Rosiesmom
Well-Known Member
how do you use the towel? scoop them up in it? or do you try to wrap it around them? I'm kind of confused how I would accomplish getting the towel around my buns...
Opinions on getting a rabbit used to being picked up?
- Thread starter lovebunnyok
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Nibbles96
Well-Known Member
This is a great thread, I have trouble trying to get Nibbles to stay still while my mom trims his nails. I'm going to try giving him a treat after every time I hold him so then he'll know he gets a treat after I hold him to cut his nails. 
Lolpigs
Well-Known Member
Rosiesmom wrote:
I wrap them in it. I drop it over their head and scoop them up in the process wrapping it around them.
They get lots of security from the towel and feel safe, I just got a female bunny Molly whom I'm going to start doing this with as well to start bonding with her. (she is now bonded to cuddles)
Also, have your favorite treat in the other hand to feed if the bunny is confident enough while your holding them.
I'm going to start doing this again with Cuddles because he will let you hug him forever while your standing but as soon as you sit down he gets annoyed and wants to jump off.. funny boy, the towel will also prevent you getting badly scratched if you have a bun that is very frightened.
Works wonders
I wrap them in it. I drop it over their head and scoop them up in the process wrapping it around them.
They get lots of security from the towel and feel safe, I just got a female bunny Molly whom I'm going to start doing this with as well to start bonding with her. (she is now bonded to cuddles)
Also, have your favorite treat in the other hand to feed if the bunny is confident enough while your holding them.
I'm going to start doing this again with Cuddles because he will let you hug him forever while your standing but as soon as you sit down he gets annoyed and wants to jump off.. funny boy, the towel will also prevent you getting badly scratched if you have a bun that is very frightened.
Works wonders
Cammy
Member
Bassetluv wrote:
I do this as well. I let them sniff my hand first, pet them a few times, then once I figure they know my hand isn't going away I try to gently pick them up. If they resist or move away, I let them be and might try again later. I hold them and pet them for a tiny bit and sometimes give them a pellet or some greens. They seem very friendly with me now.
my bun doesn't hate it. In fact i have to carry him everywhere lol hes so lazy anywayssss
I just kind of held mine and didn't really think anything of it and he loves it now that's when we do our love and bonding haha.
I just kind of held mine and didn't really think anything of it and he loves it now that's when we do our love and bonding haha.
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with struggling buns and picking them up, my bun hates it and used to think he was a gone every time. The better YOU get at it the less scared the bun will be. The longer the struggle to pick them up the more scared and flighty they become out of pure desperation. I find that if I'm not successful with picking Kirby up in less than five tries, I back off and come back later. The situation gets worse for the bun the longer you try. Picking him up more often with greater success has us in a much better place with each other now. It will take time but in my experience the reward is a much less anxious bun.
Setting them down: for Kirby who is calmer, butt first works nicely. For a bun whose behavior is unpredictable or very active like my Toby, get your body on the ground. I learned the hard way, with Toby leaping out of my arms, me all scratched up, and him 5 ft in the air goig "splat".... It is very scary!!! If you are not sure, I think safest way is set the whole bun down by you lowering your body to the ground. And don't stand there taking your time either. I find that if I squat down slowly, Toby is already thrashing to jump. Quick, decisive movements when you pick up and set down I find are best.
Setting them down: for Kirby who is calmer, butt first works nicely. For a bun whose behavior is unpredictable or very active like my Toby, get your body on the ground. I learned the hard way, with Toby leaping out of my arms, me all scratched up, and him 5 ft in the air goig "splat".... It is very scary!!! If you are not sure, I think safest way is set the whole bun down by you lowering your body to the ground. And don't stand there taking your time either. I find that if I squat down slowly, Toby is already thrashing to jump. Quick, decisive movements when you pick up and set down I find are best.
Serious
Active Member
Woo, sorry, wall of text ahead- I'm a psychology major, so...
Rabbits naturally hate being picked up, but then, cats naturally hate being bathed- you can do both to either with proper conditioning... theoretically. There are always some individuals that just will not be shaped no matter what you try, but persistence tends to pay off in any animal.
I treat training for all species of animals exactly the same- reward for good behavior, prevent bad behavior, redirect if bad behavior happens, and be mindful of associations they might be forming all on their own. So this formula, for teaching rabbits to be okay with being picked up, would probably be like...
Pick them up even when there is no reason to, and often times, to bring them to good things. If you only ever pick them up when it's something unpleasant to do, like nail trimming, they'll see it as a Very Bad Thing. It's kind of like how dogs who only go in the car to go to the vet will probably be nervous and carsick every time they're in the car. I started picking up my rabbit to bring him to a bowl of his favorite foods, for example. Once he got more relaxed about being held, I started giving him a treat while I was holding him (but before that, he was too busy struggling to take a treat while being held).
To prevent the bad behavior (struggling), you have to be very firm and not give them any opportunity to run, or they'll be rewardind themselves by getting away from you every time they get out of your grasp. I tend to, while down on my knees next to him, scruff him first, then secure the back legs, then very quickly bring him in against me. Keep the back feet supported so that he doesn't kick. Usually, once Magellan is in against me, he relaxes slightly- though he won't be enjoying himself. I think at most all we can do is teach them to tolerate it, not like it.
I understand the mentality of not wanting to pick them up anymore than necessary, but in the end, I think this only causes the rabbit more stress when you do have to pick them up. It's inevitable that you'll have to at some point, so you might as well get them used to it so it's less traumatizing when it has to be done.
That said, I only have one rabbit. I'm just speaking from my experience in dealing with him and other animals using this same basic idea. I've never had it completely fail when it came to changing any behavior.
Also, as others added here, do it on the ground! You don't want your rabbit to fall. Plus, starting off by just holding them on the ground and gradually working up to holding them while standing is a sort of building up thing. It's much more gradual than suddenly grabbing them off the ground and up to human height.
Rabbits naturally hate being picked up, but then, cats naturally hate being bathed- you can do both to either with proper conditioning... theoretically. There are always some individuals that just will not be shaped no matter what you try, but persistence tends to pay off in any animal.
I treat training for all species of animals exactly the same- reward for good behavior, prevent bad behavior, redirect if bad behavior happens, and be mindful of associations they might be forming all on their own. So this formula, for teaching rabbits to be okay with being picked up, would probably be like...
Pick them up even when there is no reason to, and often times, to bring them to good things. If you only ever pick them up when it's something unpleasant to do, like nail trimming, they'll see it as a Very Bad Thing. It's kind of like how dogs who only go in the car to go to the vet will probably be nervous and carsick every time they're in the car. I started picking up my rabbit to bring him to a bowl of his favorite foods, for example. Once he got more relaxed about being held, I started giving him a treat while I was holding him (but before that, he was too busy struggling to take a treat while being held).
To prevent the bad behavior (struggling), you have to be very firm and not give them any opportunity to run, or they'll be rewardind themselves by getting away from you every time they get out of your grasp. I tend to, while down on my knees next to him, scruff him first, then secure the back legs, then very quickly bring him in against me. Keep the back feet supported so that he doesn't kick. Usually, once Magellan is in against me, he relaxes slightly- though he won't be enjoying himself. I think at most all we can do is teach them to tolerate it, not like it.
I understand the mentality of not wanting to pick them up anymore than necessary, but in the end, I think this only causes the rabbit more stress when you do have to pick them up. It's inevitable that you'll have to at some point, so you might as well get them used to it so it's less traumatizing when it has to be done.
That said, I only have one rabbit. I'm just speaking from my experience in dealing with him and other animals using this same basic idea. I've never had it completely fail when it came to changing any behavior.
Also, as others added here, do it on the ground! You don't want your rabbit to fall. Plus, starting off by just holding them on the ground and gradually working up to holding them while standing is a sort of building up thing. It's much more gradual than suddenly grabbing them off the ground and up to human height.
