holding problems

[ilovepets]

Before i got snickers a new harness to go outside she was fine with me picking her up out of the top of her cage. now that i have taken her out several times outside on the leash, she is hard to pick up. i think he being outside has mad her act more like prey than anything else. How can i get her to trust me again? if she is running on the floor inside, she will sit for me to hug her, then when i try to pick her up, she jumps and runs away. she was fine before, and i just want that again. when she is on the leash and i hold the leash still and tell her to stop, she tries to jump in every direction and her eyes seem to physically change from her normal looking eyes to wide "she is going to eat me" eyes. and she is doing this inside too now. what i have been thinking about doing is just sitting with her and only letting her run inside. would this make her more comfortable with being picked up again?

 

[Nelsons_Mom]

I'm surprised that you ever had the joy of being able to pick her up. You're lucky, as a majority of rabbits don't tolerate it (definitely including my own).

She's probably realized that there is a way to get out without being picked up and much prefers it. As far as getting a rabbit to enjoy being picked up, lemme know if you figure it out c: I'll be willing to try anything just to make it less stressful to go to the vet.

 

[Shayna345]

Bam-Bam does that change from letting me pick him up to not wanting anything to do with it, I noticed he changes every time he gets more freedom, bigger cage less wanting to be picked up, more space to run when he has play time less picking up and more time during play time less picking up. So maybe and this is just a guess maybe your Snickers does the same thing as Bam-Bam and the harness is his new more freedom? To get Bam-Bam back to normal I hold him on my lap on a chair and groom him and sit with him during play time and offer him a few cheerios.

Hope this helped

 

[MyBabyHasPaws]

Out of my 4 buns only 1 doesn't mind being carried, Bugsy. Oreo hates it...I don't even try anymore..unless I have to. I know I carried Bugsy a lot more when he was a baby..maybe that had something to do with it..

Good luck!

 

[ilovepets]

shayna345: yes the harness meant more freedom. i will do what you did and hold her more and let her run less for a little while

 

[ilovepets]

MyBabyHasPaws:i did hold her a lot when she was little so that is probably why i can hold her and have her on my lap

 

[Nancy McClelland]

time, patience, and keep working with your bun. Most of ours don't like it, but know it is inevitable, so picking up and holding is tolerated and some have even grown to like.

 

[ilovepets]

i will work with her