To Pick up or not to pick up (bunnies) - that is the question!

:wave:

More bonding with bunny advice required ........ I've been reading up on it on't t'interweb like and there seems to be a bit of conflicting advice!!

My two really don't like being picked up (unless they're scared or stressed, then they don't seem to mind) and as some of you will know, I'm trying to bond with them a bit better as since being bonded with each other they've decided they don't need me

Anyhow, back to the conflicting advice ....... some people say if bunny doesn't like being picked up - don't pick em up, if you do, you risk ruining your relationship with them!

Other advice says that you should handle them every day to get them used to being picked up!

It also says that you should handle them often when they're young ..... well, I did! I handled them very gently every day from them being 8 weeks old and for the first month they were fine then one day they just decided they didn't like it anymore and turned into proper bunny bum wrigglers!

So, which advice should I follow? So far I've been going along with the first lot of advice of not picking them up because they don't like it ........ just wondering if I should be picking them up and treating them then putting them back down and they'll soon associate it as being a nice thing??

Thanks! Jo x

I too picked Louie up from when I had him at 10 weeks. I do sometimes pick him up now cos I can't resist a cuddle, but he absolutely hates it.

I don't know what the answer is :?

i dont know the answer but Mylo isnt keen on being picked up unless he is scared and he was handelled from being born really, i just pick him up when i really have too and dont at other times.

Sorry thats no use to your question really!!!

Biccy was a snuggle bun @ 8-10 weeks old. As soon as he'd begun to mature sexually, he totally hated it. Even since neutering, he detests being picked up, but loves a fuss, nose rubs, strokes, ear scratches etc.

It's how he is, and i love him for however he may be.

Ginger is a snuggle bun and begs to be picked up.

I think its just a rule of;

if you can, do so, if you can't and they dont like it - don't, and accept them for how they are

Hope this helps Jo.

My advice is to read a lot (which you have been), gather a lot of information (which you have been) and then follow your rabbit.

Some bunnies do better with either way. Sunny was held from two days old (same as all her littermates) and she wriggles and tried to bite my face (the other 6 are more snuggly). I'm quite lucky with those seven because they all have as close as upbringing as you can get and yet all are so different. So that shows that whilst there is a lot of advice about, it is all relevant, but equally, to the wrong rabbit, it is all useless.

So my advice is to experiment, and read your rabbits.

I sympathise regarding not knowing what to do with conflicting advice. On the one hand we are told that rabbits are a prey species and see being picked up as a threat ... on the otherhand we are told it is essential to check them twice daily for flystrike in the summer. :?

My bunny Cookie ( 18 months now) adored being cuddled and would lay for an hour at a time on my lap being stroked but once he was bonded with Honey he really wasn't interested anymore and doesn't want my snuggles. He'll let me stroke him fine and will let me pick him up but then he starts to struggle. Now I fuss him on his terms and only pick up if I'm worried. As for Honey she was a bit of a feisty devil until she was very poorly about 5 months ago and spent all night laying on me as she had no energy to do more and now she LOVES a big fuss. She will let me pick her up and fuss her but would rather be fussed next to me so that's what I do. I don't want them to be stressed or worried by me. Others will come along with a different opinion I'm sure but the decision can only be yours. Bunnies generally don't cope well with stress so as an owner we must do all we can to keep them calm. If they'll let you stroke them when they are on the ground, that's great. As long as you are happy you can pick them up if worried about them. Good luck:wave:

GrahamL said:

Biccy was a snuggle bun @ 8-10 weeks old. As soon as he'd begun to mature sexually, he totally hated it. Even since neutering, he detests being picked up, but loves a fuss, nose rubs, strokes, ear scratches etc.

It's how he is, and i love him for however he may be.

Ginger is a snuggle bun and begs to be picked up.

I think its just a rule of;

if you can, do so, if you can't and they dont like it - don't, and accept them for how they are

Hope this helps Jo.

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Mylo sounds very similar to Biscuit, when we first got him at 8 weeks old he would let me pick him up and cuddle him, but as soon as he matured a little he doesnt like it anymore. He loves being cuddled but it has to be where he wants to not where i want to. He normally sits just out of arms reach so i have to move :roll:

I think it helps if you can get them use to being picked up and handled as there will be times when they need to be checked or have a dirty bottom cleaned and it will make this a lot easier if they are use to being picked up and handled.

I think the important thing is don't pick them up everytime you see them as they will get wary of you, but some picking up is a good thing as you will need to be able to handle them at some point for health check, nail clipping, god forbid they ever need meds etc, so you want them to at least get used to it.

Tuckerbunnies said:

I think it helps if you can get them use to being picked up and handled as there will be times when they need to be checked or have a dirty bottom cleaned and it will make this a lot easier if they are use to being picked up and handled.

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It just makes me a bit sad that the only time I get Spenser cuddles are when he is ill. Also I know someone who can hold her rabbit much better than me and she doesn't bother much with the bunny at all.

susie bun said:

It just makes me a bit sad that the only time I get Spenser cuddles are when he is ill. Also I know someone who can hold her rabbit much better than me and she doesn't bother much with the bunny at all.

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We have had rabbits that have been horrendous to pick up and they have hated being cuddled, we had a big white Lionhead girl called 'Betty Boo' and she hated being picked up and cuddled so it was a real effort to check her if she was ill but she got e.cuniculi and had fit's and died and I remember holding her in my arms after and thinking "why is this the only time I got to cuddle you proper" .

susie bun said:

It just makes me a bit sad that the only time I get Spenser cuddles are when he is ill. Also I know someone who can hold her rabbit much better than me and she doesn't bother much with the bunny at all.

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Same here!! Even OH said the only time they've let me snuggle them is when they'd gone back in the aviary post-bond and had a fight!!!

Maybe whilst I'm out there sitting in the aviary with them (I sit on cushions on the floor rather than on a chair) I could try just popping them on my knee for treats or hand feeding! Get them used to it that way!?!? They wouldn't be too farr off the floor that way!

Bitzy said:

Same here!! Even OH said the only time they've let me snuggle them is when they'd gone back in the aviary post-bond and had a fight!!!

Maybe whilst I'm out there sitting in the aviary with them (I sit on cushions on the floor rather than on a chair) I could try just popping them on my knee for treats or hand feeding! Get them used to it that way!?!?

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That is a brilliant idea!

None of mine enjoy being picked up - but I continue to do it with all of them occasionally as there are times when I have to - bottom checks or to get them out of their carrier at the vet. I try and give them a treat after I pick them up so they associate it with something 'nice' but they still don't seem keen

Tuckerbunnies said:

I think it helps if you can get them use to being picked up and handled as there will be times when they need to be checked or have a dirty bottom cleaned and it will make this a lot easier if they are use to being picked up and handled.

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I agree :wave: Ruby in particular hates being picked up - Daphne and Jasmine don't enjoy it but they'll let me. I think it's good to get into the practice of it as there will always be times when they need to be handled, but as Amy said not to pick them up constantly either

My new buns don't like it but sometimes I cant resist a cuddle, they're ok once on my lap. However Ted and Rosie dont mind being picked up and looove being fussed over.

We have progress!!

Last night I sat on the floor in the aviary with the buns and instead of just putting my hands down on the floor to hand feed them I put them up about chest height ..... and lo and behold, Rascal jumped up, sat on my knee and ate his tea just sat there!! He did the odd hop off, run round and then came back again and sat on my knee!!!

I can't tell you how pleased I am ..... he even let me give him a little stroke (only whilst he was busy eating mind)!!

Dizzi (who is usually the more adventurous of the two) kept hopping up on my knee but then running off to eat! And she wasn't keen when I went to give her a nose rub ...........but Oh my goodness, such progress!!

I'm hoping that if I can get them to keep hopping on my knee voluntarily and letting me stroke/fuss them then maybe move onto me picking them up and putting them on my knee for their treats then hopefully by next summer when bum checks come round it'll be much less stressful for them (and me) than this year was!

Sooo sooo pleased!!

Thats excellent news Jo

So pleased for you - i can tell by your writing style that you are very excited and pleased.

Congrats!

Bitzy said:

We have progress!!

Last night I sat on the floor in the aviary with the buns and instead of just putting my hands down on the floor to hand feed them I put them up about chest height ..... and lo and behold, Rascal jumped up, sat on my knee and ate his tea just sat there!! He did the odd hop off, run round and then came back again and sat on my knee!!!

I can't tell you how pleased I am ..... he even let me give him a little stroke (only whilst he was busy eating mind)!!

Dizzi (who is usually the more adventurous of the two) kept hopping up on my knee but then running off to eat! And she wasn't keen when I went to give her a nose rub ...........but Oh my goodness, such progress!!

I'm hoping that if I can get them to keep hopping on my knee voluntarily and letting me stroke/fuss them then maybe move onto me picking them up and putting them on my knee for their treats then hopefully by next summer when bum checks come round it'll be much less stressful for them (and me) than this year was!

Sooo sooo pleased!!

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Well done! :wave: That sounds like real progress. The aviary must be an advantage. I'm small, but I don't think I could quite fit in the hutch. I will need to make the most of Spenser's occasional indoor play. :?