How do I get Ripley to let me lay him on his back?

[SaruCharmed]

I've been trying to get him to let me do this. It would be so much easier to clip his nails, or give him checkups, but every time I try, he starts kicking and struggling and his heart thumps really fast. I've tried wrapping him in a towel like so many sources suggest but it didn't work, and I've tried clicker training but that doesn't seem to help either. How can I get him to trust me? He's not scared of me at all until I do that.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

I am of the school that "bunny trances" are not necessary. Of course, people here will disagree with me but I think for a lot of bunnies it just spooks them more. The "trance" is a last minute defense mechanism for when they are becoming prey. It's almost like a shock state for their bodies and while some bunnies can be flipped perfectly fine, for others they feel stressed the entire time but cannot do anything about it.
My bunny cannot be "tranced" which is what made me look more into it. And if you are nervous or don't do it fast enough (before he can kick) the bunny picks up on that vibe.

If you need to clip nails, bunny burrito him (this works better if someone holds him) and leave his paws out. Or your assistant can hold him with his feet sticking out so it's impossible for him to kick. Always give treats as a reward.

 

[wendymac]

Rabbits don't like being flipped over, because it exposes their most vital organs. BUT! Every single rabbit can be flipped, and should be used to it. Just like a baby doesn't like getting their diaper changed, there are some things that rabbits need to learn for their own good. There are quite a few videos on YouTube about how to flip your bunny over. You basically get a good grasp at the base of their ears, getting a bit of their "scruff"...then take your opposite hand and support their back end as you flip them over. Make sure you rest their weight on a solid surface. When they are flipped over correctly, there's no stress or struggle. Once you flip, make sure to keep your "ear" arm resting alongside their body, for added security for the bun. With practice it'll both become "old hat" to you both...and they'll realize it's not a big deal.

When a rabbit is flipped over, it's so easy to check their teeth (which everyone should do at least weekly), any moisture under their jaw (signs of tooth trouble, abscess, etc), inspect all their nails (checking for missing/broken ones), get a good look at the inside of their legs (for snuffles, etc), feel their abdomen (for any abscesses, lumps, injuries), check their penis/vent area (checking out scent glands, signs of scabs, redness, etc), their hocks and back toenails, etc. This should be done at least weekly and only takes a minute or two to inspect everything and make sure there aren't any problems creeping up that would otherwise go undetected until they were blatantly obvious when they're upright.

 

[Moochyesh]

I would love to learn how to get marci to do this! I looked up some videos on youtube about it seams like alot of good info and insight from both sides !

 

[wendymac]

I have 1 rabbit that doesn't care if she's flipped, rolled, nada. Her name is Nora, and she cracks me up every time I flip her. The second you start to flip her, she goes limp...completely, utterly limp. She'll lay on her back forever (unless you touch her back feet. lol). The rest of my crew tolerate it, but they certainly aren't happy about it. I figure kids don't like going to the doctor/dentist, kids don't like brushing their teeth...heck, when my kids were little just getting them into the tub was a chore. Rabbits are much like kids...they may not like it but they very well can learn to tolerate it. It's all for the greater good.

 

[agnesthelion]

To flip my two I sit on the floor with my legs together and bent at the knees and they kinda rest in my lap between my legs. I can also hold them like a baby too. Archie prefers this way. I would just experiment with different ways and when you do it, mean it. Like, if you "give up" every single time he starts to struggle he will learn this and struggle every time.

Good luck

 

[wendymac]

It depends on the rabbit's size on where to do the flipping. Laps work for the smaller ones, but you'd need a heck of a big lap to flip a 14 lb. French Lop on. LOL Plus if you ever plan to show, ever, it's good practice for them. You're not really flipping them...you're sort of sweeping their butts forward while lowering them at the head. Once you get good at it, they don't even realize what you're up to until they're already on their backs.

 

[Watermelons]

Please dont continue to try and force him upside down into a "trance". This position is not natural for bunnies. Its stressing him out alot and could end unhappily for one or more parties here. For some bunnies it just wont happen. If you're worried about him trusting you, flipping an unwilling bunny will only make it harder for him to trust you. The bunny burrito is probably your best option at the moment, but it does need to be wrapped properly otherwise it wont work. Cant be difficult if you've never done it before, is there any vets in the area or friends who can show you?

I am of the school that "bunny trances" are not necessary. Of course, people here will disagree with me but I think for a lot of bunnies it just spooks them more. The "trance" is a last minute defense mechanism for when they are becoming prey. It's almost like a shock state for their bodies and while some bunnies can be flipped perfectly fine, for others they feel stressed the entire time but cannot do anything about it.
My bunny cannot be "tranced" which is what made me look more into it. And if you are nervous or don't do it fast enough (before he can kick) the bunny picks up on that vibe.

If you need to clip nails, bunny burrito him (this works better if someone holds him) and leave his paws out. Or your assistant can hold him with his feet sticking out so it's impossible for him to kick. Always give treats as a reward.

 

[wendymac]

There's a difference between trying to get a bunny to go to sleep upside down (trance) and turning it over as necessary for the health well being of the bunny. With a bunny burrito, you're certainly not able to thoroughly inspect your rabbit, from head to toe. And every rabbit owner (whether a breeder, show person, or pet owner) should be inspecting their bunnies for problems.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Actually, I have always been inspecting my bunny through the burrito method (@watermelons, I don't know if you misread my post but I DON'T do the trace thing). My relationship with my bunny is great, I can poke her and feel her and examine her on my laps. I can check her nails and belly and hocks and everything I need either by myself or with my partner (for looking into her mouth).
Trancing is not always a necessary tool for keeping bunny still. I mean, every bunny is different. My bunny is not quick to trust so I would never flip her. She is over 6 years old and has been surviving perfectly without ever being "tranced". I am in tune enough with her to know if something is off either by observing her behaviour or by feeling something off.
This seems the appropriate place to mention that my friend's bunny broke his back and had to be euthanized when she popped out of a trance one day. Not every bunny is at risk but I guess if she was nervous or emotionally off or something that day and he sensed it and rejected the flip it could happen to anyone. She was someone who tranced her bunny for nail clipping and exams too. It happened to her.
I just want to add a voice for the ant-trance movement.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Wendy's description of the technique is great. You HAVE to be firm and make them do it- don't let go or make it possible to "escape" your grip. A rabbit that is allowed to flip out of the position could very easily injure their back!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Wendy's description of the technique is great. You HAVE to be firm and make them do it- don't let go or make it possible to "escape" your grip. A rabbit that is allowed to flip out of the position could very easily injure their back!

Agreed. Either you need to make sure that they cannnot escape, or don't do it at all. The risk of them breaking their back thrashing if they're not held properly could be higher and a much worse consequence then them not getting the nails trimmed or whatever.


On a side note, your bunny's name is Ripley too? That's so fun! My Ripley (bunny in my avatar) says hi lol :rabbithop

 

[majorv]

There may be a misunderstanding on the difference between flipping and turning over. I never "flip". I do more what Wendy describes. With the rabbit on my chest I simply grasp with one hand the base of the ears and some scruff on the head and put one hand under their hindquarters. I slowly lower their head and raise the butt some. They don't usually struggle as long as they feel secure, ie won't fall. If we can do this to a Tan, Brit or other hyper or high strung rabbit then it should be possible to do this with any rabbit, with practice. We don't need to trance our rabbits to do this.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

I used "flip" and "trance" as the same word.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We have two that don't mind it and 8 that will fight to the, well, you know. Good luck.

 

[SaruCharmed]

I always have him on my lap turned towards me, then I kind of sweep his butt out from under him and hold his upper body with my other hand. I've never seen the "trance" thing. That sounds weird. Sometimes he'll lay there but you can tell he's nervous and sometimes he'll try to get back up. I can't get him to stay still if I'm not holding him down though, so I can't clip his nails when I do that. Usually I have to do his front paws from the side while I'm kind of standing him up on my lap and my arm is under his front holding his paw. The back paws I have to do with him sitting with his paws up and his back against my stomach. He doesn't really like that so much either but I hold him under his front legs so he doesn't move.

@Bunnylova4eva Haha! That's so cool! xD