My baby bunny won’t let me hold her

[Lenka]

I have had my bunny for two weeks now. She is Netherland Dwarf and I love her so much. However anytime I try to hold her she starts kicking. I wanted to trim her nails today but could not manage at all. She lets me cuddle her and kisses me but the moment I try to hold her it’s just a disaster. She is 3 months old and I’m worried that I won’t be able to handle her. Do you think she will get used to the fact that her nails need to be trimmed? Thank you

 

[Hermelin]

You can train her to be picked up. I know how Netherland Dwarf acts, my own buck that also a Netherland dwarf will always kick and flip like crazy if I don’t have his treats or someone holding him. It only happens during trimming of claws. He was on the skittish side as a kit

My self taught him to become used with holding, I only distracted him with treats. When I trim his claws, I always prepare banana or something yummy he can chew on.

So I made my bunny have positive experience with everything.

 

[Morgan :)]

I use to have the same problem with my mini lop rabbit she would also kick when I tried to hold her she's now 8 and a half months and loves being handled and always wants picked up

What I did was only tried to pick her up once a day so that she didn't get overwhelmed and by doing that I figured out what way she liked to be picked up and how so I would try different ways of picking her up and she what she prefers

One of the reasons I couldn't pick up belle is because she was young and we didn't have a very close bond as in she didn't fully trust me in a way so try and bond with your rabbit hope some of this helps

 

[Mackenzie Salm]

Rabbits are prey animals so you have to get them to know you. Pick her up everyday and don't let go if she starts kicking she will eventually stop. Also I don't know how you hold her but if have all 4 legs on something like if you put her head under your arm and put your arms under her. (show holding style) they usually won't try to kick because they can't see whats going on and all their legs on are the "ground" they think.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

You can TRAIN your bunny, or it will train you!

 

[Lenka]

Thank you guys!!! Yeah, I think my bunny is training me I just can’t seem to say no. I’m first time owner so don’t wanna mess up the whole friendship thing with my rabbit.

 

[April LD]

I agree, slow and steady.

You need to take it slow, hold her for a short time, give her a treat (could be pellets, or a favorite veggie, small piece of carrot/banana/ etc. afterwards. She will associate the holding with a treat and that equals GOOD in their eyes.

But be consistent, hold her until she no longer kicks, give her love, tell her she is a good girl, etc. then she can have the treat after; you don't want to reward the bad behavior "kicking" etc. so she should be calm before she gets the treat and give her the treat while you are still holding her, not after letting her go, then you are rewarding her to be "free" not held.

Hopefully this makes sense. Good luck and be patient. The younger they are the less they, typically, like to be held, or so I noticed with my buns.

 

[Lenka]

I agree, slow and steady.

You need to take it slow, hold her for a short time, give her a treat (could be pellets, or a favorite veggie, small piece of carrot/banana/ etc. afterwards. She will associate the holding with a treat and that equals GOOD in their eyes.

But be consistent, hold her until she no longer kicks, give her love, tell her she is a good girl, etc. then she can have the treat after; you don't want to reward the bad behavior "kicking" etc. so she should be calm before she gets the treat and give her the treat while you are still holding her, not after letting her go, then you are rewarding her to be "free" not held.

Hopefully this makes sense. Good luck and be patient. The younger they are the less they, typically, like to be held, or so I noticed with my buns.

Thank you so much. I will try my best