• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

How to pick up a rabbit!

splot

New Kit
I have three rabbits - 2 chocolate otter lops (brother and sister) and a lionhead (boy). Lola the female otter lop fights being picked up to the point of me nearly dropping her! Has any one any ideas?
 
Most rabbits do hate being picked up :wave: Mine tolerate being held if I lift them tomy chest so they can be pressed up agaisnt me
 
I hold her close in the hope that it would settle her but it doesnt work with Lola (Charlie settles when I do that to him). She scratches me with all paws . I'm going to keep picking her up in the hope that the more I do it the more she will realise that I am not trying to hurt her!
 
Rabbits are prey animals so being lifted off the ground for them is like a prelude to death :lol:

Personally I just leave mine to it. If I need to pick them up I now lure them in to a carrier and only lift them out somewhere unfamiliar so they are too scared to try and get away from me (sounds so cruel!:oops:).

My Eli absolutely hates being picked up and has scratched through several shirts and given me scars. I tried picking him up a lot to get him used to it and it just made him more wary of me. He's a much happier bun now he's stopped worrying about me lifting him up.

Obviously all bunnies are different, and it's easier for health checks, nail clipping, etc if we can pick them up, but some will never get used to it.
 
Mine tolerate being picked up if it is necessary but I would only do it when it really is as it is not something a rabbit naturally likes.

Contrary to getting her "used" to it I think picking up your rabbit who doesn't like it will make her want to avoid you I'm afraid.

Why not encourage her to sit next to you for a fuss.
 
Julie hates being picked up no matter how many times I do it. I really don't think that she is afraid that I will harm her. I only pick her up when it is necessary. It helps to wrap her in a towel. She seems to feel the most secure that way. Shewill snuggle down into the towel and be calm.
 
Most of the time i use a carrier to be fair on the rabbit- not one rabbit i have "likes" being picked up.

When i do pick them up i hold them under there bum and on my chest with an arm resting over there back to support them. Hard to explain- hope someone makes a better explanation than me.

It's so stressful for buns being picked up in my view. I do it for nail clipping, meds etc, but for putting into runs or general transportation, i have them in carriers.
 
matthew and tabitha will run away if i sing their holding songs - they know what's coming. but when picked and held, they are ok. matthew loves a snuggle and tabby loves massage. i give a three-squeeze warning for putting them down again. i don't know, but i think that having routines like the songs and squeezes helps them to understand what is going on.
 
I have three rabbits - 2 chocolate otter lops (brother and sister) and a lionhead (boy). Lola the female otter lop fights being picked up to the point of me nearly dropping her! Has any one any ideas?

u could bunny borito her lol this normally works but it is sort of dangerous. scooters never let me hold him. he only lets me hold him when we go to vets. the only time i ever get to hold him so i only get a cuddle once a year.
 
I scoop one arm under the chest and one under their bum to support them and then pull them in close to me. They run away from me when i want cwtches but they generally dont struggle when i have got them (I only do it if they need it tho - not for the fun of it).
 
You can hold them firmer than you think. Different buns are definately happier in different positions. maybe build nunny confidence by sitting on your lap more and then build gradually to standing?
 
theres not much u can do if tht bunny is putting its foot down and not allowing u to pick it up ive just given up on scooter hell never change and id rather not push it with him. all you could do is to keep on trying i suppose.

scooter seems a lot more happier now that ive stopped trying when i let him out i just open his cage and let him walk in and out. the only time i pick him up now is to get him off my bed. i dont even health check him anymore its to stressful for him and if i tried checking his teeth hed more than likely try and bite me.
 
Mine tolerate being picked up if it is necessary but I would only do it when it really is as it is not something a rabbit naturally likes.

Contrary to getting her "used" to it I think picking up your rabbit who doesn't like it will make her want to avoid you I'm afraid.

Why not encourage her to sit next to you for a fuss.

from this you could build to sitting on your lap on the floor, then gradually higher off the ground.
 
i just thought that scooter likes sitting on my lap and hell let me sort of hold him if i dont move and inch. its terrifies him when i move. :)
 
I hold her close in the hope that it would settle her but it doesnt work with Lola (Charlie settles when I do that to him). She scratches me with all paws . I'm going to keep picking her up in the hope that the more I do it the more she will realise that I am not trying to hurt her!

Splot, how do you actually lift them up? If you dont mind me asking? :) just wondering...
 
Poppy is more tolerant to being held, i think it's because she is used to having bum baths and visiting my salon to be groomed and have a haircut:shock:

Muffin hates being held so he runs everywhere, once I have him though he's not too bad. He is having his panacur this week so he is being pick up every night:lol:
 
None of mine enjoy being held. Mischa, Mini and Smudge tolerate it. Nutmeg is a terror and I'm the only one who can really hold her. Even then she will sit still and then suddenly make a bolt for the floor (and I mean headfirst) so I have to be on my game with her all the time.
 
I pick the bunnies up with one hand under there chest and the other supporting there bum! I have found that Lola doesnt (tried it today) if I put her head under my chin rather than her head in my arm bend!
I'm going to keep trying :D
 
Buckley hates it, she's so wriggly.

She's like a living bar of soap, you think you've got her, go to lift her and she's gone flicking her feet behind her all the way to her litter tray for a sulk.

When I have her lifted she struggles to I try to put her down on all fours gently to avoid her injuring herself.

I think it's a case of persevering (and rewards).

Our vet managed, and I manage when she's passed to me and snuggled on my chest, but the initial picking up bit I just can't do, she hates it.
 
aww, I never knew rabbits werent generally cuddly, all of mine love cuddles except one of my boys, my 2 girls are the cuddliest though, and will snuggle with you for ages :love:
 
Back
Top