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Friends Who Are Bad With Rabbits

sidereus7

Mama Doe
This is kind of a random problem that has plagued me with non-bunny people.

I have friends that come over to visit my two bunnies, and they have a lot of misconceptions about rabbits.

a) rabbits love to be held!
b) rabbits are cuddly!
c) it's easy to pick up a rabbit! (hahahhah no.)

My issue is that my friends try to pick up my rabbit, which I generally discourage, but the baby is a bit more of a cuddler. I demonstrate to them how to properly pick up a rabbit, but they tend to do it their way, and I am often scared they will hurt my rabbit. Today, my friend tried to lift my rabbit with one hand by grabbing her around the middle. I think I nearly had a heart attack.

How do you explain to your friends how to pick up a bunny and treat the rabbit right? Do you just not allow them to touch the rabbits much or is there a magic trick to it? I would hate to tell my friends that they can't associate with my rabbits, but I really fear for their safety.

Thanks!
 
I think it actually depends on the rabbit... Sure plenty of rabbits don't like to be held but some are actually quite cuddly.
At least they don't lift them by the ears?
I tend to lift my rabbits around the middle sometimes, although I don't CARRY them like that.
 
i wouldn't let them anywhere near them if thats the case or just tell them to pet them in the hutch but not to lift them, or you should lift them out for them so that way your bunny gets lifted in the way you know she likes.
 
i wouldn't let them! unless you picked up the rabbit and placed it on them to hold. only with the ones that don't mind being cuddled though.

my friends mum came round to pick her up from mine once and she walked straight in and over to them and tried to pick bisc up with one hand and without asking! i was so not impressed and told her to let go of him because he doesn't like being picked up. poor bisc looked horrified! she said i was a 'spoil sport' :roll: but i really was furious at her! she well could have hurt him and that MY bisc, how dare she! :censored:

i would just tell your friends when they get there not to pick up the rabbits, just to stroke them.
 
Urm :oops: I would be very blunt, show them once how to do it and the either do it as I say or they dont go near! :oops:
But having said that, nobody goes near my buns without permission anyway! :lol: Generally too, with my bunnies that dont mind being picked up so much, if anyone wants a hold, I'll pick them up and then hand them carefully to the person, rather than them doing it themselves.
If someone scooped up any of mine without asking first and with one hand they'd never ever do it again! :evil: :oops:
x
 
i wouldn't let them! unless you picked up the rabbit and placed it on them to hold. only with the ones that don't mind being cuddled though.

my friends mum came round to pick her up from mine once and she walked straight in and over to them and tried to pick bisc up with one hand and without asking! i was so not impressed and told her to let go of him because he doesn't like being picked up. poor bisc looked horrified! she said i was a 'spoil sport' :roll: but i really was furious at her! she well could have hurt him and that MY bisc, how dare she! :censored:

i would just tell your friends when they get there not to pick up the rabbits, just to stroke them.

totally agree! I've pretty much posted the same as you! :lol:
 
my friends could try to pick up my rabbits if they wanted... Alvin would whooop ass :lol::lol::lol: and pearl is waaaay to fast to get caught.. noone so far has been brave enough to attempt it.. except the bloke i work with who keeps buns and thought that Alvin would be easily held... he failed the Alvin Challenge quite badly :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

i think you should just tell your friends they are not toys and please dont handle them as they get scared
 
My friends all know about my obsession and they are my friends because they accept me as I am. My only response to them as soon as they come in the house is: 'If you try and pick them up I will scoop out your eyeballs with a blunt spoon.' :lol:

After that they usually wait for permission before even going there. Half the time we even have to explain how to approach and stroke them :roll: Only one friend has been able to do it perfectly and get them to sit for him. I did ban one friend from having anything to do with them though because he lunged for Rambaldi and caused him to hide for a couple of hours.

If your friends are your friends they will respect your wishes. Of course, I am mad and all my mates know it :lol:

Emma
 
Must admit i'd be blunt too, teach them how to pick them up and if they don't do it properly then ask them not to go near them ;)
 
any rabbit indoors here generally is nosy and wil lcome over to jump up and see who it is.... but my outdoors 2 well good luck if you can catch them!!!! lol seriously i would ask them tosit on the floor with them and let the buns come to them for a stroke... if bunny chooses to sit on them great if not thats rabbits?! or alternativly pick up bun yourslef and place on lap of friend x
 
Even my own family wouldn't pick my buns up without asking and to be fair no one has even asked. My fiance's niece sometimes asks me to get them out the run so she can stroke them while they sit on my lap but thats it.
 
Our friends kids visited our house ages ago when we still had Benny and I didn't have to chance to lock him out of harms way. One of the kids waltzed in, spotted Benny, grabbed him, Benny struggled and the swine just dropped him and shrugged his shoulders after doing it like he couldn't care less. I was absolutely raging. Now no-one picks up my pets but me and Mark (and the vet of course!)

I think you need to be blunt.
 
hi... to be honest i dont let my freinds near mine and as a result i have found they ask me if they can stroke them coz i plainly tell them they dont like to be picked up, in fact they hate it .. but as someone said all rabbits are different.. my freinds tend to come round when my bunnies are having their sleep time in the afternoon and my little one tends to hide himself away when any one comes in, but my nephew came to our house over xmas annd grabbed the bigger bunny who responded by growling so i just put them in their cage out of the way and safer for all concerned,,, but i think id have been angry if someone grabbed mine round their middle im very protective over mine lol ... u could always just say no to them to save ur heart lol .. good luck
 
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