Carrying a bunny ..

[Sox]

New to this bunny business, never had one before. Sorry to have asked so many questions in the last few days. Had Sox for 12 days now.

Reading web etc they say best way to carry is with one hand just under chin and best and the other hand under bottom. I am getting more confident on this and I think so is Sox as struggles less now.

I carry Sox close to my chest like a baby with legs and chest upwards. I am now trying to turn him around with his lets on my chest/body so he is looking at me (I notice this is how pet shops do it)and when ever I do that he struggles wanting to be let free. Don't worry I am on ground level so that I don't drop Sox.

What am I doing wrong? I would like to start checking his ears, nails and sex but too scared to do it as he doesn't seem to like being carried much or could it be the say I am carrying him? Having said that he is not afraid of me as he comes up to my hand for a feed, gives me kisses on my clothing etc when I am playing with him/her in the playpen.

Do bunnies like to be held and patted I wonder? Any advise is muchly appreciated, I get disappointed in myself when he struggles and would really like this resolved.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

well,howdy down under,,i correspond that way periodically,with other online rabbit friends,,,yes you are correct pick up bun with both hands,the rearend and chest,and depending on the bun whether it prefers to be held or not/hold him/her to you,for licky,licks/or in some cases a love nip/ouch!.not all rabbits enjoy being picked up but don,t let that break your spirit,,,as far as carrying the rabbit around he/she may not like,,they have a comfort area/zone,,you might want to find an exotic specialist before problems appear,,because prey animals hide fear very well,,making visible signs hard to recognize sometimes until it is too late,..good job,a diet of 70% fiber ie timothy/orchard grass,,quality(low-fat) pellets one oz.(60ml)pellets to one pound(half-kilo) bun-daily,and some treats like dandylions,clovers,grasses,..sincerely james waller

 

[Flashy]

Hi there,

Here is our link about how to lift and handle a rabbit. http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12066&forum_id=17

Rabbits are prey species so generally by nature they don't like being held or handled much although there are obviously bunnies who do like it, or tolerate it. Most rabbits perfer to seek company from people on their own terms.

Each rabbit will have a preferential way to be held, so if your rabbit is comfortable and safe being held one way by you then that's fine.

Unfortunately, for the welfare of the buns we do still need to do those things that they won't like and its a case of finding a different way, and finding what works for each bunny.

Here's our article on nail clipping http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12075&forum_id=17

And this is the article on how to bond with your bunny, although it does sound like you're pretty bonded.http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=33995&forum_id=17

 

[Sox]

Thanks guys for your help. The links were very interesting and helpful especially the videos from youtube.

Obviously I need to spend more time on this forum doing a search instead of asking questions that others have already asked a million times.

Great forum! Thanks again.

 

[Flashy]

It's definitely worth having a look around the forum, especially the library sections, but don't ever feel you can't ask questions. Pretty much all questions here have been asked before in various ways, but each response will differ from previous responses and each rabbit and situation is different from previous ones. So if you need to post and ask then post and ask But I do definitely think any rabbit owner should spend some time reading in the Library.

 

[tonyshuman]

I wanted to add that some bunnies like to be held and petted, some will struggle when you try to pick them up but love to be held and petted, some don't mind being picked up, some hate it, some will only let you pet them when they're sitting on the floor, and some won't let you pet them at all. I work with bunnies that range from scared silly of people to total love-bugs (at the shelter), and they can change as well. My Muffin was very hand-shy when I first got her (she had been in a bad situation before the Humane Society stepped in), and it took about 3 months for her to not run away whenever you tried to pet her. Now, she'll only run away from a hand if it's moving too fast toward her.

Tony I can jut pick up and snuggle with in my lap. Frida will bite you on the neck if you pick her up and hold her with her body facing you. I usually pick up with one hand under the chest and the other under the rump, and if it's a long trip I'll turn them around to have all 4 legs on my chest. Short trips, I'll just hold them like that. There are some shelter bunnies I only pick up to trim nails--I let them come and go from their cages as they please when it's their exercise time.

edit: This is how I hold bunnies to do trims, etc on them. It works well for all sizes. We have a Dutch, a Holland, and two Netherland dwarfs here, and at the shelter I've done everything from baby lionheads and havanas to New Zealands to Mini Lops to super-overwight rexes.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=48809&forum_id=1

 

[MikeScone]

Scone tolerates being held, at least by my son and daughter-in-law and myself - he won't let anyone else hold him.

The key is to keep the bunny's feet supported. You can do that by holding the rabbit horizontally, keeping one arm under his body with the hand supporting his chest and paws (which leaves one hand free for petting), or by holding him vertically against your stomach and chest, with one arm supporting his bottom.

I usually start with Scone horizontal, and after a minute or two he squirms around until he's somewhere between there and fully vertical.

 

[Sox]

Thanks guys for all your help and reassurance. Like the photo you posted Tony re how to hold them especially for nail cutting etc. Nail cutting :nerves1 , oh God ray: I am trying to put that off my mind for now. I think my hands will be trembling more than the bunny!!! :cry1:

Anyway, will be making our first visit to the vet in 2-3 weeks for Sox's first vaccination and will find out how much nail cutting costs etc!

Thanks again, and I spent all last night reading the library in this Forum and learnt heaps and it got me all excited to get home and try things out!

:apollo: