Holding/handling bunnies

[funnybunnymummy]

Gus hates being picked up. Hates it. But who knows what happened to him before we got him. He will tolerate it, but only for acouple minutes (usually long enough to transfer him to his cage or what-not), then he turns into the exploding bunny: growling, snarling, scratching, kicking!

He has got better in the year-and-a-half we've had him. When we first got him, he'd pull his exploding bunny trick within 5-10 seconds of being picked up. Now we can hold him for at least a minute or two before it happens.

Somehow I doubt he'll ever LIKE being picked up, but every bunner is different.

Rue

 

[kirbyultra]

I generally find that the smaller the bun, the more they squirm around and struggle when being held. They are generally easier to pick up but harder to hold on to. The larger ones I've dealt with are for some reason just better with being handled. But there is once in a while a large bunny who does not want to be held -- and those are hard to pick up AND hard to keep a hold on. I have definitely met bunnies who don't care! You can pick them up, you can hold on to them for a couple of hours, you can do what you want and they'll just go with it.

I have 2 medium buns and one dwarf mix bun. They pretty much know they won't be eaten or harmed when picked up by now (had them about 2 yrs). But it is a matter of their mood and how much time they let me get away with. I know this because when they are in situations that truly are scary to them (vet's office, strangers nearby, or in a different environment) they jump into my arms and cling on for dear life.

It's tough to "train" them into being better at handling but the two things that are in your control are doing it often and doing it right. If you hold them in a way that makes them feel secure, over time they will know it's alright. If you do it often and each time it ends badly (i.e. they fly out of your arms, they struggle and twist around furiously, you yell or scream out of nervousness/fear) then they are going to fight you harder each time you try. It's tough to get good at holding a bun, though practice makes things better. Having strong, firm arms helps, and holding them close to your body for support makes them feel grounded and safe. Pick up and put down the bun quickly and decisively. After repeated good experiences with being held, my buns learned that it wasn't the end of the world. I don't pick em unless I have a need to (grooming, nails, health check, etc.) so they have learned to put up with it and the sooner I finish the sooner they get let go. And there is, of course, always a celebratory treat at the end of the ordeal Even if they have to flick me off and thump at me afterwards!

 

[kirbyultra]

tamsin wrote:

If you're trying to retrain a bunny the key is small steps and making your bun comfortable at each stage. Before you even think about lifting, your bun has to be completely happy for you to touch them all over, including the place you need to hold to pick them up so particularly bum and chest.

Tam

Tam, this is so true! I completely agree with this.

 

[avarocks]

Milo is sometimes ok with it and sometimes not. I pick him up off and on all day. If he doesn't want to, he'll let me know. Sometimes he'll even put his paws up on my chair to be picked up. Kisses me too. Sometimes he's good for awhile, other times he just wants a quick hug and then go.

 

[rachelann]

Humphrey really doesn't mind being picked up. Depending on what he is doing, if he is running around acting like psycho rabbit he doesn't want my attention. Normally though I pick him up and he is trying to get me to rub his head and ears. If I put him down he paws at my leg like " Hey, I was enjoying that!"

 

[Ronin Shinobi]

Thor doesn't mind getting picked. Sometimes he bucks but his reaction is dependent on his moods really. Most of time he lets me pick him up and carry him.

 

[evansrabbitranch]

While Chinny doesn't exactly run to me to be held, she doesn't mind it. I only hold her for a few reasons though, I much prefer to see her running and to lay on the floor so she can play climb on mom lol. I hold her to get her out of her current cage, it has a top door and she can not get out on her own though she learned how to get back in! I hold her to put her in a carrier if I need to. Then I hold her for biweekly health checks and nail trims. I get her to come to my hand for nose pets then lay my hand across her face. She knows this means I want to pick her up and hunkers down. Then I put my other hand behind her rump. Next I slide my hand from her face to under her forelegs at the same time lifting just under her rump and in a fluid motion pull her to my chest. I don't pull her so her feet are against my chest, I let her feet remain pointing to the floor but they are supported by my arms. I reassure her with a little kiss by the ears and go on with what I need to do. She likes it when I am done and sit down then let her hop down instead of being put down. She's a little acrobat lol.

 

[jcottonl02]

Benji really does (I believe) enjoy being held, cuddled, handled etc. and can easily walk about with him even in one arm on my hip, while he licks my shoulder or my cheek. Obviously I don't do this often just in case something startles him and he struggles. But I can easily do it because he is so relaxed with it.
He was a rescue, and came to me loving cuddles.

Pippin on the other hand! When I got him I tried to handle him as much as possible, but he just hated being held. He would struggle and breathe ridiculously fast, and when I would reach down to pick him up he would whizz away, hide behind the couch and thump for minutes on end.
I thought he would never like it. But I worked hard with him every day, and now he is SUCH a lap bunny, like Benji. He absolutely ADORES his cuddles and I can expect licks and grooms for hours on end. I remember he was about a YEAR old before he gave me any kisses. I remmeber being ecstatic!!
He still doesn't like being picked up but he puts up with it. When I go to pick him up, though, I can't just walk over to him and reach down. I have to get down low and walk slowly to him whilst talking, and he will normally even approach me. If I just walk he WILL run. It's amazing how your stance makes a difference.

Anyway to conclude- two lap bunnys who adore their cuddles. One bunny who has no problem with being held. One bunny who really doesn't like it but will put up with it for short distances ie. 2 or 3 minutes before he really gets fed up.

Jen

 

[tamsin]

jcottonl02 wrote:

When I go to pick him up, though, I can't just walk over to him and reach down. I have to get down low and walk slowly to him whilst talking, and he will normally even approach me. If I just walk he WILL run. It's amazing how your stance makes a difference.

That's very true and another good tip for those 'retraining' their bunny. Bunnies can predict your actions from your behaviour. Walk straight up to them like your about to pick them up and they'll know your about to pick them up! With a bun that doesn't like it, that means they'll be heading off in the opposite direction ASAP. Saunter, wander in an indirect route towards them, go in for a ground cuddle first etc. and they'll start off more relaxed.

I notice this a lot when playing chase with Scamp, I can telegraph 'run away I'm coming to chase you' or 'how about we stop for a nose rub' depending on how I move towards him.