I think the gender fair might of had a visit..

[Spring]

Hi everyone! I was snipping some knots offPebbles fluffy fur near her butt the other day, and I was feeling ifthere were any more and I felt two soft things. My first thought wasmaybe a knot, but then I thought maybe what I was feeling weretesticles!

The last time I checked she was 9 weeks old, and she looked like a girlto me and my cousin. She's now 9 and a half months old, so I'm going tolook again today.

She isn't used to being held or picked up at all- she doesn't like it.I tried to pick her up the other day and she struggled and paniced sobad I put her down. She doesn't trance, so I was thinking If I put atowel over her to calm her then pick her up like that? I just don'tknow how I should go abouts actually holding her in a position where Ican get a good look without her struggling too much?

Thanks!

:disgust:I already know Pebbles is not going to approve of this!

 

[Spring]

Well, tried to pick her up with a towel over herin an attempt tocalm her down. I had her in myarms, but then she lurched and the towel came loosesoI had toput her down. I tried a few minutes laterand I had her secure with the towel covering her eyes but she made thissqueek noise. I just let her down and I decided to just leave it fortoday. Even when she was little and used to being handledshesquirmed and didn't like itso I avoid handlingher.

Was it a mistake to not handle her a lot when she was little?

 

[pinksalamander]

I've been having this same problem with Will.Because he is a rescue that meant he probably didn't get handled asmuch as other pets would. He loves cuddles but hates being held. I'mtrying to "inspect" his lower area and i've found the easiest way to doit is to first place him ontop of his hutch, which is my chest heightand where we enjoy cuddles. I then stuck my thumbs round his legs tohave a feel, then i lift up his back legs off the ground so i can seeand feel with my thumbs, he doesn't mind this for about 5-10 seconds soit kinda works.

Good luck!

 

[aeposten]

Maybe hold Pebbles and have your mom look or vice versa?
-Amy

 

[Eve]

Rodney hates being handled too. So when I had tocheck him for testicles when he was younger, I would offer him a treatand hold it up high so he had to stand on his back legs to reach it. Mymum had her head on the floor and tried to get a good look at himwhileI gave him treats this way. I am not sure if this wouldbe of any help to you, but it helped me determine that he was a boywithout having to turn him over.

Good luck Spring

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Spring wrote:

Was it a mistake to not handle her a lot when she was little?

It was, but it's a very common one that lots of people make so youshouldn't feel bad about it. I for one did with Mocha and SpicebutI learned from that and I have handled Zoey a lot as ifnot to make the same mistake. Up until recently, I have never been ableto put Spice on his back, he is now 3.5 years old and I've had himsince he was 4ish months old. And considering Spice is a very calmrabbit, that should tell yousomething about the effects ofnot handling at a young age.In the last few days, I've beenholding him like a baby, he doesn't like it but he tolerates it. Istill can't flip Mocha over and he's a month older than Spice. It makesoverall checks very hard with them. Although they tolerate being heldright side up very well but I pick them up at least twice a day to putthem in and out of the run and that's how it's been sinceIgot them.

I got Zoey from a breeder who handled her alot and although she hatesbeing caught, she is very easy to handle. I can flip her over and puther on her back like it's nothing which is a great advantage. I used towalk around with her on her back and carry her a little each day so shewould be used to it.I still do daily checks on her and playwith her tail and feet so she remains used to it.

Anyways, that was just a really long way of saying that yes, you shouldhave handled her (him?) more as a baby but it's definitely nothing tobe beating yourself up over. If there is one area where mostnewpet rabbit owners go wrong, it's not handling theirrabbits enough. I'm sure many others made the same mistake as you andme. It's only important that you learn from it this time!

 

[jordiwes]

Hey Spring, what ever happened with this?

We definitely regret not handling Jordi more as a baby. The only way wecan really handle them is to get them in their pet carrier and takethem to another part of the house where they are not comfortable. Thenthey are a little too scared to try anything when we handle them.

 

[Haley]

wow..cant believe I missed this!!

So is Pebbles a he or a she??

 

[maherwoman]

Waiting with bated breath..:waiting:..:whatevah..:nerves1..:bawl..:grumpy

Hehe...some of those emoticons are so funny!!

 

[pamnock]

I handle thousands of rabbits (Close to 500 thisweekend alone!) I have found that pet rabbits cangenerally be more difficult to examine because they are not used to thefrequent inspection of every inch of their body that the show rabbitsare subjected to.

I highly suggest a complete weekly exam (daily would beideal). This handling experience will be immensely helpfulfor those times when the rabbit requires a vet exam or is ill andrequires medicine to be administered.

:bunnybutt:



Pam

 

[NZminilops]

I've always carried my rabbits around likebabies so they get used to having to being on their backs. I dailycheck teeth, feet and bums too, it really helps. Makes it so mucheasier if they have a problem. It seems that the rabbits I've gottenfrom the local breeder are the worst as she doesn't handle them at all,but they are very confident little rabbits and not scared of noise.BunBun has been the hardest so far as he resist all attempts to bepicked up or poked'n'prodded but I keep persisting and he's slowlygetting better.

So what sex did Pebbles turn out to be? This thread has been on my mind since you first posted! ullhair:

 

[Spring]

I just had another quick feel. Her fur on herbelly is pretty thick and long. I managed to get her on my lap and forher to stay still, and I think what I felt the other day wasmaybe some thick fur and fat? I really don't know for sure, but I'mpretty sure it was just a false alarm and she's a girl. I went to gopet her and was rewarded with a nice big bite.I guess enoughfuss for tonight!

I will continue to work with her to get more comfortable with beinghandled. She's fine as long as all fours are on the ground, but as soonas her back feet get lifted she starts to panic and struggle.

 

[maherwoman]

Hehe...what a cutie. I just love little Pebbles...she has such an adorable little face!

Keep us posted...especially if you find out she's a boy!