picking up bunny for health checks and trims

[piperknitsRN]

Both my bunnies are very, very sweet, but like most bunnies, hate to be held. How can I get them used to it, so maintenance checks and nail trims aren't such an exasperating pain?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Handle them more often. If you only handle them when you do a nail trim or something they don't like, they won't want to be handled. It doesn't have to be much, at least to start with. Start by just picking them up and putting them down again. Only put them down when they are calm so they learn they will not go down if they are not calm. As they get more used to it, you can increase the time you are holding them and what you do. If you have a certain way you hold them when you have to clip nails, practice holding them that way. Also get them used to having the teeth checked (just the front ones), paws touched and just handled in general. Using a towel to warp them in can help so if they do struggle you don't get scrathed as bad, they don't have to be tightly warped, just hold them in the towel.
If you are not totally comfortable holding them, you might want to see if you can find some calmer rabbits to practice holding first. This can give you the confidence to know how to hold them without getting scratched or anything.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[piperknitsRN]

Korr_and_Sophie wrote:

Handle them more often. If you only handle them when you do a nail trim or something they don't like, they won't want to be handled. It doesn't have to be much, at least to start with. Start by just picking them up and putting them down again. Only put them down when they are calm so they learn they will not go down if they are not calm. As they get more used to it, you can increase the time you are holding them and what you do. If you have a certain way you hold them when you have to clip nails, practice holding them that way. Also get them used to having the teeth checked (just the front ones), paws touched and just handled in general. Using a towel to warp them in can help so if they do struggle you don't get scrathed as bad, they don't have to be tightly warped, just hold them in the towel.
If you are not totally comfortable holding them, you might want to see if you can find some calmer rabbits to practice holding first. This can give you the confidence to know how to hold them without getting scratched or anything.

Hi, Korr_and_Sophie: I generally try not to handle my bunnies because I know they prefer that I don't, but it's clear to me that I'm going to have to get them used to me touching them (I do pet them--they like that, generally speaking). Simon hates when I touch his paws--that's generally when he tends to nip (he's otherwise a complete gentleman, and I know he's just telling me he doesn't like what I'm doing, and to please stop). I don't, however, know how to handle his paws without him nipping at me, so that's going to be a bit of a challenge.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Yup, your bunnies need to learn to be handled. I know there's the going attitude that rabbits shouldn't be picked up, and generally speaking they don't need to be picked up and carted around anymore than your average cat or dog does. But they do need to learn to be handled for nail clipping, health checks, and if an emergency ever arises (like, say, a house fire). Kate gave you some really great pointers.

I'd say Simon has some fear issues related to his paws and that's why he's biting when you touch them. You'll need start really slow with him to show him that paw-touching isn't always bad. I'd probably try just putting your hand on his paw really quickly, then removing it. Do this enough and eventually he'll learn that nothing bad is going to happen to him when you touch his paws. Then you can move to holding his paw, then cutting his nails.

I know that doesn't help too much if his claws need clipping now. Will your vet clip nails? Maybe if somebody else did it for now, then you could work on gaining his trust so next time you can do it yourself.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[piperknitsRN]

funnybunnymummy wrote:

Yup, your bunnies need to learn to be handled. I know there's the going attitude that rabbits shouldn't be picked up, and generally speaking they don't need to be picked up and carted around anymore than your average cat or dog does. But they do need to learn to be handled for nail clipping, health checks, and if an emergency ever arises (like, say, a house fire). Kate gave you some really great pointers.

I'd say Simon has some fear issues related to his paws and that's why he's biting when you touch them. You'll need start really slow with him to show him that paw-touching isn't always bad. I'd probably try just putting your hand on his paw really quickly, then removing it. Do this enough and eventually he'll learn that nothing bad is going to happen to him when you touch his paws. Then you can move to holding his paw, then cutting his nails.

I know that doesn't help too much if his claws need clipping now. Will your vet clip nails? Maybe if somebody else did it for now, then you could work on gaining his trust so next time you can do it yourself.

Hope that helps!

Rue

Simon is ok about being picked up, usually... it's touching his paws that seems to set him off. I've been practicing touching his paws (we did get through most of his toenails today in terms of clipping, but it was at the expense of a couple of nips. I have a feeling that he wasn't properly handled, wherever he came from. Olive doesn't really like having her nails clipped, either, but she's never nipped me to tell me so). I just kind of learned to motor on through it until he becomes so irascible that I have to stop.

I'm sure my vet would clip his nails, I just think it will be kind of spendy.

Thanks for the advice!