wishes to him in his “greener” pastures. Hopefully you will have another young animal to care for once he moves on.
August 20th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
You obviously train him with enormous patience mixed with liberal doses of affection! Add lots of creativity and more patience and you end up with a cooperative Gram. Great job, Laura!!
August 20th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
awww….I just met Gram! I was just in San Diego and took a “behind the scenes” tours. One of our stops was to visit Gram, the sweetie. We were told that it was unlikely he would come visit if he were lounging in the pool. As we arrived, there he was in the pool. We were disappointed, but soon started calling to him. To our surprise, Gram came over! What a wonderful ambassador for SDZ.
Good luck and God Speed in Kansas, dear Gram!
August 21st, 2007 at 8:20 am
Laura, how great that Gram is such a willing parcipitant in this training. It is a testament to the kind of patience and trust that you have with Gram. I’m sure with the reinforcements he will do just great, he seems so easy going.Kansas wildlife park is lucky to be receiving such a magnificent animal. With his looks and artistic ability,he will surely catch the eye of a lovely lady rhino. Good luck Gram.
August 21st, 2007 at 8:34 am
What a cool blog! Animals are so much smarter than most people think. Why is he being transferred?
August 21st, 2007 at 8:54 am
Is Gram the baby about whom the video was written a few years ago talking about trying to hold a squirming baby to be weighed, etc? If so, he has sure grown in 8 years and is ready to take on new surroundings, and hopefully a lovely lady rhino.
Moderator’s note: Our 90th Birthday podcast video featuring a squirming baby rhino was about Ricky, a black rhino.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress2/2006/uncategorized/baby-rhino-with-an-attitude/
August 21st, 2007 at 9:11 am
I will miss Gram. He really stands out as a favorite animal to visit. He definitely has personality. I bet he’ll love his new home in Kansas and I wish him all the best. If he is designated to be matched up with a female, I am sure he’ll be a real charmer!
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:29 am
Thanks, Moderator #6, for the clarification. It was a great podcast and a real good laugh session.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Gram is going to be very close to me after the move to the wildlife park. I will make it a point to go see him!!! Can’t wait!
August 30th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I loved reading about this. I’m sure Gram will love Kansas — it seems like perfect Rhino Country.