Hey Moobunnay! The scruff should be avoided if at all possible as the skin does tear underneath quite easily.  It’s a pretty sensitive part of the bunny.  I would recommend pinning the shoulder blades down to the floor then scooping your bunny up the usual way, one hand under butt to primarily offer support, and the other with slight pressure with thumb & ring finger under front legs around the shoulder blades.  Here is some back-to-basics info on lifting.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-11/lift.html

Oh dear, I just asked a question like this a week ago…so the scruff is NOT a good place to lift from (even with support)?
Mimzy is almost impossible to remove from his night pen without bracing him by the scruff. I simply can’t get my whole upper torso in that door on his cage. I put my right arm around him and lift as much of his body as I can and just hold his scruff with my left to keep him from bolting off of my arm.

Perhaps using a towel or blanket to scoop him with might be an alternative?

I went ahead and printed it up. It is a great article and I can’t say most of it didn’t already occur to me, but like it says, I pick my bunnies up mostly to get them to the vet or back to their pens after exercise, so it’s probably a practice makes perfect issue.

MooBunnay don’t be embarrassed! There can be alot of confusing information out there even for rabbit-savvy people! I actually think this ended up being a great opportunity for us to all have refresher course!

http://www.rabbitcare.org/video.htm

I’ve always wanted to see this video from NY HRS done by Mary Cotter – I think it’s only on VCR though – I just emailed her to find out and I’ll let you know – going to order it if it does.

I do know Henri is a handful though. He’s definitely one tough bun when it comes to being picked up – I don’t think even the most experienced rabbit person would be able to control him easily for this.

She can burn it on a DVD – just would want to state it on your check – I just sent a check to get this – I’ll let you know what I think.

It was a good article. I used it to aid me with Rumball. I can pin the shoulders down and once I scoop at the hind end, he seems to stop the struggle straight away til I can secure him on my chest. It’s the bit when they know that they’re about to be picked up that’s tricky!

Although Mimzy IS difficult to herd into a pickup, I’d have to say it’s Fiver who is the worst when it comes to lifting. He is still so gunshy about being touched I have to chase him around his pen or the bed for about fifteen minutes before he tuckers out and can be handled at all.

Hello mimzmum, i found although difficult to do, if i put my arms out or try to put hand to shield their eyes they sort of freeze a bit and i can move in. Really hard to explain and to do but i read somewhere that their eyesight isnt as good as their hearing and smell so if they cant see way out they freeze rather than run,and if you sort of flap your arms looks bit like there is no gap for them to get through. Bit hit or miss though untill you get the nack. My bunny Georgie is really a bit shy at handling as she new and young, but have been doing the bunny trance thing on her everyday in the hope that it relaxes her and rubbing around her nose while she like that so she comes round with my sent on her, she does seem more happy to be touched since.

It is so funny though as they know we want to pick them up or touch them as my kids lie on the floor ignoring them playing with toys and the bunnies go over and sit with them etc, they even go over to my 7 month old who is flailing about on the floor being noisey, he squeal with laughter when they go past and puts his hands out to grab them and they still not scared of him. Also my cat sort of chases them and paws them (claws in) and they still keep running up to him. I was especially pleased last night as when i was petting peppa on floor georgie came over and put her nose next to her like it was her turn so i had to use both hands and do both was sooooo cute xx felt like i made progress x

i sometimes can pick up my bun and hold her for about 5 seconds, my husband can’t pick her up at all! however, when i left her at my mums house during our holiday, my sister said that one of her friends came over and was holding hershey as if it was the easiest thing in the world, giving her cuddles etc. wonder why? little brat runs away from us all the time!

When I have to catch the bunnies at the rescue I start off by petting them, then firmly hold them down by the shoulders (like I would if I was making them submit, but only for 2-3 seconds) and scoop them up with my other hand. I’ve never had a problem picking up any of the bunnies that way.

If they don’t want to be petted I skip that part, talk to them in a soothing voice, and proceed with the firm hold and scoop. If they wiggle a lot I hold them firmly to my chest, talk to them, and when they relax just the tiniest fraction I start stroking their head. That usually calms them down pretty quick.

I am thinking it’s time to put my very inventive husband to work coming up with a “bunny scoop” for assistance in lifting our very nervous and unsteady little fluff balls. I bet he could mold something form fitted out of Kydex and pad it with a terrycloth liner or something. *thinkthinkthink*
If it was sufficiently high sided, there would be little chance of bun flailing or hopping out of it as you scoop them towards your chest. Plus with the right balance and anchors, it won’t fall off the lifting arm. And it would leave your other hand free for pets, noserubs or just that firm pin technique.
I’m going to ask him to try and maybe volunteer the cats (or a stuffed animal) to test it. ^_^ They need a good scooping from time to time themselves, and they are much better at landing on their feet without injury in case it doesn’t work out.

I think we all just need a Banana Box. (I’d have to invent it, or get MM’s hubby to do it.) Ground up Banana, like the fruit chews, with a hole opening. Lure in bunny. shut trap and lift. Try to get bunny out of it once chewing begins.

Very similar to what I did with Mimzy when he first arrived, as he wouldn’t let anyone touch him. He was living out in the shed in the outdoor hutch and I would take the pet carrier and set it in there, wait for him to go in, shut the door and then tell him the “bunny-vator” was going up, ding at the top, then put it down on the grass outside, ding when I opened the door…lolz.

Now after giving him his medicine, my contrary little loppy wants me to sit and pet him for hours on end, stopping only long enough to feast on a few dried blueberries or his chewing star, or scratch his ears because the static from my hands is driving him nuts.

I get digs and nips if I don’t comply. ^_^