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Should a vet pick up a bunny by the scruff of the neck?

Graeme27Uk

Warren Scout
Yesterday at the vets, the vet we saw picked the bunny's up by their scruff of the neck.

This isn't the usual ver we see and I am not that keen on him anyway ever since he suggested we "take Frosty back and get rid of him as he had maloccluded teeth (the shop didn't take care of him)"...

No other vet I have seen has done this before.

I thought bunny skin was too thin to be that rough with it.

He also insists on lecturing us every time we go in to have their teeth checked, on how to feed rabbits lots of hay and pellets. This is despite us telling him we give them lots of timothy hay and such during the day and pellets at night time. He just looks at us as if we have no clue...

This is why I want a rabbit savvy pet but can't find one for love nor money.
 
Some people and some books still suggest that you can scruff a bunny and put your other hand under it's bum.

I personally think that this is very outdated and totally unnecessary. One vet (who shall remain nameless) but who is a 'specialist' in the south of the UK still insists on trancing rabbits by putting them on their back in order to inspect/treat. Again, something I think is totally out of order.
 
One of my vets did it when he gave their injections. It was awful to watch - I was really annoyed. I will not allow him to see my rabbits again and will use one of the other vets! :evil:
 
According to a lot of people, you have more control and it is safer if you carry with scruff of neck as long as you support the bum and back as you lift them. Less chance of being bit, scratched or the bunny jumping out your hands.

I do not pick mine up like this but then i trust my rabbits not to try and jump.

Everyone has there own opinions on this though
 
Your current vet sounds a bit of a prat:roll:

Where abouts do you live? I'm sure someone on here will able to suggest a bunny savvy vet that is near to you:)


I have asked before but no one knew of any, even ringing some rescues.

I'm in Hastings, East Sussex.
 
I'm not ashamed to say that I pick up some of my nervous buns by scruffing and supporting bum before putting them on my chest. It's the safest way of handling then and quite frankly i'm more concerned about my rabbits kicking out and injuring themselves over what people will think of me.:?

It's not an outdated method at all. My rabbit savvy vet also handles them this way and all my rabbits are perfectly well and happy. I've never had an incident of a rabbit being dropped, managing to struggle and jump off things, away from people etc and i've heard that being done many times on here.

Handling soley by the scruff is very cruel though, and you should never bare any weight by the scruff at any time.
 
I'm not ashamed to say that I pick up some of my nervous buns by scruffing and supporting bum before putting them on my chest. It's the safest way of handling then and quite frankly i'm more concerned about my rabbits kicking out and injuring themselves over what people will think of me.:?

It's not an outdated method at all. My rabbit savvy vet also handles them this way and all my rabbits are perfectly well and happy. I've never had an incident of a rabbit being dropped, managing to struggle and jump off things, away from people etc and i've heard that being done many times on here.

Handling soley by the scruff is very cruel though, and you should never bare any weight by the scruff at any time.


I agree with this. But i never do with my rabbits for one reason! They have never been picked up this way since there mum picked them up so i find it cruel to just start now in case it hurts them, but i think if you have always picked them up this way, they should be fine and used to it.
 
I'm not ashamed to say that I pick up some of my nervous buns by scruffing and supporting bum before putting them on my chest. It's the safest way of handling then and quite frankly i'm more concerned about my rabbits kicking out and injuring themselves over what people will think of me.:?

.

I have a couple of bunnies that I have to pick up this way for their own safety too.
 
I think it's fine as long as it's done properly, with the scruff held to immobilise the bunny and the weight supported with the other hand under bunny's bum.

One of the vets did this to Alfie when he was little - the vet has been there a long time, so maybe his methods are outdated but I much preferred his secure handling to the locum I saw the first time I went, who insisted on grabbing Aflie round his middle and then had to try to keep hold of him, like a slippery sausage, when he decided that he wanted to get away.

The vets are always surprised how little Alfie and Bubbles struggle though - they're probably more used to bunnies that don't like handling or aren't used to being handled.
 
My vet holds Jose like this, and to be honest i was a bit shocked when i first saw her being held like this, but then i realised its for her own good - she's not a good patient at all and wriggles and scratches like nobody's business at the vets!! And as Karen said, its better than the vet grabbing the bun round the middle like a previous vet did to Jose! :censored:

I personally dont hold her like this because i always manage to pick her (even if i do get scratched most of the time!). She's not too keen on being held, so I try not to do it if i dont have to.
 
What is the best way as I am struggling with getting my bunnies used to being picked up, not sure I am doing it correctly :(
 
What is the best way as I am struggling with getting my bunnies used to being picked up, not sure I am doing it correctly :(

I put one hand under her front legs and scoop her up under her bum with my other hand. I find that giving her a nose rub before picking her up helps :wave:
 
What is the best way as I am struggling with getting my bunnies used to being picked up, not sure I am doing it correctly :(

I would say to use one hand under their tummy the other across there hips and bottom and scoop them up towards you, and hold them securely against your chest :wave:
 
My vet also picks up my buns by the scruff and supporting their bum. It's a really easy way to get them on their backs if she needs to see their teeth or something. Also, she explained to me that she scruffs them while keeping her entire forearm along their spine, which lends support to it.

But I agree with Liz in how to pick up a bun. Around the chest, and another hand around the bottom feet and hips so they won't kick out, and quick to my chest! Bunnies hate being off the ground, but the more secure you can make them feel, the less traumatic it is.
 
I always pick all of mine up by the scruff and support the bum - its the only way we can get them- how else are you supposed to do it?
 
i feel really guilty now- have i been hurting them- I just tried to pick Earl up without doing it and he just runs off- eek- have i hurt them?
 
Some people and some books still suggest that you can scruff a bunny and put your other hand under it's bum.

I personally think that this is very outdated and totally unnecessary. One vet (who shall remain nameless) but who is a 'specialist' in the south of the UK still insists on trancing rabbits by putting them on their back in order to inspect/treat. Again, something I think is totally out of order.

One of the vets I worked with previously did that to max, to check his teeth! I was not impressed. Neither was he - the vet got a bit of a kicking ;)
 
Some people and some books still suggest that you can scruff a bunny and put your other hand under it's bum.

I personally think that this is very outdated and totally unnecessary. One vet (who shall remain nameless) but who is a 'specialist' in the south of the UK still insists on trancing rabbits by putting them on their back in order to inspect/treat. Again, something I think is totally out of order.

I agree Helen, one vet once grabbed Phoebe (mums bun) by the scruff of her neck and dragged her out of the carrier by it she was so traumatised she didn't eat that evening, nedless to say i have never seen that vet again.
I have never picked up any of mine by the scuff of the neck even the wrigglers and fiesty ones.
 
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