Only Pippin can be tranced- and that is only for 20seconds at the very most, before he 'snaps' out of it and leaps over again.
Benji will have none of it
and promptly tells me 'I will NOT be turned over' by boxing me away whenever I try and do it. But he is very good when it comes to clipping nails etc. so I don't really need to trance him.
There is a bit of controversy going on about trancing rabbits. Is it good? Does it calm the rabbit and de-stress it, while you do necessary health checks? Or does it totally stress the rabbit out and put it under 'Tonic Immobility'- a type of temporary paralyis?
Sometimes trancing is necessary, as the only other option with a fiesty bun is to anasthatise them, which comes with risks etc. and you don't want to have to do that unless it's a last resort.
So for nail trims/teeth checkups etc. if you have a fiesty bunny that won't let you look, sometimes trancing is necessary.
However, in the papers it has recently been broadcast, with pictures of rabbits being tranced and then left on a table while the camera crew takes pictures- I don't agree with this at all, and worry it might inspire inexperienced rabbit owners to try this, or even trance the bunny for the fun of it.
This 'Rabbit Whisperer' in the papers insists it is totally relaxing for the rabbit, and it calms them down, and inspires trust between the owner and the rabbit, however many groups such as the RSPCA, and Rabbit Welfare Association were shocked at this, and are totally against the idea of trancing a rabbit.
As we are not positive whether this is a relaxation thing for the bun, or a stressful experience, then it should be used only when necessary.
Jen