Best way to set your bunny down safely?

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aozora

Amy, Member
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I've been picking Mocha up regularly to get him used to it and tolerate it better as he absolutely freaks out every time I do it. He's gotten to the point where I can hold him in my arms and walk around the room without squirming much, but setting him back down is an entirely different story.

My problem is that no matter how good of a grip I have on him when he's in my arms, the moment I move to lower myself and set him back on the ground he would go nuts kicking and scrambling to get out of my arms. Most times I am able to kneel or bend down far enough that he doesn't have far to leap, but I'm worried that he might try to jump off when he's up too high or accidentally hurt himself in his haste to get back to the safety of the ground. I've had this dilemma for a while now and was wondering if anyone here who are more experienced with buns may have suggestions. Are there more dignified, safer ways of setting your bun down after holding them in your arms?

Thank you in advance!
 
I've been picking Mocha up regularly to get him used to it and tolerate it better as he absolutely freaks out every time I do it. He's gotten to the point where I can hold him in my arms and walk around the room without squirming much, but setting him back down is an entirely different story.

My problem is that no matter how good of a grip I have on him when he's in my arms, the moment I move to lower myself and set him back on the ground he would go nuts kicking and scrambling to get out of my arms. Most times I am able to kneel or bend down far enough that he doesn't have far to leap, but I'm worried that he might try to jump off when he's up too high or accidentally hurt himself in his haste to get back to the safety of the ground. I've had this dilemma for a while now and was wondering if anyone here who are more experienced with buns may have suggestions. Are there more dignified, safer ways of setting your bun down after holding them in your arms?

Thank you in advance!

I wrap Pop tart in a towel when going to put it back in its cage or on the floor to roam. I usually talk to pop tart while doing it so it doesn't freak out. Since pop tart is younger hes not use to being held (got him from the pet supermarket).
 
I usually hold mine behind his rear and and under his front paws while he faces me or he faces out. He's pretty skittish...so got to make sure he doesn't leap out of my arms...I also kinda talk and reassure him...sometimes it works as long as nothing else startles him...
 
Hi there! Thank you for replying :)

Dashie: I didn't think about using a towel! I may have to try that out and see if he squirms less if I do.

Annabelle: I usually hold him that way too, but when I'm trying to set him down I tend to adjust my grip in order to keep a safer hold on him, and that's when he's most likely to get loose. But I think my biggest problem is that the moment he catches sight of the ground he simply goes nuts trying to make a run for it! Do you think it would be easier if I try to keep him facing me the entire time?
 
You could try letting him down butt-first, facing you, so he's approaching the ground backwards. But what I do with my squirmier bun is to keep him cradled tight in my arms as I lower myself into a knees-together, legs-closed kneeling position, and then gently lower him into my lap and let go. Then he can hop off me from there.
 
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are you covering his eyes as you move him around? Rabbits do best if their eyes are covered during transport.
 
Laura: That's a really good tip, thank you! I'm going to try that and see if it makes a difference. Mocha is so squirmy that I really have trouble holding onto him sometimes when he's hell bent on getting to safety!

ladysown: I hold onto him with both hands (one supporting his rear and one around his torso) when I'm holding him in my arms with all four paws against my chest and stomach so I'm not able to cover his eyes, no. :(
 
I have this problem too with both of my bucks (6months and 7months).

I'm going to try the towel trick and possibly cover his eyes. I know how you feel, it actually quite hurts too since they have powerful back legs!


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I sit down on the couch. I have a back injury that makes it near impossible to get on the floor while holding either of my boys, especially Bugsy. Once I'm on the couch, they hop safely to where they want to be.

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Towels really help if you need to hold him for a while, but I'm with blwinteler--if you hold the rabbit securely and sit down, then you can kind of let him go... lol. Much easier than actually setting him on the ground with your arms outstreched.
 
I have a bun, Pudden, who does not like to be put down on the floor at all. He will kick and try to get away. I put him on the floor while he was facing me, and talking to him in a soothing voice. I may try to cover his eyes when I set him down, and also putting him in my lap when I sit on the floor and just let him hop down. I am trying to get Pudden to trust that I won't drop him when I am setting him down or putting him in his cage.
 
Thanks for the tips everyone! He has free reign of my room and hates it everywhere else because it's all either smooth tiles or hardwood flooring, so I don't have a sofa to sit on for him to hop off relatively safely. My bed is two feet up from the ground and he broke a nail recently while jumping off it (!) so it's not that good of an option either :(

I've tried to keep him facing me and talking to him, but he's constantly glancing around every time I make the slightest movement as if he's weighing his options and trying to figure out how/when to make the jump to the ground. When I move to lower myself to the ground he instantly goes into kicking squirming mode and, well, I'm sure you guys know how powerful those hind legs are!

I'm going to try the towel trick next to see if that helps any, and then I'll try and cover his eyes too-- though I'm trying to figure out how to do that since I'm fairly tiny and he's ~4 lb, so not exactly tiny enough for me to get a good grip on with one hand!
 
My biggest buns are my calmest thank the lord. My problem is mostly with the smaller ones. I have freakishly large hands and long fingers so I can wrap them up fairly well with one hand under their chest near the front legs and I cup their hind end with my other hand wrapped around so I can hold the back legs--it seems the key for me is controlling the back end as that is the strongest part and seems to be where all the action will start first, unless they nip me. How can anything so cute be such a pain in the nether regions?
 
Scamp's terrible about this if I carry him from one room to another at play time. It's not that he's upset (he's fine normally) he just wants down as soon as he reaches the room so he can get on with his running about. Setting him bum first does help.

You could use a carrier, have it on a table or similar ready with a treat him, then when it's time to go down pop him in it and then lift him down in that :)
 
My moms polish babies were bad about this. I got them used to me holding them fine but as soon as I went to set them down they would kick and scramble to get away. As soon as they tried kicking I held on tightly picked them right back up and held them again. Normally I would flip them back and cradle them in my arms for a minute or two but I'm sure holding yours upright would be fine if he doesn't flip. After about a minute I went to set them back down next time they would normally stay still and as soon as their back feet hit the cage they would try to shoot out. I held a tight grip and picked them right back up and held them for another minute. A couple of times doing this they learned to only move once my hands were off all the way. Rabbits are very smart and the babies learned quick
 

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