Tips in picking up bunny

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 7sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 1 month ago by kbun.

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- 03/03/2015 at 12:41 AM
  kbun
  Participant
  62 posts
  The bunny we adopted from the shelter has always disliked being picked up. We’ve been trying to get him more used to it by picking him up (for nail cutting, emergencies, etc.). We’ve watched tons of videos, read forums, practiced at the vet, etc. This is the first time we’ve had a bunny so notably we are new at this, but we’ve tried to educate ourselves
  
  A few methods we’ve tried:
  
  – The towel method the vet showed us (spreading a towel around him and wrapping him in it like a burrito) – worked, but now as soon as he sees us with the towel, he flees. Doesn’t seem like it’ll work any longer…
  
  – We always pick him up sitting on the ground so he doesn’t get hurt when he tries to flee
  
  – I always try to support his hind legs
  
  – I bribe him with treats before and after (now when he senses we are trying to bribe him in order to pick him up, he doesn’t go for treats. I’m often impressed how he senses it! Perhaps because he senses our nerves…)
  
  – We try to cover his eyes so he doesn’t flail quite as much
  
  – Recently, he hurt his foot when he tried to run from us — vet said it was bad luck as it looks like his nail got caught on a rug — unfortunately, this obviously makes me more worried about hurting him
  (see my posting here: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/136521/Default.aspx)
  
  I know getting him more used to being picked up seems to be the right move, but I’m worried that it’s traumatizing him. He has peed outside his litter box the last few times we tried to pick him up — once we didn’t even attempt to pick him up, but he sensed it and peed in fear, it seems
  
  He loves being pet and we give him plenty of love through that. I don’t mind not being able to hold him ever, but know that we need to learn how to do that for nail cutting and emergencies (so far, we’ve taken him to someone to get his nails cut every time).
  
  We’re making a little bit of progress, but it is slow going. More than anything, hoping to get some advice/confirmation that trying to get him used to it is still the right thing to do.
- 03/03/2015 at 9:53 PM
  Megabunny
  Participant
  2041 posts
  Yikes! Sounds like you’ve tried every trick in the book. Maybe someone will come up with THE trick, but that’s one nervous bun! The smartest thing I think I like hearing is that you’re staying close to the ground, though some people find putting them up on a table throws them for a loop just long enough to do what they have to, but that could backfire on you. Maybe you just need to pick him up when the time comes. I don’t know if you can easily ever get them to really accept it if they’re that set against it.
  Anyone else with a better answer? I hope so! 😉
- 03/03/2015 at 10:53 PM
  kbun
  Participant
  62 posts
  Thanks for the response, Megabunny. Good to know I’m not missing something obvious.
  
  I tried again tonight – it was the first time I managed to pick him up and set him down without him escaping from my arms. This was not without its struggles – he scratched my arm through my shirt and he made these sad whimpering noises (
  
  The key seemed to be covering his eyes – once I properly did that, he stopped struggling, and I was able to release him gently on the floor.
  
  The difficulty for me is I’m using my hands/arms just to try to keep him in place, and find it difficult to do that and cover his eyes at the same time. Seems like I need my boyfriend to help be an extra set of hands. I imagine that handling him will always be a 2-person task. Any other tips appreciated!
- 03/06/2015 at 10:35 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  The best thing for me was using this method-I don’t even know how to describe it right. I’m not picking them up by their body (usually people scoop their belly and try to support the hind legs)
  but I put one hand under their front paws and one under their back-so they are literally standing on my hands. They love it and don’t move at all.
  
  If we walk I hold them close but they are literally standing on my hands.
- 03/07/2015 at 8:14 PM
  JackRabbit
  Participant
  5451 posts
  I can pick my lops up like KandK described — its kindof like you would pick up a ball of bread dough! If I were going to carry mine around, I would shift from “bread dough” to my nail clipping hold except their rear end and back legs would be between my elbow and my side for support leaving a free hand to cover the eyes in case of bunny wiggle.
- 03/13/2015 at 12:53 AM
  Thump
  Participant
  60 posts
  When holding the front legs, I like to spread my fingers around the legs to get a good grip. My thumb is around the outside of one leg and my middle finger wraps around the other. Does that make any sense? If they kick they dont go anywhere.
  
  As long as you know how to pick up bunnies, I suggest holding them standing up. They are aware of the distance and are much less likely to kick and struggle because they know they will fall. If a bunny knows he is close to the ground, he will put up fight and will kick and struggle til he escapes simply because he knows he can.
- 03/13/2015 at 1:29 AM
  kbun
  Participant
  62 posts
  Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’ve picked him up a few more times since. I now can keep a good grip on him, with his eyes covered. Our problem now is figuring out how to maneuver each of his feet out in a nail cutting. When we took him to get his nails cut, the volunteer there picked him up and put him on a towel. We haven’t managed to use a towel because as soon as he sees it, he bolts. Our plan is to x-pen off an area (so he can’t run when he sees the towel), and try to pick him up onto a towel.
  
  Unfortunately, my boyfriend is still very hesitant – he is nervous about where to cut the nails, and has not been very helpful so far in terms of learning how to pick him up. He seems to think we can just continue to look for someone to cut his nails. My argument to him is that, this service may not exist and bringing the bunny there is a little traumatizing as well. I’d rather learn how to do it ourselves (if possible).
  
  The “bread dough”-like method above sounds a little advanced, but may try that when I feel more comfortable!
  
  I’m still hesitant to pick him up standing up or away from the floor given he still struggles – but since I cover his eyes, I suppose that has the same effect?
  
  Thank you, all! Still trying…
- 03/13/2015 at 1:29 AM
  kbun
  Participant
  62 posts
  (accidentally double-posted, so deleted this one).
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