Flopsy and Topsy have been real to handle - they are happy to eat from my hands, and even tolerate the occasional tickle behind the ears, but the second I try to pick them up, they panic The lady I rescued them from said they were mean, and would bite, but they have been fine with me, although I haven't pushed it
Today, I popped an open carry-box at the end of the run, hoping to encourage them in and reduce the stress of handling and immediate success - they both hopped straight in, allowing me to move them back into their hutch stress-free
Although I know that they will need to learn to tolerate being handled in the long term, will it do any harm to leave them to settle in for a few more weeks, before I start to try and desensitise them? They have had such a huge change, and are still in temporary accommodation at the moment, it seems unfair to expect them to tolerate handling so soon :?
In a few weeks we will have a run that I will be able to sit in with them and let them explore me in their own time; which I am sure will help.
Today, I popped an open carry-box at the end of the run, hoping to encourage them in and reduce the stress of handling and immediate success - they both hopped straight in, allowing me to move them back into their hutch stress-free
Although I know that they will need to learn to tolerate being handled in the long term, will it do any harm to leave them to settle in for a few more weeks, before I start to try and desensitise them? They have had such a huge change, and are still in temporary accommodation at the moment, it seems unfair to expect them to tolerate handling so soon :?
In a few weeks we will have a run that I will be able to sit in with them and let them explore me in their own time; which I am sure will help.