How to pick up our rabbit

[bobbyv]

Hi All,

We have a 4 1/2 year old Netherland Dwarf, Beans. We've never picked him up and he usually scampers away when we even think about picking him up. For the past few months, he's been having some poopy bottom issues and we really would like to pick him up to clean him.
I would appreciate any suggestions on how to eventually pick Beans up, so we can take care of him. I don't post here often, so I'm not sure if this is the correct discussion or not.

Thanks,

BobbyV

 

[zombiesue]

I'd get him with a towel.

I've heard from other people that sometimes a towel doesn't work, that the rabbit panics. I've never personally experienced this, it must depend on the rabbit, so if it clearly makes it worse, abandon it.

But back when I was really uncomfortable picking up my rabbit, I'd drop a towel on him and gather him up in that. Keeping his eyes covered really kept him calm. Then you can unwrap his butt to clean it or adjust him in your lap and flip him over.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

I'd get him with a towel.

I've heard from other people that sometimes a towel doesn't work, that the rabbit panics. I've never personally experienced this, it must depend on the rabbit, so if it clearly makes it worse, abandon it.

But back when I was really uncomfortable picking up my rabbit, I'd drop a towel on him and gather him up in that. Keeping his eyes covered really kept him calm. Then you can unwrap his butt to clean it or adjust him in your lap and flip him over.

--I agree,-cover the eyes-due to the fear factor,--check this link for poopology,-could be in need of more grasses less greens, http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html this will make you a poop expert,--sincerely james waller :runningrabbit::wiggle:weee::bunnyheart

 

[Imbrium]

There was a lot of discussion about this general topic pretty recently that you might find helpful. It started in this thread about getting a bunny used to handling for nail trim purposes and such and then a second, similar thread was started by someone who didn't want to hijack the first one. The first thread's pretty brief, but I figured I'd link it anyway since the second one is a continuation of sorts.

The second thread is quite long/much more in-depth. It involves a lot of trouble-shooting and has input from a number of people, both of which are very important since the preferred method (or least detested method) of being picked up can vary significantly from one bunny to the next. In other words, there's no single "best" way to go about picking up an uncooperative rabbit. On page 6 of that thread, I posted a (LONG) video showing a few ways to handle bunnies, how I trim my girls' nails, how to gently but *effectively* discipline a bunny for nipping/biting, etc. and another member posted a video showing how she picks up her bunny.

Feel free to add to that thread if you have any questions, comments, etc. I'd just as soon keep it going if people have anything to add since in my time on RO (over a year now), that's the most in-depth thread I've seen on bunny handling (and it's got a lot of different perspectives/has a lot of great questions being asked) - it's become my go-to link to offer people with similar issues.

 

[Tally943]

I never used used the towel thing, I have always followed this video: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdt0XKNlfRY[/ame]