Bonding

[Melissa]

We got our bunny about 6 months ago now and she’s still pretty skittish. She’s a Netherland Dwarf and we did a lot of research in the beginning. Many places said that since it’s a small breed they tend to be more afraid of being held, approached etc. That made sense to us so we were very careful and tried to allow her to get more and more comfortable with being pet, held, etc. However, I’m afraid that we treated her too fragile because she still doesn’t seem to want anything to do with us, perhaps even more than before. It’s not that she’s afraid, because if I lay on the floor with her she’ll crawl all over me and she comes to food, calling, etc. She just does not want to be held or pet, ever. 

I guess I am just wondering if this is normal, or if she will become more comfortable? My biggest concern is nail trimming. I know it’s something we definitely should have done by now, but she just HATES being held. She will find any way to squirm out of it. We’d really like to avoid taking her to the vet to get it done, because we’re in college and don’t really have the spare money to do so. It’d be much simpler to be able to do it on our own but I’m not sure how much longer we can wait, I don’t want her nails to get too long. 

Any advice about getting her more comfortable or even just nail trimming would be appreciated. Thanks

[Rain]

Netherland Dwarfs in general don’t like being held! I have never held mine! Not once because of all his kicking! And nails oh my goodness! It’s best to take her to a vet or pet shop first so they can show you how to cut the nails. It shouldn’t cost you money but Incase it does just go to a pet store experienced with rabbits. It’s like trimming dog nails Incase you have had one.About the shyness you can sit with her in an enclosed area like in a dog pen or in a small room, and just sit there and allow her to sniff you all over. It’s best done by lying on your back. Most rabbits are curious creatures by nature so she will sniff you and climb all over you. Try spending time with her like this every day for a couple weeks to build trust with her. Mostly rabbits hate being pet or touched or held. But they will tolerate it once they can fully trust you. I understand because I have dealt with the same. It takes a year to really build a firm trusty relationship with a rabbit. If she approaches you but doesn’t like you coming to her maybe she is just a bunny who likes her space and doesn’t want to be touched. If you can’t go any other place to get her nails trimmed pick her up and put her on a higher raised platform from which she can’t jump off of. Then trim her nails. I hope this helps! If you still have questions feel free to ask!

[Moo <3]

Most rabbits dislike being picked up, whether they trust their owner or not. It’s their instinct! They’re prey animals, so I would avoid picking up your rabbit as much as possible, as this could just make them lose your trust. Picking up your rabbit, however, can be vital in emergencies, where you don’t have a lot of time. If your rabbit struggles a lot, she most likely doesn’t feel safe. How are you holding her? Most rescues/shelters supply free nail clipping, so if you live by any, try to visit one and ask for them to show you how to hold a rabbit to make them feel secure and how to trim their nails. Also, where are you petting her? Rabbits love to be pet on the forehead, ears, and sometimes the cheeks. However, some will run if you get near their feet, mouth, tail, and underside. Good luck!!

[Sirius&Luna]

My rabbits don’t like being held either, but they’ll come and sit on the sofa with us for strokes. You really have to let them decide I’m afraid. It’s not unusual at all for a rabbit to not want to be picked up.

When it comes to nail trimming, I’m just mean. I would rather get it over with in 5 minutes of stress for them, than drag it out for days making them suspicious every time I come near them. So I pick them up and hold them, and my boyfriend cuts. Luna chewed through the thick dressing gown I put on for nail trimming this weekend, but it was done in under 5 minutes, then she ran off with a stomp. I gave her a treat, and she was over it pretty soon. I’ve also found putting my hand over their eyes tends to calm them down for nail trimming, but it depends how confident you are carrying her whether you have a hand to spare.

[SaRa]

I tend to agree with the above comments. My rabbits at first would protest every time I picked them up. However, I found that positive reinforcement works well. Every time I would pick them up to do something like nail clipping or brushing or moving them, I would reward them with a small treat. This worked best with my girl bunny, she took to it in about 2 weeks and I no longer need to reward her every time. My boy bunny was a bit more stubborn and learned in about 1 month. <g class="gr_ gr_905 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="905" data-gr-id="905">Still</g> though, they tend to not enjoy being held up high for long periods of time.&nbsp;</p>

In regards to nail clippings, it’s best to have a buddy help you through it if you plan on doing this at home. I always ask my fiance to help. I found that making a “bunny burrito” makes the process quicker. This is where you wrap your bunny in a towel and hold one foot at a time to clip. Finally, I always place my hand over their heads and gently pet them while covering their eyes…I noticed this keeps them calm.  

Bunnies never enjoy getting their nails trimmed or having people messing with their little feet, so instead of dragging it out, I try to go about it as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible. 

[Melissa]

Thank you all so much! My friend had a super relaxed bunny who would let you do literally anything and I guess I thought that’s how they all behaved. Good to know that this is normal. I will definitely have my boyfriend help me when trimming her nails, hopefully we can figure out what works best for her. I do like the idea of the “bunny burrito” lol. Thanks again

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