Anyone heard this method to relax a bunny?

[ajm44]

Someone told me the other day that their aunt kept lots of rabbits and that sometimes she would cradle them in her arms on their back like a baby and blow VERY VERY GENTLY up their nose and this instantly relaxes them. We tried this ourselves as it just sounded too weird but it made our bun flop back further and close her eyes as if completely relaxed.

Has anyone heard of this/done this. I am anxious to know that it wouldnt in anyway harm rabbit and any other comments, but I would stress that if attempted it really should be extremely gently.

 

[BB Mommy]

It's most commonly called trancing, and is something I absolutely hate.

Rabbits are prey animals, so by laying them on their back we make them totally vulnerable, so their reaction is to appear dead to their predator, thus very stressful (no matter how chilled they appear to be)

There has been several debates on this, and some people think its the best thing since sliced bread, but imo it is not a natural state for a rabbit to be in.

Rabbits are quite capable of relaxing all by themselves when they flop out.

 

[youngbunny2]

it is very usefull when handling fiesty buns! not the nose blowing bit

 

[yvette]

Im not a fan....did it once to my Lily so I could clean her bottom off.....:shock:

 

[youngbunny2]

I'm not keen either

 

[tintin]

I can see that if your rabbit is really relaxed with you it might be okay with doing the trancing thing. My sister's kid's rabbit doesn't seem to mind it and doesn't try to get away. But I'm pretty sure if I did it with ours it would stress them. I've only done it to check their wound after neutering.

I would think that the only time a rabbit would be in that position in the wild is when picked up by a fox. I'd be interested to hear whether more experienced owners feel whether it is stressful or not for them.

 

[ajm44]

It's most commonly called trancing, and is something I absolutely hate.

Rabbits are prey animals, so by laying them on their back we make them totally vulnerable, so their reaction is to appear dead to their predator, thus very stressful (no matter how chilled they appear to be)

There has been several debates on this, and some people think its the best thing since sliced bread, but imo it is not a natural state for a rabbit to be in.

Rabbits are quite capable of relaxing all by themselves when they flop out.

Oh that doesnt sound nice for them at all ..thanks for the info..will stick to stroking/ rubbing noses. Sounded unusual and i suppose if it really was something they really did enjoy, most of us would know about it

 

[KarenM]

I'm not happy about trancing and wouldn't do it but opinions are mixed - BB Mommy said all I was going to say on it really so I will just agree with her. I've not heard of the nose blowing, but the fact that it made the bun flop further back and close her eyes suggests to me that it was even more stressful than just being tipped onto her back.

My sister's kid's rabbit doesn't seem to mind it and doesn't try to get away.

Imo, I think that's a common misconception (although people who think trancing is a good thing, will disagree :lol. As BB Mommy explained, the bunny will appear to be dead as a defence mechanism; this means I wouldn't assume the bunny must like it just because she doesn't try to get away.

 

[Coineanach]

It's most commonly called trancing, and is something I absolutely hate.

Rabbits are prey animals, so by laying them on their back we make them totally vulnerable, so their reaction is to appear dead to their predator, thus very stressful (no matter how chilled they appear to be)

There has been several debates on this, and some people think its the best thing since sliced bread, but imo it is not a natural state for a rabbit to be in.

Rabbits are quite capable of relaxing all by themselves when they flop out.

Exactly. I really don't agree with it at all. Even if your bun seems relaxed, it's only because s/he's petrified you're going to eat him/her. The only time I have ever done this with a bun was to clean a very messy bum and even then I wasn't happy about it.

 

[Santa]

My understanding is that this has now been scientifically tested and shown that the levels of stress hormones in bunnies blood significantly increases when being tranced and for around half an hour afterwards...so even if the bunny looks incredibly relaxed, it's actually incredibly stressed and is just acting out of instinct. I would never trance a bunny for anything other than an absolute necessity

 

[Cozmo]

This thread is really interesting. I thought it was something you should do to calm them when they are stressed.

My bunny hates me doing it to him, and I'd get annoyed and think he was being stupid! Now I know why he doesn't like it! I won't do it anymore.

 

[VickiP]

I've heard of this and it sounds like a horrible thing to do, completely unnatural for the animal. My buns like a head massage to relax

 

[Hessen]

Have to do it to get Rum to stay still for nail clipping, refuses to be held otherwise. Don't do it any other time though.

 

[Sunny]

My daughter tamed her min Rex by putting it on it's back every time it bit her. I wasn't happy with the idea as I was worried she'd snap it's spine or something because they struggle so much when u turning them over. But the Rex's seem very hard to tame (or maybe we just unlucky). Her rabbit is now exceptionally tame and we are now taming up a second Rex (lots of biting lol)!! I read about the 'head press' on the net to discipline them for bad behaviour .. which is gentle and similar as I understand, to what they do to each other to dominate. Anyhow I found this link on how to relax ur rabbit and have tried it on my 6 month old Rex (the biter) and it worked on her first time to relax her .. take a look >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oLkk6Vjt44

 

[vee-jay]

I think sometimes the stress of the trancing would be the same as the stress experianced by not trancing and doing something (like for ma bun cliping nails is extremly diffucult as he dosent like his feet touched so he wriggles and squirms which is dangerous and stressful for him- if he is tranced then its all over in a matter of miniuts and he seems perfectly happy afterwards with no danger of broken nails)

 

[Coineanach]

Have to do it to get Rum to stay still for nail clipping, refuses to be held otherwise. Don't do it any other time though.

Have you tried a bunny burrito?

 

[Hessen]

Put her in a tortilla and cover her in hot sauce?

 

[VickiP]

My daughter tamed her min Rex by putting it on it's back every time it bit her. I wasn't happy with the idea as I was worried she'd snap it's spine or something because they struggle so much when u turning them over. But the Rex's seem very hard to tame (or maybe we just unlucky). Her rabbit is now exceptionally tame and we are now taming up a second Rex (lots of biting lol)!! I read about the 'head press' on the net to discipline them for bad behaviour .. which is gentle and similar as I understand, to what they do to each other to dominate. Anyhow I found this link on how to relax ur rabbit and have tried it on my 6 month old Rex (the biter) and it worked on her first time to relax her .. take a look >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oLkk6Vjt44

:wave: I just watched that video and I thought it was really odd. I cannot for one minute imagine why that would be deemed relaxation. That rabbit looked like it was in totally submission to me which I think is different to being relaxed. Unless you are a trained vet serious injury could be sustained by the rabbit with that woman doing that. I wouldn't do that and wouldn't find it necessary even with an aggressive rabbit to 'trance' them, there are lots of other techniques. I think sometimes because they are a 'prey' animal and small they are in effect abused - I would love to see someone try to trance a rotweiller who had aggressive tendancies!!

 

[Coineanach]

I would love to see someone try to trance a rotweiller who had aggressive tendancies!!

I think you'd see about 10 secs then your view would be obscured by blood :shock::roll:

 

[RubyTed]

I turn Ted over every day to check his teeth and bum. I don't even try to turn Ruby over at the moment, as she can't stand it. I tried to read a whole load of scientific info on it......but lost interest, and didn't really understand, so stopped.

It works for me...but then again, I've never had a bun who didn't like being picked up, so I'm probably a bit biased with easy to handle buns.