I have a jumper...

[hok9]

Recently, I have been trying to get my crazy Rabbit to get used to being held.
Tonight i decided to spend some time training him to do it. First i was hokding him on my lap on the couch and not letting him leave. After i would hold him against my chest to get used to hands touching him, he started to get affraid/aggitated at this point. The problems all started when i actually was holding him. He would kick free from my hands and start flaying around in the air, making it hard for me to get a hold of him again. This happend 2 times for about a second each. On the second time i did hear a little pop from him, and started to get really worried that he was broken. After he seemed all right and didnt act weird when i palpated his legs and back.

OK, that was the first incedent of the night, the next is worse.

As I was getting him a snack in the kitchen, he was there in my arms as i went just in case. He decided to jump out of my arms and he fell about 5 feet to a tile floor. This act did not happen just once but THREE times. The other times where when i was tyring to see if he was alright after he fell and was just checking him over and he managed to get free again and literally made a splat on the floor.

I feel really bad that this happen. His lips are cut open and he defenately does not like me right now.

Is there anything i could do to make him better and to stop hating me?

 

[Elf Mommy]

There are many rabbits that just don't like to be held, for their entire lives. They are much happier if you come visit them on the floor and pet them where they are. I tend to think of rabbits as being more like cats than dogs...they love you...but on their own terms.

I'm a little concerned about the "pop" you heard. Have you considered taking your rabbit in to a vet to check that everything is all right?

 

[hok9]

I was going to try to but i have to work nights the next few days and i wont be able to until wensday.

 

[Flashy]

He needs to learn to trust you, and so forcing him to do things he doesn't want to won't make him trust you MORE, it will make him trust you LESS.

Go back to basics, be patient. Talk to him calmly, sit near him, allow him to come and go around you as he pleases. DON'T force him into being with you (unless its obviously essential like if he needs meds or anything, but no bun likes that).

Rabbits are not typically cuddly pets because they are prey animals; some of us just got lucky with our buns.

Have you read the Bonding with your Bunny article in the library?

I don't think he hated you before, I think he was just being a bunny. Unfortunately now you have done damage to yours and his relationship he probably still doesn't hate you, but you really do need to stop what you have been doing and work at gaining his trust. Would you trust someone and want to be with them if they were forcing you to do things you didn't want to? Probably not. Allow him the control, follow his lead, and even the most scared bunny can come round (trust me. I brought my Roger round and he was living in the wild before he came to me and used to run in a blind panic whenever a person went near him).

 

[hartleybun]

after more than 3 years my roxy still hates to be held. i do persevere tho as there are times when i have to pick her up.wheni have to clip her nailsi sit down on the floor just in case she wriggles free - she doesnt trance when you put her on her back.

she will sit beside me and loves been strokedand fussed over tho. its as the others have said - some bunsjust are not cuddly given that they are prey animals!this may sound odd butevery so often i do just lift her an inch off the the ground and put her straight back. there are times when i have to lift her and (after all this time) im still trying to get her used to it:rollseyes

when i do lift her i put one hand under her bottom and support her back legsand the other hand under her chest. i then cuddle her into me firmly so that she is well supported.

good luck, patience iseverything with bunnies:biggrin2:

 

[tonyshuman]

Sounds like you may not be holding him securely. Some breeders like the "football carry," where the head is put in the crook of the elbow and the rest of the body is held close to your body. I also like to carry like a baby with the head over my shoulder or close up to the shoulder and my arms holding him under the feet.

I tried to get Tony used to being held at first by feeding him treats while I was holding him (while sitting on the couch). You could set aside half of the daily pellet ration and feed him those gradually over time. Some of the other bonding suggestions are great.

 

[hok9]

Im hoping they will all come around to us. The other two i have do not mind being held, just not for very long. They are all young and i hope once they get older and are neutered they will start to like to be around people more on a social basis.

 

[Flashy]

They can be perfectly ok and happy around people and not like bein picked up, so try not to see them being happy to be handled as a success because you can be 'successful' in other ways.

 

[hok9]

So in a way they are kinda like guinea pigs. They do not like being picked up at all, and they bite hard. Im do let them just run around most of the time. Its just this one that is crazy and has to be all over the place so i am always picking him up and moving him around.

 

[irishlops]

tonyshuman wrote:

Sounds like you may not be holding him securely. Some breeders like the "football carry," where the head is put in the crook of the elbow and the rest of the body is held close to your body. I also like to carry like a baby with the head over my shoulder or close up to the shoulder and my arms holding him under the feet.

I tried to get Tony used to being held at first by feeding him treats while I was holding him (while sitting on the couch). You could set aside half of the daily pellet ration and feed him those gradually over time. Some of the other bonding suggestions are great.

i use both.
caramel. foot ball.
eyore like it, so baby carry for him.

 

[hok9]

Pinky and Trix like the baby carry.

 

[sephira]

Mika and Sasha are really funny about being picked up. They kick and squirm and they really hate it, so I know what you're going through. Only pick him up if you have to so he doesn't get hurt. They love to be pet and groomed--just on the floor. Some bunnies are just not really cuddly.

The only time mine get picked up is to go in and out of their cage since it's really just a doggie gate!

 

[hok9]

Yeah, He's nice and likes to be petted. i think once they get older and are settled in to a better routine things will get better.

UPDATE, He is back to normal, high binkies and all.

 

[DazyDaizee]

I've had Toot since she was 6 weeks old or so. She hates to be held. I taught her to tolerate it (because it's necessary to pick a rabbit up on occasion, whether for the carrier, to check teeth, trim nail, routine health check, ect)by picking her up, holding her for very short periods, placing her down on the ground with praise and a treat. I gradually extended this. Now she knows that every time she gets picked up, she gets a treat. She runs to the treat bin expecting it once she's put down.

Some tips for you...
-First, make sure you're holding the bunny securely like others suggested.
-Start by SITTING DOWN on the floor and holding the rabbit, ESPECIALLY after a fall, the safest place is as close to the ground as possible. If he fell and hurt himself, it's natural that he's going to try to get away.. he relates being picked up with pain and scary things. You need to make being held a positive experience, and it has to be safe. He cannot have the potential of being harmed. It may take months before he's comfortable enough to sit still. You can proceed from there, but until then, do NOT stand while holding him.
-Reward with a treat while holding him, if he'll take it, or immediately after you put him down. In my experience, this seems to make my rabbit forget about the indignity that just occurred and become more tolerant because she is expecting a treat.
-I would keep picking him up to a minimum when he's used to it. He clearly doesn't like it and probably never will. If you can teach him to tolerate it, that's great, but I wouldn't expect him to ever enjoy it.

Good luck. Just be careful if you pursue this any further. You were both very lucky he wasn't hurt. Obviously you care about him and feel terrible about what happened, so I'm sure you'll figure out a safe way to go about this. I know how squirmy they can be, and I have dropped a rabbit before, even with years of experience handling them, there are some that can be impossible to hang onto.. they just get so scared and don't realize they're putting themselves in danger...