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How do I hold my buns for health checks etc?

MillyAlice

Warren Scout
This is probably terrible to admit, seeing as I've had Jasper for a year now, but I don't know how to safely hold them for these things. Obviously I can pick them up, one hand under bum, and bring them to my chest for checking ears, teeth, transporting them etc.
I think it's high time I cleaned their scent glands and clipped their nails (I always do a quick bum check but no more than that). As they're both wriggly buns they won't take too kindly to it! I know confidence is 9/10ths of it but I don't know where to start!
 
I don't have any advice for glands I'm afraid, but its always easy to have someone confident to hold bunny while you quickly clip their nails, hand under bum and that :wave:
 
That's a challenge in itself, my OH loves my buns to death but is terrified of picking them up (they wiggle and it upsets him!)
 
Could he clip the nails? I haven't had to do Lola yet, but with misty her nails were clear, you could see the 'quick' very easily :)
 
I get my dad to clip Sonic's nails :oops: I'm scared I'll do it wrong and hurt him. I cuddle him and talk to him to calm him down, then kinda ease a foot at a time out :lol: Last time he started to have a right paddy and tried to push away from me like a child :lol:
A rabbit that I had before wouldn't let us hold him. Cutting his nails included gardening gloves for me and my dad! :shock:
 
I put them on the table, so all four legs are touching and they're just sitting as normal, then I gently raise their chest up and Mum does the front legs, I place my hand over their face and support both legs when they are being clipped. Then I put my hand over their face (creates darkness which calms them) and sit them up so their back is totally against me and their belly is on show, gently supporting their bum and Mum does their back nails! Saying that, it was only done on Tuesday for their first time ever and they'll be two in August this year, so I don't have much experience! My other rabbit I trance for a few seconds as we're really quick with her!

If they panic, I either hold them as I was but gently stroke their ears or something, whilst calmly telling them it's OK and repeating their name, or depending on what they're having done I flip them back to normal, they then hide in my elbow crook for a few seconds and I put them back in the same position again!
 
I wouldn't know a scent gland if I fell over it, have definately never cleaned them.
 
I wouldn't know a scent gland if I fell over it, have definately never cleaned them.

Ludo turns into the Hound of the Baskervilles if I touch his scent glands. You can touch anywhere else but NOT THERE. :evil:
 
Haha, well when we got our babies bonded, the lady at the sanctuary gave them a quick clean and they were... Nauseating! Though I haven't seen any indications for cleaning vs not x
 
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