How do I hold an unhappy bunny?

[NoodletheBunny]

Bubble has always been very friendly in the garden and her playhouse, but when we have to take her somewhere or put her somewhere she just hates being picked up. She is quite a big bunny, and she can do quite a bit of damage if she wants to. She was rescued so I don't know if she had been treated badly or not but she is really unhappy when being picked up. (And we need to carry her quite a bit to get her between pens at the moment.) :cry1:

 

[Aki]

Most rabbits hate to be picked up which is completely understandable considering their place in the food chain. I've also had a few rabbits who had a bad case of vertigo and they already had it at 8 weeks. So it doesn't mean she has been treated badly or anything. You can force the rabbit to stay still but you certainly can't make her enjoy it and, especially with a big bunny, you always take the risk of getting scratched (happened to me 4 years ago from a Holland lop who really didn't want to go to the vet and I still have the scars from my wrist to my elbow) / dropping the rabbit / breaking his spine / crushing her organs by pressing where you shouldn't. Honestly I've heard of terrible accidents and I'm really paranoid so I don't pick up my rabbits at all if it's not unavoidable and I never ever carry them while standing straight so I can release them safely before I'm tempted to tighten my hold if they struggle. If I have to give meds or put them inside a carrier, I do it while I'm sitting on the floor. I would advise to try and find a solution to avoid having to move her or, if you really have to, put her in a pet carrier to go to point A to point B (putting vegetables inside to encourage her to go or something). Maybe I'm overly cautious, but my credo is better safe than sorry ^^.

 

[Blue eyes]

:yeahthat:

 

[Hermelin]

You can use a travel cage to carry your bunny between the cage and the pen, or just start slow with picking up if you have time. I’ve never had problem with picking up my rabbits but I’ve only owned two so don’t really now how it is with other rabbits.

If your rabbits love treats or have a special treat/food they love it’s great using when you train them, I find out my rabbits favorite treat and let them associate carrying with something possitive and not as scary but you have to start slow and increase when they feel comfortable and if they get scared you let them down and start all over again. It takes a lot of time.

 

[NoodletheBunny]

Thanks for the help! I'll try the carrier, I just don't want to make her unhappy.

 

[samoth]

I've never gotten my rabbits to let me pick them up. I gave up pretty quickly, as I was always concerned with hurting them, and instead just shoo them into a small travel carrier when I need to move them.

 

[Hermelin]

I’m the lazy person, learned my rabbit to go to his cage/pen when I tell him and it’s the same with the travel cage so I never have to pick him up but trained him to become used with it so the vet have it easier with him.