HATES being held!

I know lots of buns don't like being held and it's not natural for them to be off the ground, but Coco is so friendly at all other times. He's hated being held ever since we got him, he always lets you pick him up without running off, but then I have about 3 seconds to get him to where I want or to put him down before he changes into devil rabbit - scratching, wriggling, grunting and launching out of my arms!

Just wondered if anyone has experience of training or changing a buns behaviour when being held or carried?
He doesn't even do the chill-out thing like most buns when you turn them on their backs and they go into a daze - even for the vet! x

Oliver my lop hates it also with avengance, no matter what you try he wont tolerate it so I have carrier trained him if he needs moving. Dreama is ok aslong as you lift and hold her a certain way and Simba, well he dont give a stuff he is fine being picked up. When I do health checks with Oliver I sit on the floor and he voluntarily (sp) sits on my lap.

Our buns hate being picked up too and we haven't been able to train them to like or tolerate it so we only pick them up if we have to. Instead we trained them to go back into their cage etc with pellets. Think some bunnies just won't have being picked up!

i'm afraid i don't have any advice because mine are all pretty much the same but i did just want to say that i have seen coco's video on you tube+i absolutely him!is he a conti/giant ?because he reminds me of my big dudley boy,who sadly i lost over a year agoi miss him.but coco is sooo adorable-give him a big kiss from me!!!

Awww thanks mimi, I will do - he's loving his kisses at the mo, lies down for more as soon as I give him a peck!
Sorry to hear about Dudley, it must have been devastating.
He's not supposed to be a giant, although he's looking more like one every day. After asking on here we think he's a himalayan cross. :rabbit2:x

awe bless him,what a little sweetheart.coco is famous in my house cause i'm always showing the clip to my hubby+friends.

You may already do these things, but here's my tips.

Try resting an arm across him and touching his sides and mimicking a hold but whilst he's on the floor, prefereably whilst he's getting something tasty to distract him. Then when you do start to lift him try giving him something he loves to eat while he's in your arms.

Make sure you have a firm grip. I don't know how big he is but I hold mine by putting their bums in the crook of my arm and holding onto their middle with my hand and then I secure them with the other arm and put my spare hand over their head, covering their eyes. I tend to find if they can't see they're not so scared.

Hope that all makes sense and doesn't sound patronising or anything.

Likewise, if you havent tried it, practice running your hands all over him regularly while he munches. once he is ok with that, slide a hand under his belly, just for half a second, then take it away. gradually work up to leaving your hand under there and stroking his tummy. Once he is happy with all that, the best way to pick up an "i dont want you to" bunny is to scruff with one hand, say right. with your left hand scoop around his far side to his bottom. now lift him so his head sits in the crook of your left elbow, your right hand holds the scruff and your left hand is on his bum, left arm slightly under him if possible, and hold his body tight to your body. First time lift him 2 inches off the floor like this them straight back down and more veggies. Work on this for longer, but dont lift any higher until he is comfy with you doing this. once you can do this for say 20 seconds try lifting in this position and onto the sofa or your lap, do that a number of times then gradually build up walking around the house etc like this. This position is safe and comfy for the rabbit and you have them under control and unlikely to hurt himself. depending on how much time you spend with him, this will probably take several weeks. hope that helps!!

ETA: what i described is a bit like the first lift in this video. putting your hand underneath instead of around keeps their spine straight but some buns dont like their legs dangling! http://www.vets.tv/video.php?vid=75&cid=3

I always through you werent meant to lift bunnys by the scruff of the neck?

I might try that with my bunny if it is safe to do? He doesnt mind being held, its the picking him up part that he hates and usually involves a chase round his enclosure and me giving up!

oh, i don't like that video. Ok for vets, when a bun needs to be treated but I don't think good for everyday use at all, that rabbit seems very stressed to me.

oh, I do have a animation of my crook of arm description somewhere on my site (no pies link in my sig) I think it's under care and then interaction.

my new bun hates being lifted -will lie on floor and let u stroke her etc but try lift her and she s off. must try some distracting and lifting off ground for few times

That's what we are taught at college too. I think it's ok as long as you don't turn them over. That rabbit is very stressed though, but I think it's more the environment than the handling.

i agree that he bunny seems a bit stressed in the video, but that said, this is only a method used for difficult bunnies and ones that doesnt like being picked up i.e. are unpredictable in their reaction. this way makes them feel very well held and secure. once they get used to it and are happy being held and carried, you can move on to 'normal' handling against your chest. you can use scruffying to pick up bunnies as long as you ALSO hold their weight underneath their backlegs or around and under their bottom.

Brilliant, thanks Deelove and VikkiVet for your suggestions.
Will have a go, the legs daggling over the arm may work as he wouldn't be able to launch himself out of my arms.
You have given me some hope that he may not always get so annoyed when being carried. x

with snowball he dont like bein picked up cos he thinks he is goin into his cage lol... but once he realises its for a cuddle he dont care... unless im givin him medicine then thats a different story... grrrr... but i wait for snowball to go into a sercure place where he cant run off... so theres no chaising which distresses them... and then i put one hand under his tummy and the other on his bum.... then while carryin him i can use one hand cos he likes to be held but pop his bum on the bend of my arm and hold him just behind his front paws... n let his head rest on my chest or under my neck... and give him lots of kisses and he doesnt mind... he only kicks up a bit of a fuss if he then realises im puttin him in his cage... but by that i mean he jumps out into the cage... but my old rabbit wouldnt let me touch him one bit... and would never go back into his cage cos he would growl and try and attack me... so tragically i had to chaise him into his cage... but as long as hes goin into his cage alright then just be patient with pickin him up... try not to chaise or distress him... and make sure you support his bum... they dont like there bums unsupported