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Taming and Handling

Jonny

Warren Scout
Have had the buns almost a week now. Ben, the buck, is full of character and seems to change between very grumpy and snappy one minute to being very friendly and adorable the next! :D (Have to secretly admit he's my fav!)

The two girls, Pippin and Jess, are much more timid. They come and take food from my hands, and like having a good sniff around my hands and feet, but if I go to stroke them they run! They also totally panic if I try to pick them up, so I'm trying not to do that, but this day next week all three will be going off to the vet's for their jabs, and they'll have to be handled then! I was hoping they'd be a little tamer before that.

Basically what I'm asking is, how far should I let the buns dictate how close they get to me? Should I just be patient and wait until they are comfortable in being handled, or I should make a point of getting them used to being handled and picked up, even though they hate it :? .
 
They also totally panic if I try to pick them up, so I'm trying not to do that, but this day next week all three will be going off to the vet's for their jabs, and they'll have to be handled then!

One of my buns really doesnt like being picked up, so we dont lift her at all. Its not any harder getting her into her carrier of hutch though. She will come when she is called. And for getting her to the vets I have one of those large cat carriers where the lid clips on. So to get her in I just take of the lid and put some vitamins in then put the lid back on when she is inside. And at the vets we just take the lid off and she is checked while still in the box.

I dont find it any harder than getting the two I can pick up into the carrier and to the vets.
 
Hiya

I would let the buns come to you at their own pace else they will resent and be scared of being picked up even more. Introduce a carrier so that you are able to get them into that if you need to go to the vet, much less stressful than chasing them all over the place!

Hand feed them veggies/grass/pellets as you are doing, so that they associate you with something nice. Once they are reliably coming up to you for food and are confident around you, slowly start to offer your other hand (as if to stroke but not actually at first) or introduce a touch stick - basically a stick with a feather or soft brush on the end. As you are feeding them, start with soft gentle strokes gradually building it up. Always feed something nice whilst doing this so that there is a positive association.

Then once they are happy with that, stroke with your hand, again starting off slowly and short strokes, gradually buildingup, all the time feeding them whilst stroking.

Then you can begin to introduce lifting off the ground - literally for a second at first + reward with food. They may never be totally happy at being picked up but at least it will help for times you need to, especially to check them during the summer.

This may take quite a time but it's well worth it, having a bunny that trusts you. It's best to sit on the floor with your legs outstretched so that when they become confident they might start to hop onto you.

I've done a similar thing with Thumper my foster bunny, but she is in a hutch. She was very shy when she first came to me about 3 or 4 weeks ago but now she will be stroked on the nose and back and loves to lick me after I've stroked her - much more confident bunny!

Good luck with your girlies.

Nicola
 
Hope it works for you, just realised how long my reply was!!! But I always believe that whatever the animal, letting them do things in their own time makes ur bond that much stronger as you aren't forcing them to do anything and they are choosing to be with you and will gain in confidence around you (with the help of their fave food :D )
 
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