Feel useless : ( UPDATE Done it!! : ) pg 4

[Thea & Bobbin]

I have been trying to cut Bobbin's nails. I thought instead of going into the bathroom to do it I shall try in his room, there must be other people who do it in normal places of the house?

Well I can't even pick him up. It's pathetic, I have no will power, I just keep thinking I'm going to hurt him. If I do manage to get him I can't keep hold of him. He's just too strong and too fast. It must be because it's in his room, I can usually do it in the confined space of the bathroom. But how am I ever going to be able to pick him up with confidence? Oh and now he absolutely hates me, and for good reason too.

I feel completely bloody useless :cry:

[Ida]

I usually pick them up after petting them. This way they never know when I'm going to pick them up because I pet them more often :lol: But I know how frustrating it can be not being able to cut their nails without scratch marks and grumpy bunnies who kick and run away. It's not fun having to chase a bunny to get a hold of it :(

[BB Mommy]

You know I think rabbits pick up your fear and anxiety, similar to the way dogs do.
You need to feel calm, tell yourself you can do it, approach him, pet him first if you want to and when you're ready pick him up without hesitation holding him firmly so that your not anxious you may drop him.
Someone posted how to do a bunny burrito, so once you've got him, wrap him up firmly with a leg sticking out and go for it!!
The hardest bit will be convincing yourself you can do it, but give it a go thinking to yourself that you're taking no messing:D Good luck!

[clutterydrawer]

I know how you feel, Sorrel is as strong as a cat and when we got her, she wouldn't be pickd up for a week. I usually stroke her while she lies on the floor, then lean right down to her and gradually scoop her up keeping her held against my chest so she has less avenues of escape. ...how do you usually get him to the bathroom??

for the actual nail cutting it's sometimes handy to wrap them in a towel, they are wriggly beasties.

good luck! it'll just be a matter oftiem, when i got my first bun it took nearly two months to be able to pick her up. :oops:

[donnamt]

im useless too... since that time i dropped Alvin (well he jumped out of my arms as a baby) i havent had the bottle to pick him up.... poor ste is the bad guy and alvin proper fights him too...

ive been hoping that as he trusts us the picking up will be allowed but nope its not happening and i keep putting off the attempts :oops:

[Thea & Bobbin]

You know I think rabbits pick up your fear and anxiety, similar to the way dogs do.
You need to feel calm, tell yourself you can do it, approach him, pet him first if you want to and when you're ready pick him up without hesitation holding him firmly so that your not anxious you may drop him.
Someone posted how to do a bunny burrito, so once you've got him, wrap him up firmly with a leg sticking out and go for it!!
The hardest bit will be convincing yourself you can do it, but give it a go thinking to yourself that you're taking no messing:D Good luck!

I know, I tell myself to be strong, I'm calm and collected but it all happens so fast, and once he's escaped I feel hopeless!

Yes it was me that posted about the burrito! :rolleyes: :lol: It no longer works with him for some reason :?

[Thea & Bobbin]

...how do you usually get him to the bathroom??

for the actual nail cutting it's sometimes handy to wrap them in a towel, they are wriggly beasties.

good luck! it'll just be a matter oftiem, when i got my first bun it took nearly two months to be able to pick her up. :oops:

He walks into the bathroom!

So do you just try and pick them up everyday until it works? It just seems like such a distressing event to repeat daily :?

[Tamsin]

There's free bunny MOTs at vets during rabbit week in Jan. I'm popping Scamp along for a nail clipping and another attempt at sexing ;)

[Thea & Bobbin]

ive been hoping that as he trusts us the picking up will be allowed but nope its not happening and i keep putting off the attempts :oops:

I am the same, the less you do it the more you lose the bottle, glad I'm not alone though.

[Thea & Bobbin]

There's free bunny MOTs at vets during rabbit week in Jan. I'm popping Scamp along for a nail clipping and another attempt at sexing ;)

At all vets? I think I will have to resort to having the vet do it, I just wanted to be able to do it myself :(

[Maizy]

You are definitely not alone. Funnily enough I noticed Flynn yesterday and thought 'Oh Oh' it's nail clipping time again. He is the only one of my 9 that just will not have a bar of it. I've even resorted to clipping while he's lying down and being stroked by the kids. I can usually get one or two paws done before he susses me out, then I have to leave it and try again later. All the others will let me hold them, but Flynn never has.:roll: I think I may well be taking advantage of rabbit week too. :lol:

[Sooz]

There's free bunny MOTs at vets during rabbit week in Jan. I'm popping Scamp along for a nail clipping and another attempt at sexing ;)

I had no idea you didn't know what sex Scamp was! I assumed he was, well, a he...

[Tamsin]

No only vets who've signed up. The site doesn't seem to be work tho: http://www.nationalrabbitweek.co.uk I know my vet usually gets involved.

Tam

[Tamsin]

I had no idea you didn't know what sex Scamp was! I assumed he was, well, a he...

He's been to the vets three times now (twice for jabs and once specifically for sexing). The vet's fairly sure he's a he, I'm fairly sure he's a he, but he hasn't produced any plums yet :? The vet said either they can neuter now and see what they can find :shock: or we wait a bit longer (that was a month or two ago) so I'm hoping they'll be able to tell now. I'm fairly sure he has the sacks they're meant to drop into and is just being contrary and pulling them up every time I try to look :oops:

He definitely acts like a little boy :lol:

[donnamt]

i cant even tell if Alvins claws are too long.... its all fluffy and black at the feet... lol

ill be letting my vets do it, im relatively new to bunny keeping so im not embarassed by my lack of courage really, ive not started with the easiest bun...

[sillyrabbit]

I just get the vet to do it because im too scared to even try myself :oops: x

[Sooz]

He definitely acts like a little boy :lol:

I thought there may be some other tell tale signs! :lol::lol::lol:

[clutterydrawer]

He walks into the bathroom!

So do you just try and pick them up everyday until it works? It just seems like such a distressing event to repeat daily :?

I did. But I didnt persist long with it each day...like I'd have a go then if they were getting distressed, leave it till the next day. Even now I sometimes clip a couple of sorrel's paws then have to leave the rest for another day cos she gets panicky. they don't mind the picking up at all now though - they know it'll end in cuddles I think! I guess it depends on the bun but it would be useful to be able to pick him up when necessary.

[Phoebesmummy9]

Nowhere near me dus the free bunny mots grrrrr!
I find it useful to wrap my doe bunny Piper up in a towel when doing her nails because shes quite panicky. Just give lots of nose rubs and kisses and she calmed down in the towel and we got her nails cut :D

[March Hare]

Oh Thea.....I have JUST seen this thread! YOu are so totally NOT useless!!!!! *hugs* And no WAY does Bobbin hate you! I know it can be difficult to get all of your self confidence going.....but I am sure that you WILL eventually....just keep working at it!:D I have just been doing it for SO many years now that I don't even stop to THINK about it anymore.....and I also tend to forget how difficult it is in the beginning to find your confidence and what works best for you.

And Bobbin LOVES his Mummy.....he tells Timmy about it ALL the time!!!;):D

I am REALLY stubborn when it comes to getting my buns used to being handled....I just can't let myself give up!:oops: So if I have one who doesn't like to be picked up, I just casually scoop them up at least once a day and hold them really securely tucked up next to me, rub their noses. and rub my face on them and talk to them very softly. After I put them down, I continue to stroke them and give them a piece of something really yummy like curly kale...and they eventually realise that being picked up isn't QUITE as horrific as they THOUGHT it was going to be!:D I still have a couple that aren't TOO keen on being picked up....but I'm working on it!!!

[Thea & Bobbin]

Nowhere near me dus the free bunny mots grrrrr!


I don't think it's working at the moment.... I put 50 miles but there was nothing, and that seems unlikely :?

[elve]

I have been trying to cut Bobbin's nails. I thought instead of going into the bathroom to do it I shall try in his room, there must be other people who do it in normal places of the house?

Well I can't even pick him up. It's pathetic, I have no will power, I just keep thinking I'm going to hurt him. If I do manage to get him I can't keep hold of him. He's just too strong and too fast. It must be because it's in his room, I can usually do it in the confined space of the bathroom. But how am I ever going to be able to pick him up with confidence? Oh and now he absolutely hates me, and for good reason too.

I feel completely bloody useless :cry:

I know how you feel :( Maa had an abscess needed cleaning daily, and I just couldn't do it, even though it was a case of 'if you don't, she'll die!' - I just can't handle my bunnies if they put up the slightest fight. Although having said that I managed to syringe feed Zinniea last week - got a nasty bruise where she kicked me but we both survived :) I knew she'd have been dead by morning though, so I just had to overcome my fear :? Maa I took to the vets for abscess cleaning, and I'd take her to the vets for a nail trim too I think :oops:

[Tamsin]

I don't think it's working at the moment.... I put 50 miles but there was nothing, and that seems unlikely :?

Yep, I know my vet is doing it but there is nothing listed near me either :?

[Thea & Bobbin]

Thank you everyone for your help, I was having a real downer moment earlier! :rolleyes:

I now know that I am not alone in my picking-up fear, I just need to be a little more confident ;)

Thea x

[ecudc]

you have my sympathy.....trying to get rosie nethie used to being picked up and it's like chasing road runner.....and if I do manage to get her she runs up my arm and sits on my back which completely defeats the object & i'm stuck with my nose to the floor until she gets up enough courage to hop off.

[Thea & Bobbin]

you have my sympathy.....trying to get rosie nethie used to being picked up and it's like chasing road runner.....and if I do manage to get her she runs up my arm and sits on my back which completely defeats the object & i'm stuck with my nose to the floor until she gets up enough courage to hop off.

:lol: She sounds more like a mouse than a wabbit! :D

[Tamsin]

I can pick Scamp up fine but pinning him down long enough to cut his claws is a different matter :lol:

[Thea & Bobbin]

I can pick Scamp up fine but pinning him down long enough to cut his claws is a different matter :lol:

So he's a he now?! ;) :lol:

[Tamsin]

I'm sticking with he until someone proves otherwise :lol:

I'll be really :oops: if he turns out a girl.

[Thea & Bobbin]

I know how you feel :( Maa had an abscess needed cleaning daily, and I just couldn't do it, even though it was a case of 'if you don't, she'll die!' - I just can't handle my bunnies if they put up the slightest fight. Although having said that I managed to syringe feed Zinniea last week - got a nasty bruise where she kicked me but we both survived :) I knew she'd have been dead by morning though, so I just had to overcome my fear :? Maa I took to the vets for abscess cleaning, and I'd take her to the vets for a nail trim too I think :oops:

I know, I am much better at doing the things that their health is dependent on, when Bobbin has a weeping eye and I need to bathe it I can pick him up in a flash! :roll:

[Stralachlan]

I know how you feel :( Maa had an abscess needed cleaning daily, and I just couldn't do it, even though it was a case of 'if you don't, she'll die!' - I just can't handle my bunnies if they put up the slightest fight. Although having said that I managed to syringe feed Zinniea last week - got a nasty bruise where she kicked me but we both survived :) I knew she'd have been dead by morning though, so I just had to overcome my fear :? Maa I took to the vets for abscess cleaning, and I'd take her to the vets for a nail trim too I think :oops:

It's kind of the opposite for me - Hazel & Acorn dont like being held, and the bunny burrito resulted in a chewed up towel. We settled for backing them up against my knees and some tough love. Eventually I got all the paws done - including the robo hamster which was far worse - a misplaced pair of scissors would have taken the whole paw off!

But I reminded myself of how sad my old rabbit Fluff looked when he tore a long toenail and decided it was worth it. He only went to the vet about 5 times in his life, and about 3 were torn toenails. And then I had to give him antibiotics for a week which was far harder.

[ecudc]

:lol: She sounds more like a mouse than a wabbit! :D

She is very mouse like..infact if Chloe hadn't named her already I might have called her mouse. She's tiny.... about the size of a cereal bowl...she is also lightening fast and practically does a back flip every time she binkies....completely bonkers.

[Thea & Bobbin]

Just trimmed all his claws bar two... yipeeee! And there I was thinking the first time I did it I just had beginner's luck! :rolleyes:

The bathroom is definitely better, it's like he knows he has to behave in there! :lol:

[BinkyBun]

Well done x:D

[donnamt]

yaaay well done hun :)

[March Hare]

That's GREAT news, Thea!!!!! I KNEW you could do it!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Vanessa.B]

Well done to you!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D

Love to Bobbin for behaving!