Tips on picking up rabbit (only when necessary)

[MiNinoJack]

I was commenting on another thread and my big fear came to light – picking up my bun Jack!

He HATES it and really struggles and I don’t want to stress him out or (god forbid) hurt him. I understand why he hates to be picked up and will never do it to “cuddle.” If I’m picking him up its because its necessary – either to get him to the vet or in some sort of emergency situation. I’m worried that one day I’ll have to pick him up and will be unable to. I want to learn for his safety. 

I’ve tried a lot of things and I just don’t know how to build my confidence and let him know I mean no harm. I only try right now when we are both on the floor so the distance is small and while we’re relaxed an cuddling. I’ll kneel and put my hand on his bum and try to scoop with my other hand supporting his front. I want try to secure his legs so he can’t kick, but I just can never seem to get there. 

I tried a suggestion by Jerseygirl last night (thank you!) and I failed. He was kicking a lot and I put him down before he could get hurt. Once on the ground he immediately turned around for pets and kisses – so he wasn’t scared or mad at me. He trusts me – he just wanted me to let go. 

Any suggestions from the BinkyBunny hive-mind? I can’t be the only one with this problem. 

Thank you!

[tobyluv]

I have a lot of trouble with that too, especially with my two current rabbits. They really kick and flail and I’m terrified that they will get hurt. I know that you should hold them tightly up against you, but mine go into a panic as soon as my hands go around them and I start to lift. I have found that the safest thing is to have a carrier right beside them, on the rare instances when I need to pick them up. That way, they are in the carrier almost immediately, and I only have to lift them a few inches – almost before they realize what is happening.

There are various You Tube videos showing proper picking up and holding techniques, plus articles on websites. Here is one article: http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/handling.asp.

[Vienna Blue in France]

One small step at a time and repetition, little and often. So when you’re on floor with him, put a hand under one front paw, then take away, then again, gently, calmly and again and again and swap paws and then bit by bit put hand under tum, and remove and reput and remove. Desensitivise him to the hand going under belly.

The thing I’ve worked out to do with Zou (just to move her a couple of inches to try to get her used to it) is to kneel in front of her and stroke her (of course! lol) then I (subtley) cover her face up with the whole of my right hand (thumb and forefinger on opposite sides of eyes if you like, massaging with fingers so she concentrâtes on the head contact and can’t work out what I’m doing with the other hand). Then with left hand, stroke her neck and back and CONTINUING contact (important! just like a good human massager, one hand always remains on body), ‘scoop’ her under her belly, lifting her up literally just to clear her feet, no more, (at the SAME time slightly making my right hand much firmer around her eyes/nose) and swing her around a few inches (left hand palm up under her belly). I put her down gently, remove left hand and continue massaging with right hand… she almost doesn’t realise I’ve done anything….

Sort of a “bunnyface burrito with a hand”! Any looseness and they’ll feel there is room for movement and try for freedom.

My mum swears by wrapping a baby up tight(ish!) (arms down by side of body) to make them go to sleep on her shoulder…. they feel secure and safe.
It’s most likely the same thing. Comfort in bondage….

Good luck !

[MiNinoJack]

The thing I’ve worked out to do with Zou (just to move her a couple of inches to try to get her used to it) is to kneel in front of her and stroke her (of course! lol) then I (subtley) cover her face up with the whole of my right hand (thumb and forefinger on opposite sides of eyes if you like, massaging with fingers so she concentrâtes on the head contact and can’t work out what I’m doing with the other hand). Then with left hand, stroke her neck and back and CONTINUING contact (important! just like a good human massager, one hand always remains on body), ‘scoop’ her under her belly, lifting her up literally just to clear her feet, no more, (at the SAME time slightly making my right hand much firmer around her eyes/nose) and swing her around a few inches (left hand palm up under her belly). I put her down gently, remove left hand and continue massaging with right hand… she almost doesn’t realise I’ve done anything….

This is GREAT advice! I already pet him that way sometime and I feel like this is something I can work up to. Thank you!

And Tobyluv – the carrier being nearby is good, but my bun is so damn smart. He always knows what my plan is and does his best to do the opposite. Last night I chased him around for an hour an a half trying to get him back in his condo. I got home super late and he missed his run time so I thought I would let him out for 30 minutes. It turned into 2 HOURS (at 1 am) of me chasing him and wishing I could just pick him up. And by “chase” i mean follow him around in a circle slowly on my hands and knees while he binkied and jumped around shaking his head and laughing at me while darting back for head rubs.

I was thinking about this thread the whole time hoping you all had some great advice (and you do – yay!).

It was cute to see him so happy to evade me though.

[Azerane]

Confidence comes with time and repetition and you will get there. Bandit was a complete flail bunny in the first few months I had him. Every time I picked him up he would kick and try to climb up over my shoulder (with a lot of strength). It taught me that I had to be able to control the situation and I learned very quickly to make handling an efficient process in that situation.

Can he jump into his condo on his own? I also recommend training the word bedtime. I started with it by having a feed time during run time and feeding in the cage while repeating the word bedtime. Bandit picked up on that pretty quick and would run to his condo when I said it to wait for a treat

After I was able to start proper training for handling I found a technique that worked really well for Bandit and me. It’s very similar to what Vienna suggested. Kneel down in front of your bunny with their head facing you. Pet them so they’re happy I’m right handed so used my left hand to pet the head, while petting along the full length of his back with my right hand. Use this as a way to get your rabbit used to contact around/under the butt area and along their side. Lots of petting sessions help with this. Initially you can just try lifting up the butt a tiny amount at the end of a long pet down the back. And you can also lift just the front as well while petting, it’s good to repeat both of these separately and frequently in short sessions. To lift the front end, I would split the fingers of my left hand around the front left leg (two in front, two behind), and my thumb would curl up over the shoulder to the back of the neck. I found it to be a nice secure hold. So onto the actual picking up. You’re petting the head with your left hand, down the back and butt with the right hand. Having practiced both holds you should be able to scoop both ends at the same time (left hand around the leg, and right hand scooping the butt from behind). It’s very important that your right arm is laying along the length of your rabbit’s left side when you scoop, because when you scoop you also want to tilt your bunny (very slightly) onto your right arm. It doesn’t take much, just a slight rotation which puts your rabbit’s weight against your arm instead of suspended in mid air. I found this part really key for helping with Bandit, I don’t recall where I read or heard about it, but it was amazing the difference it made for us. I practiced this step many times, scooping and tilting onto my arm, holding it for longer periods of time each time I did it (only a few cms off the ground). You don’t even need to pick up and then tilt, you can just tilt them onto your arm then lift. Practicing a lot and using very short times frames initially will help your rabbit to learn that he will be put down again each time. Once you’ve mastered the scoop and tilt, you can draw him in to the hold. Pull back so that his head tucks against your right side, then you can move his body against your stomach. This results in the face being covered by your arm, body supported by your right arm, and you can release your left hand and place it on top if you like. Once you’re good at it, it’s a useful one-handed hold for when you need to open a door or something similar. Once again though, practice this hold close to the ground until you get used to it, as it’s not uncommon for a sneaky bunny to just push their little face out the back of your arm and escape that way. I really don’t know if that makes any sense, it’s very tough to describe a hold. Really the main point is that your arm supports the length of the body and butt, and your other hand has a hold of the opposite front leg under the chest. I can try to illustrate it if you would like a better guide.

Edit: Wow, sorry for the super long paragraph

Edit #2: The technique I’m trying to describe is shown in this YouTube video, it starts at 4:25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXdvtNwAPk although of course feel free to watch through the video for the other techniques.

[cinnybun2015]

I actually really needed this! I don’t have tips due to the fact that Chom simply will NOT tolerate being picked up. I’ve gotten several scratches, but I don’t blame him, and I feel so terrible every time I have to pick him up to move him.

[MiNinoJack]

Can he jump into his condo on his own?

Oh yes. Its only 2 inches off the floor. He knows when its time for bed. He just didn’t care! Haha. I think he was punishing me for coming home late. He usually gets to come out on his own around 5 pm and stays out until 10 ish or later if I’m feeling like staying up a little late. I let him usually decide his bedtime. After about 3-4 hrs out he decides its time to go in and stares at me until I give him his nightly pellets. He’s one spoiled bun.

It’s very important that your right arm is laying along the length of your rabbit’s left side when you scoop, because when you scoop you also want to tilt your bunny (very slightly) onto your right arm. It doesn’t take much, just a slight rotation which puts your rabbit’s weight against your arm instead of suspended in mid air. I found this part really key for helping with Bandit, I don’t recall where I read or heard about it, but it was amazing the difference it made for us.

Great point. Thank you!

I really don’t know if that makes any sense, it’s very tough to describe a hold.

It does! I was moving my hands into the positions your described in the air. I must look like a nut. Thanks for the video!

And yay Cinnybun! I’m glad more than just me is having this issue

[LBJ10]

Confidence. Yep, the real deal comes with time. But it’s important to “fake it” in the beginning. When you pick them up, but have to at least act confident. Do it firmly and quickly so they don’t have time to think about it. With Leopold, I will usually pet him first. Then I grab his sides and lift before he has time to react. I turn him so his feet are on my chest as I hold him close to my body. I think being able to look over my shoulder helps.

[Q8bunny]

MNJ: It’s not just you. Chewie has radar and knows my intentions before I can get near him. Luckily he’s also a hungry orphan who’ll get in his carrier at the slightest whiff of food. I did LOL when you described your “chase” though – I could totally see it.

Anyhoo… as soon as I get home, we’re going to start working on the two techniques described by Vienna and Azerane.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Tilt and scoop, tilt and scoop, tilt and scoop !!! I’m going to try it….
Don’t worry MNJ I reread Azerane’s (very well described!) text several times and was doing air movements too !!

[Vienna Blue in France]

Jersey – that bun in the video is sooooooo used to being handled – you could pick him up anyway – and also, WHO already has their bun on a table anyway? LOL

[Vienna Blue in France]

And I zapped on youtube to the same pair asking “which breed is best” (have you seen it too?), the little lionhead starts humping his neighbour !!! ROFL !!

[Q8bunny]

Vienna: Your “tilt and scoop” reminds me of the bend and snap from Legally Blonde

[Vienna Blue in France]

I don’t think “tilt and scoop” is valid for bunnies whose nose ends up in your armpits when you attempt it !! :crazy;

[MiNinoJack]

Trying the tilt and scoop later today! I already apologized to my poor boy in advance haha.

And yes – Vienna Blue – I thought of the Bend and Snap from Legally Blond too!

Q8bunny – He was so funny! It was hard for me to be mad at him for playing. It’ll teach me for staying out too late playing poker. I should be home playing with him!

I love all the tips in this thread. I hope we all learn how to properly handle our buns!

[Q8bunny]

At least we can all agree that our buns have all learned quite quickly how to effectively handle us. LOL

[Azerane]

Looking forward to seeing how everyone progresses with handling their bunns

[MiNinoJack]

UPDATE: I performed a successful tilt and scoop last night! He was facing my right and I leaned over and put my right arm along his side away from me, and while petting him with my left I tilted and quickly scooped him onto my lap while sitting on my knees so that he was against my belly and his head was under my right elbow. He didn’t feel super secure so I probably wouldn’t have stood up if I needed to without adjusting, but I could see putting him in his carrier from that position.

I let him go and he shook himself off and I gave him a treat and all was well. I’ll keep practicing. Thank you!

[Q8bunny]

Well done! I’m so envious now… I have serious bunny-scooping anxiety.

[MiNinoJack]

So did I! Jack just seemed to be in the right mood and I just took a deep breath and didn’t think about it too much. Moving quickly was key.

He loves to cuddle on the floor so he was fine with me adjusting into the right prep position. Then I did it before he realized. He didn’t even seem mad afterwards.

Like I said – it wasn’t perfect. I wouldn’t have been able to walk with him because I think he would have wiggled out, but its a start at least.

Just do it!!! Your bun will forgive you.

[Azerane]

That’s awesome I’m so glad you had some success with it! Just being able to get started and do it is part of it, you’re right that you can think about it to much before hand. Keep it up and I’m sure you’ll have it sorted in no time and both you and Jack will be pros at it

[MiNinoJack]

Jack is judging me hard this morning for my picking him up goals. 

He says I should find something better to do with my time. Like taking a nap. He sets such a good example. 

[Brambino]

Jack is so cute! He looks so chilled out, like he’d have no objections to being carried like a baby! :p

I have a little tip but it’s only possible with Nethies/very small buns. With Bramble, I stroke her head quite firmly and cover her eyes a little. This really helps for some reason (Dominance thing?)
Little edit after practising the pick up I realised my post gave me too many finger!

Anyway, Then I cup both hands so my thumbs are near her head and little fingers near her back legs. I put my thumbs on her shoulders, my forefinger in front of her front legs, my two middle fingers lift her underbelly and I put my little fingers right at the back of her back legs. This means all of her legs are pinned when I lift her and she feels very secure.

Then I reshuffle her (not helpful I know, sorry) holding her close to my body for support. I put her bum on my left hand and her front legs on my left forearm leaving my right hand free to hold her against me/open doors.

Every time i pick her up, and she is comfortable, I give her a raisin. Pick up without fuss = raisin.

Occasionally, when I get my hands into position she runs off but I just let her and try again later.

Sorry, I know for bigger buns this is a complete no go!

Good luck with Jack!!

[Q8bunny]

Well, we tried the tilt and scoop at rug level today. Not ideal. Chewie crawled up and over my shoulder and ran to hide under the sofa. I don’t think he appreciated it, especially after my not sharing the leftover mooshu chicken I was having for breakfast with him.

[MiNinoJack]

Wow. Over your shoulder that’s impressive!

I had a less successful tilt and scoop yesterday. He wriggled out and then demanded a treat. Will keep trying until it gets easier.

[Q8bunny]

The furball spends a lot of time on my right shoulder. He perches there and leans his cheek against my jaw. ?

[Author]

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