Rabbits that hate being picked up

Does anyone have a rabbit that hates being picked up?

My female bunny, Lady, is now 9 months old, and she just hates being picked up, she panics, like shes afraid of heights or something! I always pick her up so its not like shes not used to being handled... you can tell she really doesnt like it. Unlike my male bunny, Oliver, he will sit in your arms for hours!

Does anyone know what i can do to calm her down or get her to like being picked up???!!!

Thanks!

My rabbit Barney is a like that, you will find most rabbits prefer to be on the ground and don't like being picked up as it is not natural for them. I don't have any advice im afraid xx

Bunnies like to keep all four paws firmly on the ground as they are prey animals.

Biscuit hates being picked up, so we don't we get down to her level for nose rubs

Most rabbits hate being picked up. Moo is the worst!

Thanks for your comments guys really appreciate it!

I have has Sophie from being 8 weeks old, and she hates being held, not only that but she is very wary of human contact in any way. I have handled her regularly, but I am not hure what I, or other people, have or haven't done.

I suspect she wasn't handled much as a baby.

Out of 4 buns I have one cuddle bun, Charlie. Who curles up like a baby in my arms.

I think the best advise is to sit with her, and go with her terms. I do this with Sophie and to begin with she darts down the other side of the run, then curiosity gets the better of her, but I still can't touch her.

If it is to get her out to go into a pen or to the vets, just put food of choice in her travels box

I had a lion head who hated to be touched never mind picked up. She is better now and likes to be stroked but I still have bother with her come nail clipping time! Still she is mine and I her

Delly and Ogs are both affectionate bunnies, yet not that keep being handled. They much prefer a good nsoerub on the floor or most often or not Delly hops onto my bed for some cuddles.

thats the thing, Lady loves to be touched, as soon as i walk into the room she runs to me and follows me around, so you would presume she wanted to be picked up, but when i pick her up, she gets all paniced and tries to jump out of my arms! arhhh!!

Adrian bunny doesn't like being handled, so I don't force the issue as I don't want to stress him. he doesn't mind small strokes so I just sit with him and chatter to him :lol:

Joey dones't mind being handled, but he prefers it to be that he climbs onto you knee for a cuddle :roll: He likes getting stroked and loves to lick my fingers and nose :lol:

Hi,

My three year old lionhead hates being picked up, but i have noticed it depends where he is. Hes a house rabbit and as free reign downstairs, if i pick him up downstairs, he goes crazy and will wriggle until i put him down. But if he is in a unfamiliar place, outside or at the vets he is quite happy to be handled, I suspect this is out of fear rather than liking it. At the vets he has previosuly jumped into my arms to get away from the vet.

The one thing Stevie my lionhead will do is come and lay next to me on the sofa for a snuggle. He will happily lay down for an hour being stroked but will not entertain the idea of getting on my knee.

I would suggest getting down to her level and petting her.

It can be tricky if you do have rabbits that really dont like being picked up especially if you need to give them any medicines or clip their claws as you have mentioned. I have given up with Stevie and take him to vets to have his claws done. He is a good as gold there and claw trimming takes all of 2 mins rather than 20. Saves me getting scratched to pieces and Stevie loads of stress.

Erica

Alvin fights, bites, kicks me and grunts when i pick him up... he also turns into a spring at the vets and aims for over my shoulder when the vet even slightly relaxes their grip.

only time i can handle him is when hes got stasis and even then its a struggle

After Kermit got head tilt i couldnt pick him up as he just lost his balance and rolled, in between my legs on the floor was his favourite place for mummy snuggles....

That really sad that you couldn't pick Kermit up once he had his head tilt.

My head tilt bunny Lola never was a cuddle bunnie but I've had to pick her up loads more to give her her meds and she's calmed down a lot. I always put her on the side that her head tilts toward me and my OH says it looks like she's cuddling me. Poor thing! She hates it really and the fact that she can't straighten her head means she's giving out all the wrong signals!

I dont overdo it with Oscar - but he is quite happy to be picked up...I just do it when necessary though