To handle or not to handle - what are your views?

[Jenova]

Other.
Neither of mine like being picked up but I do it every few days so they are comfortable with me doing it. Even if it's just to move them from one place to another. Usually I 'herd' them if I can which works most of the time. I think it's more to make me confident at handling them than to get them to like it. At the vets I'm confident and I can hold them in a way in which they're comfortable.

 

[Elena]

Nutmeg hates being handled, she'll sit still for a few seconds then just bolt. Doesn't matter in what direction, to the sky, nose dive to the floor, massive leap into nothing. So I handle her as little as possible. When she needs oral meds I put it on food. She's much happier with feet on the ground so for injections that's fine. If I ever have to do something underneath I'm stuck cos I can't put her on her back at all. Her breathing isn't the best so she just stops breathing if I attempt it.

Bum checks I do with a treat or pellet in the air. I don't check every day though. Not unless it's summer and in winter not at all.

 

[Bitzy-B]

I'd love for my two to be a bit more easily handled. Don't get me wrong, they're ok once I've got hold of them, its the getting hold of them that's the hard part and the fact that they're then not friends with me afterwards!!

At the moment I do like Schuette and hold treats high up so I can check their bums but I'd really like to be able to do it properly, especially as they're outdoors.

Like VikkiVet says, I think that because I only really handle them for vets appts or to brush them (which they hate) etc, then they're associating it with 'bad' things.

When they were babies they were handled daily then when they got to about 5 months old just decided they were having none of it! :?

Maybe I should start just gently lifting them for just a few seconds then popping them back down and giving them a treat!?! Once they're comfortable with that, then increase the time, just long enough for a bum check.

 

[William]

I'd try to handle. Mine don't particularly like to be carried but are fine if I pick them up (like pick them up to put in my lap) and they love being petted. I would always want a rabbit that at least was friendly and liked being petted. Not liking to be picked up I could deal with because they don't often need to be picked up (i have indoor buns so normally they come to me) but I really love friendly buns.

 

[Milo+Fizz]

I dont handle my rabbits anymore than I have to and prefer on the floor cuddles with them. Im very lucky that all 4 of my rabbits, despite very little handling will allow me to hold them without a fuss. I can tell they dont really like it but they allow me to do what I have to do when need be.

 

[HS]

Mine are all very eager to come over for nose rubs, but are not keen on being handled. They get hand fed their food, have headrubs and we do bum checks by making them stretch for treats.
They are picked up about once a week, and are fine with it, but we only do if for health checks, not for cuddles as they're really not keen!

 

[LionheadLuver]

I insist on handling daily. It makes it easier for vet visits because they are handled often so are calmer when handled. I have to pick up and carry my rabbits from their hutch to their run in the morning, and then back again in the evening, so they are handled twice every day. They don't like being picked up, but they are fine and comfortable once in your arms. They like hopping onto my lap when I sit in their run, and they give me kisses when I sit outside their hutch.

With animals, I just think we need to handle them as much as possible, otherwise if you don't, when it comes to handling them, like at a vets, they become incredibly stressed and it makes it more difficult than it needs to be.

ETA: As I need to clip their nails every 3-4 weeks (as they have nothing to wear them down on), they need to keep still once held to make nail clipping an easy task. if they weren't used to be handled, then this regular task would be a lot harder.

 

[Gertie]

We like to handle every day. My other half carries her from upstairs to the garden for run time and back in again in the evening, so she's pretty well used to it. He checks her bum at these times daily, so it's useful. I think if she hated being handled, I'd still try to gently touch her for a bit each day and work up to picking her up and putting her straight back down (like an inch off the floor or so).

 

[GrahamL]

Depends on buns personality as to whether they like handling.

Eg, Ginger, loves it - so we handle her as much as possible

Biscuit, hates it - so we do it as little as possible

Sometimes, the necessity is there obviously, but normally, i would avoid it if the bun did not want it.

 

[Bitzy-B]

OK well the handling once a day thing to try and get them used to it doesn't appear to be working!

So far, since they're trip to the vet last Saturday I've managed to pick them up once!! ......... I just can't get near them and chasing them around the aviary just to pick them up and give them a treat seems to be defeating the object as its making them more wary of me.

I'm thinking I may just let them be, they're obviously not keen. :?

 

[GrahamL]

OK well the handling once a day thing to try and get them used to it doesn't appear to be working!

So far, since they're trip to the vet last Saturday I've managed to pick them up once!! ......... I just can't get near them and chasing them around the aviary just to pick them up and give them a treat seems to be defeating the object as its making them more wary of me.

I'm thinking I may just let them be, they're obviously not keen. :?

Would be what i'd do, personally.

 

[Bitzy-B]

Would be what i'd do, personally.

Yeah I don't want to force the issue ....... if they liked being picked up, they'd just sit there and let me do it!

I think they're getting wary of where my hands are so I'm going to try the hands off approach and see how that goes - I don't want them being permanently on edge when I'm around them!!

 

[thenamesJT]

Rodge & Orla allow me to lift them into their carrier & are very good at the vets.

The buns & I have a very respectful relationship...they tolerate me & I feed & do their cleaning duties for them.....its working out pretty well.:lol:

 

[Rachel89]

I had this big problem before, All my buns bar Honey have been snuggle buns.
Honey hates being handled, more the point she panics as shes partially deaf and partially sighted and panics.
She has no end of problems and is always at te vets and lives on meds so she needs to be handled for that.
If it was one of my others I wouldn't and would leave them to it or if she a healthy bun I would too but had to put my head together and really for her sake needed for her to be picked up.
Taken nearly two years but shes the biggest snugglebun ever now (unless its nail clipping then all hell breaks loose).

My new one that comes next week doesn't like being handled and will be left too it.
I think it really depends on the rabbit, as for Honeys sake it wold of done her more harm to leave her to it etc :wave:

 

[Bitzy-B]

I had this big problem before, All my buns bar Honey have been snuggle buns.
Honey hates being handled, more the point she panics as shes partially deaf and partially sighted and panics.
She has no end of problems and is always at te vets and lives on meds so she needs to be handled for that.
If it was one of my others I wouldn't and would leave them to it or if she a healthy bun I would too but had to put my head together and really for her sake needed for her to be picked up.
Taken nearly two years but shes the biggest snugglebun ever now (unless its nail clipping then all hell breaks loose).

My new one that comes next week doesn't like being handled and will be left too it.
I think it really depends on the rabbit, as for Honeys sake it wold of done her more harm to leave her to it etc :wave:

Yeah I agree with this .......my two are (touch wood) healthy happy buns in every other respect, just don't like being messed about with!

When they were babies they were handled a lot and they got used to it but then at about 4½ months (probably as hormones kicked in) they decided they didn't like it! I'm not going to force the issue as I don't want to lose any trust I've built up with them to date!

They're more than happy to come over and have a nosey/sniff at me, are happy being hand fed and when they're in the right mood they love nosey rubs ..... just don't like being picked up! Which is fair enough tbh!

 

[clarebear]

Bramble doesn't like being handled, so I do it as least as possible. Bungee is fine once you have got hold of her and is happy to sit for ages having a cuddle, but the inital getting her out of her house can be a bit of a problem.