About picking up a rabbit

[dwaco]

Hello! There are probably a lot of these threads but I just registered to this site so I’m a bit overwhelmed… Sorry if this has already been made!
Basically, I have a year old rabbit that refuses to be picked up. I’ve tried a few times but he won’t stop moving and trying to jump out. This makes grooming him and cutting his nails really tough. It’s mostly my fault for not wanting to cause him stress by picking him up every day since I got him But there’s nothing I can do about that now… So my question is, how do I get a year old rabbit to get somehow used to being picked up? Do I really just pick him up every day and give him treats after that? I don’t wanna stress him out

[FuzzBun]

Rabbits generally do not like being picked up. My bun is almost 3 years old and still it is a battle of wills between me and her when it comes to trimming nails. Really for the first bit of bonding with your rabbit its best to just sit on the floor with them and let them come to you….spend tons and tons and tons of time doing this. It may take awhile but rabbits are social and usually this will result in a very rich close relationship with your bun.

Even with a bonded human to rabbit relationship still don’t expect them to let you pick them up. Try to think of it as if it were reversed…would you like it if your just wanting to chill and relax and someone is constantly grabbing you up and packing you around? lol I know I would hate that…so I try to keep that in mind with my bun Then when you do need to trim nails etc…it may still be a battle of wills, your bun will still be ticked off…but able to get over it quickly cause they love you lol

[Wick & Fable]

Picking up rabbits involves some vital judgement calls. On one hand, no rabbit should really be picked up if an owner wants to be zero-stressed. But obviously the other hand is that rabbits do need to be picked up for various, important reasons.

Another thing is knowing a rabbit’s tolerance. Two owners can do pick up exposure, and one rabbit will get used to it, while the other will just get constantly stressed. Each rabbit has different tolerance levels, and knowing when you’ve reached the peak is key.

1 year isn’t too old to start trying. You wouldn’t be trying to pick him up 24/7, so don’t worry that you’re stressing him out too much. Maybe do two good attempts every day. The key is association. Right now, your rabbit associates being picked up with insecurity. He only gets down by flailing and moving around, which is not only scary for you, but probably worlds scarier for him. You need to associate positivity and security with being picked up. I think one of the best methods is refusing to put the rabbit down if it’s flailing initially, because you don’t want it to learn that flailing is the way it gets down. He/she needs to learn that you will put them down safely, and gently. This involves the owner being confident and exuding calmness, as well as keeping your arms firm, so they are stable resting pieces for your rabbit.

To begin, I’d say just try lifting him up a few inches, during which you lean over and put your chin on his head so he feels a bit of comfort, then place him back on the ground gently and praise him. Continue to take baby steps until you are taking him off the ground and into your arms. Once you get there don’t move around, and start with just standing in place, then setting him down. Again, try not to let him leave your arms/hands in a panic. When Wick was young and he would flail out at the last second, I’d actually grab him, pick him up a few centimeters, and set him down gently to reinforce “this is what will happen, so don’t freak out”.

Hopefully this helps youm

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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