urgent - getting bunny into carrier!

Hi!

My Peter has his vaccinations this afternoon, I need to get him into his carrier to get him there however he doesnt like it! Any tips on a good way to get him in? I don't want to force him in as I don't want to frighten him

I've tried putting bits of cabbage (his fave!) in the end of the carrier but he just sniffs around the carrier and refuses to go in.

Help!

You should see us trying to get ours in :lol:

I end up practically chasing them :roll:they're fine afterwards, they just don't want to be picked up :lol: if he backs into a corner if you put your hand behind him and try and scoop him in. Or put the carrier in and block any other exit so he has to go in the carrier

When you pick him up, wrap him in a towel so he doesn't struggle so much and hurt himself and just put him straight in. The more you faff around the harder it will be. Some of mine don't like it but I just go for it and that's them in.

Minimallow said:

When you pick him up, wrap him in a towel so he doesn't struggle so much and hurt himself and just put him straight in. The more you faff around the harder it will be. Some of mine don't like it but I just go for it and that's them in.

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I did this when we first had Leo and he nearly fell asleep :lol:

Yes :thumb: do it quick and swiftly, don't even think about it, just do it :thumb:

calm and confident. you just need to grab him (sounds harsh but i dont konw how to say it excpet use the word ) and put him in, then give him a treat - after a while they learn to just go in. i cant do it, i have to get my husband to do it good luck x

Pick him up, put him in. The quicker you do it the less stressful. Make sure there are tasty noms inside.

For the future, if you keep the carrier in their room/run with the door off as a toy, and put yummy things in and stuff it with hay, they generally lose their fear of the carrier and are then much easier to trick into it. Unless they are clever bunnies like my Annabella who has learnt that a carrier with no door is safe but a carrier with a door on means the vets :lol:

Thanks all!

Well I had success I used a towel and draped it over his back (not his head though) and it just seemed to calm him down (or terrified him?) enough that I was just able to get him into the carrier. He went to the vets to have his vaccinations, is not a happy bunny now!

I have quite alot of problems with handling him - I know most bunnies are not keen - does anyone know if using the towel draped over him is an option I could use on a regular basis? I don't want to do anything thats going to cause him stress but I can't imagine having me chasing after him trying to catch him is helping his stress levels either. He's a lovely bunny, loves being stroked and I can hand feed him but he isnt keen on being lifted up and I suppose as I'm nervous about hurting him maybe my nerves are rubbing onto him?

my vet recommends the towel (she calls it bunny sausage roll) for all handling if they're not keen, they are alot calmer if you cover their eyes too! what they cant see doesn't scare them - when tia is on the vet table, she buries her head up my top so she cant see.

Glad you got there, hope you're back on the good list soon!

Poppet hates her carrier, But we now Let her have it as a hidey hole, and she found it alot more familiar :thumb:

Rupert & Tia said:

my vet recommends the towel (she calls it bunny sausage roll) for all handling if they're not keen, they are alot calmer if you cover their eyes too! what they cant see doesn't scare them - when tia is on the vet table, she buries her head up my top so she cant see.

Glad you got there, hope you're back on the good list soon!

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Thanks!

I hope I am his friend again soon, whilst at the vets I bought him some of his favourite hay to make up for it

I'm going to give the towel trick a go again. Its funny as I can pick him up quite easily during the day i.e so my 3 year old can give peter a stroke, and he doesnt mind but when it comes to picking him up to put him in his hutch in the evening he turns into a right little monkey :lol:

Peterbunny said:

Thanks!

I hope I am his friend again soon, whilst at the vets I bought him some of his favourite hay to make up for it

I'm going to give the towel trick a go again. Its funny as I can pick him up quite easily during the day i.e so my 3 year old can give peter a stroke, and he doesnt mind but when it comes to picking him up to put him in his hutch in the evening he turns into a right little monkey :lol:

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Bunnies are funny aren't they... Rupert goes mental if you pick him up..... but lie on the floor with him, and you can do anything you want to him.... but put two hands on him and he kicks thumps and allsorts......

Tia on the other hand, once you've got her, she'll sit and be cuddled, stroked etc... but you can't catch her at all :lol: and dont even try stoke her lol i can stroke her whilst feeding pellets now, on the side of her face but thats it! nothing else!!!

I have to tempt them with fenugreek crunchies to get them to bed on a night time! They just know! and i try the 'put the carrier in the shed so they get used to it' trick before vets, and they'll sleep in it.... til the vet visit day, and they just know and refuse to go in (hence why husband goes in and is calm and just does it)

Funny bunnies.

Hope his fave hay works quickly lol

im my opionion you just get in there and do it!! obviously don't hurt the bun, but theres not make of glass! just scoop em up and put them in! if they freak when they see the carrier, keep it in a different room, get the rabbit, keep thm facing you then quickly turn and into carrier

I usually go with tricking him in. The carrier is always out so he can play and run in and out. He's usually fine once he's in it. I literally can't pick him up though so I feed him first, so he has food in his tummy, put hay in the carrier. Last time he ran through his tunnel, I put the carrier on the other end and nudged him from the other end and he ran straight in and door on quick!
I have had long struggles where I've walked off rather than stress him and only push if it's a vet appointment in which case I usually need my OH's help.