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Reassurance needed please

New bunnies

Young Bun
Hi there everyone, i’m basically posting this in the hope someone can reassure me that I’m not a useless fool which is how I feel right now.

We have just got our first bunnies two weeks ago, baby mini lops. They are indoor rabbits & so are pretty used to us, they’ll eat from our hands / happy coming up & sniffing us etc but HATE HATE HATE being picked up. They don’t even really like being stroked!!

They have their vaccinations on Tues & i’m so worried about picking them up. The breeder was really good at handling & told us I should be picking them up every day but they just run away & scrabble out of my hands & hate it so much I don’t do it unless I have to clean them out.

Is it just patience I need (& lots of treats) or have I already messed up? Feeling useless right now
 
Don't worry. Most bunnies HATE being picked up. It's in their dna that if something is picking them up it's going to eat them. All of mine dislike it but sometimes it has to be done, vet visits, bum checks etc. Just make sure you are holding them correctly and securely and have the carrier near.
I usually have to trap in a tunnel with the carrier at the other end or some other trick :roll:
Get on the floor with them and practice picking them up and putting back down and giving a little treat after. Make it a routine if possible. You are not a fool but need to be ninja :lol:
 
Hi there everyone, i’m basically posting this in the hope someone can reassure me that I’m not a useless fool which is how I feel right now.

We have just got our first bunnies two weeks ago, baby mini lops. They are indoor rabbits & so are pretty used to us, they’ll eat from our hands / happy coming up & sniffing us etc but HATE HATE HATE being picked up. They don’t even really like being stroked!!

They have their vaccinations on Tues & i’m so worried about picking them up. The breeder was really good at handling & told us I should be picking them up every day but they just run away & scrabble out of my hands & hate it so much I don’t do it unless I have to clean them out.

Is it just patience I need (& lots of treats) or have I already messed up? Feeling useless right now
Oh yea dw that's normal haha

Tbh I never pick mine up unless I have to, and they are happy to jump and climb all over me now - if they learn to trust you on their terms they may end up not hating being picked up :) one of mine is very cuddly now, wasn't to begin with tho.

I'd personally not pick them up and give them a lot more time, took me 6 months to get one of mine to groom me, and trust me properly [emoji38]

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
 
2 weeks is not a long time with regard to rabbits but when you need to pick them up you must be insistent as they will try to dodge you. Once you have them hold them close to you firmly then they won't feel as nervous. With some rabbits I try to get them into the carrier first.
 
Totally not foolish! Confidence is key: my OH has none with them and I can manage as long as they don't kick off straightaway, especially Lopsy as he's dangerous (in the sense he's caused injuries to others in his panic, not malicious), but it's not easy. Lopsy's also know for being fine being examined etc. one moment and then suddenly going off on one :S I have this grand plan to get them both used to being picked up and pulled about but it's never really fallen into place yet, so best of luck with yours!
 
Don't worry. Most bunnies HATE being picked up. It's in their dna that if something is picking them up it's going to eat them. All of mine dislike it but sometimes it has to be done, vet visits, bum checks etc. Just make sure you are holding them correctly and securely and have the carrier near.
I usually have to trap in a tunnel with the carrier at the other end or some other trick :roll:
Get on the floor with them and practice picking them up and putting back down and giving a little treat after. Make it a routine if possible. You are not a fool but need to be ninja :lol:
Thanks for your reply bunslave - I sit on the floor with them every night & they hop over me & sniff my face etc. I think they just sense when i’m stressed cos I’m going to pick them up & try & run away. I need to channel my inner ninja clearly rather than my inner stress head....
 
Oh yea dw that's normal haha

Tbh I never pick mine up unless I have to, and they are happy to jump and climb all over me now - if they learn to trust you on their terms they may end up not hating being picked up :) one of mine is very cuddly now, wasn't to begin with tho.

I'd personally not pick them up and give them a lot more time, took me 6 months to get one of mine to groom me, and trust me properly [emoji38]

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
Thanks Gracie, I think that’s the route I may go down. They are fine in the evenings when i’m sitting with them to check me out & start to climb on me so i’ll just give them time. And hope I can catch them ok tomorrow for the vaccinations...
 
2 weeks is not a long time with regard to rabbits but when you need to pick them up you must be insistent as they will try to dodge you. Once you have them hold them close to you firmly then they won't feel as nervous. With some rabbits I try to get them into the carrier first.

Thanks tonibun they’re ok when I have them close to me, the boy is pretty scared but the girl will eat treats. It’s just the actual picking up. I knew that bunnies didn’t like it but the breeder made it look easy & I guess I didn’t realise how hard it would be!!
 
Totally not foolish! Confidence is key: my OH has none with them and I can manage as long as they don't kick off straightaway, especially Lopsy as he's dangerous (in the sense he's caused injuries to others in his panic, not malicious), but it's not easy. Lopsy's also know for being fine being examined etc. one moment and then suddenly going off on one :S I have this grand plan to get them both used to being picked up and pulled about but it's never really fallen into place yet, so best of luck with yours!
This is totally it!! I don’t have confidence at all! And i’m so worried the little boy will hurt himself trying to escape as I pick him up. Thanks for reassuring me i’m not the only one!
 
Dont worry, I think most rabbits hate being picked up. My French lop was okay to pick up when he was younger but as he's got bigger he's got more awkward with being picked up. He will allow me to pick him up if he's being naughty and at the vets but that's about it. I used to get pellets or hay and feed him them and as soon as I thought he had swallowed them I would pick him up close to my body and he was fine with that. Or i get him into the carrier by putting hay or pellets in there. I generally never have to pick him up as I've managed to train him to do as hes told (most the time). He'll come onto the sofa next to me for cuddles and onto my lap, they're young so still getting used to you. The main thing I've noticed is if I pick him up lightly he's more likely to fight and wriggle, you have to be firm but not so you will hurt them. I also noticed that if he gets picked up at a height he's more likely to fight it than if we're nearer to the floor. I generally have vet appointments sitting on the floor! I have a 9 week old French lop and i am just getting him used to being picked up, he loves being stroked but nips a lot at the moment in between licks while I do it.
 
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