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Forum BEHAVIOR Reduce panic attacks while being held

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    • mia
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        Is there any way to reduce panic attacks while the bunny is being held? I can calm them down to not struggle as much but not having much luck on the hyperventilating. I’ve tried holding closer to my body, covering eyes/ears with hands, covering eyes/ears with the inside of my elbow, nose rubs, holding more upright vs horizontal, putting my chin or checks on head, treats (even though treat motivated, treats are always refused while being held and also while in the crate), deep breathing with them, and of course talking to them and telling them I’m not going to eat them. Any other suggestions? None of these seem to work/make any improvement with one.


      • bunnyfriend
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          I have the same problem with Wilbur, although she’ll accept craisins but it doesn’t help. She tries to jump out of my arms no matter how secure I try to make her, I’m so worried she’s going to get hurt but I need to be able to pick her up safely.


        • Stickerbunny
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            What seems to work best with my buns is holding them against my chest, while keeping my own heartbeat even and talking soothingly. But I don’t think you can ever completely calm down a bun that is nervous about being held, which I can’t blame them… I am scared to death of heights and nothing can completely calm me either. lol


          • Joyfull_music
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              I make like a nest with a towel when I hold her. It seems to help, and it puts something between me and her claws when she decides it is time to go. She will also nip and push the towel around a bit, which seems to let out some of her anxiety/frustration. Again on something other then me.


            • Zap
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                For Remmy I hold him in two places-front paws/chest area and holding his fat butt- and rub his forehead with my chin. It doesn’t always work but it usually does, at least long enough for whatever I needed to pick him up for.  And of course the minute I put him down he goes right for the phonebook!


              • mia
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                  Posted By Joyfull_music on 09/11/2011 11:26 AM

                  I make like a nest with a towel when I hold her. It seems to help, and it puts something between me and her claws when she decides it is time to go. She will also nip and push the towel around a bit, which seems to let out some of her anxiety/frustration. Again on something other then me.

                  What do you mean by a nest? Burrito or…?


                • bunnyfriend
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                    Joyfull_music, I’m going to try your towel method it sounds like it will make my bun more comfortable and secure feeling. And save my arms ;P


                  • Monkeybun
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                      None of my buns like the burritos, but sometimes they will deal with just a towel to snuggle in, that they can chew and dig at when they get annoyed while holding them


                    • peppypoo
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                        It might help to start from the very beginning, to get them more used to being on you. My bunny Milo didn’t like to be held at all at first, but I went back to the beginning with him and first just got him accustomed to being on my lap by giving him treats and pets at the same time…then I worked on things from there. Now, he still doesn’t love being held, but he doesn’t freak out as much as he did before.

                        By the way, I love your bunnies’ names…I had a man tou for breakfast this morning actually! With pork sung, yummy


                      • mia
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                          Posted By peppypoo on 09/11/2011 05:23 PM

                          It might help to start from the very beginning, to get them more used to being on you. My bunny Milo didn’t like to be held at all at first, but I went back to the beginning with him and first just got him accustomed to being on my lap by giving him treats and pets at the same time…then I worked on things from there. Now, he still doesn’t love being held, but he doesn’t freak out as much as he did before.

                          By the way, I love your bunnies’ names…I had a man tou for breakfast this morning actually! With pork sung, yummy

                          Make sure you eat the right ones, not my bun! =)

                          Mantou is the one with severe panic attacks. He is OK on the floor with me hugging him but when his feet are on me, even if I’m on the floor, the attacks start. I tried putting him on my chest while I was on the floor, no go. When he hops off, he’s immediately OK.


                        • Elrohwen
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                            Hannah is extremely bad about being held and even the experienced vet techs almost drop her every time. I’d just learned to do things without picking her up – for nail trims we place her on the counter and one person holds her down with a blanket over her back while the other one trims. For meds, I can hold her between my knees. I wish I could pick her up and get her to settle down, but I’ve just tried to work around it because she gets so frantic.

                            For Otto, I just try to hold him until he’s still before setting him down – he definitely struggles more if I’ve put him down after struggling recently. Not sure how to keep him from hyperventilating though – he lets us pick him up, but he’s never going to like it.


                          • Joyfull_music
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                              By nest I mean just having the towel draped over my arms so she can sit in it while I hold her. Not the burrito. We only do that to clip her claws.


                            • bunnytowne
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                                I did similar to what peppy poo did.

                                However I picked cotton up once in my arms gave him a treat.   Also I would tell him  pick you up so he would know what is going to happen and it wouldn’t be so sudden

                                You  may  not be able to do that with your bunny just yet.  Keep workin on it if holding in your lap is most productive than holding bunny do that.   Whatever works best start with that.

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                            Forum BEHAVIOR Reduce panic attacks while being held