Donnie hates to be handled! Change after neuter?

[nastooz]

Hi binkybuns! I got Donnie on Oct 10, and I’ve been so in love with him since  

Anyway, I read that most bunnies don’t like being picked up. BUT then I read about and see bunnies being cuddled or picked up easily, and it makes me a little jealous I understand that every bunny has different personalities, and I guess Donnie isn’t the cuddly type. He isn’t neutered yet, but I plan on when he’s old enough!
Donnie definitely HATES being picked up. I’ve tried different methods to train him, but I haven’t seen any results yet. He can tolerate petting. But sometimes when I gently try to pet him, he just moves away. 

Basically what I’m asking is..
– Did anyone here actually TRAIN their bunny to like being handled/picked up? If so, how did you do it? 
– Does neutering help with bunnies feeling okay to being handled/picked up? 

Thanks! Hope you have time to reply  

Here’s a pic of Donnie being a lazybum.. hehe. I post daily pics of him on my instagram @nastooz if you’d like to see more pics of my baby  

[Deleted User]

Hi nastooz! I’ll just tell you about me and Henry…. I got him with great intentions of cuddle times etc., and when I finally got him – for Mother’s day, lol… being soooo cute and little, I found he didn’t like being handled. (devasted face). I persisted, thinking he would get used to it, but no! Ended up with so many scratches (still got the scars) and every time I approached him he would run away. Doh, (sad face). I stopped trying to pick him up and had him desexed – only cause he kept spraying me and my dogs on my bed, and my vet said rabbits are much like cats and to treat them as such….? (huh? I never owned a cat!) Unlike dogs that I’m used too. Since then, no, I still don’t pick him up, but gee…. he is so approachable! When I wanna talk to him, I get down low and he doesn’t run away. Most times he lets me pat him, and the best part, he comes to me! Especially when I am in bed or like now on my computer sitting still, he is actually at my feet now. When he is laying and I walk past, he doesn’t move – I am no longer a threat to him trying to pick him up. I still have hope though – when he is 10 years old and to tired to run away, I will take advantage of my elderly bun and have heaps of cuddles then, ha hah! I have some pic’s of me and Henry having cuddles on my profile, taken when I first got him. You know what gets me???? Once he is on my lap, on his back getting a belly rub, he loves it! Dam Bunny! But I love him!!!!! And I’ll wait for him….. ha ha ha ha ha ha…

[nastooz]

Aww, Henry is adorable! Donnie sounds like he has a very similar personality. He’ll nip and wildly kick when I try to pick him up. I even try to bribe him with treats, but that never works. It will definitely does take some time! I guess I can be a little too eager. I can’t expect too much from Donnie But I will be patient like you, haha. Thanks!!!

[Deleted User]

Thank you! And Donnie (no I’m not being polite) is just adorable! No wonder you wanna cuddle him! I want tooooo!!!!! ha ha hah!

[Sindri]

I have two rabbits they hate being picked up. I can tell you that neutering didn’t change his personality at all. It changed with his hormonal behaviors that’s it. he loves to be petted and will sit by me and on my lap but will not tolerate being picked up. So I don’t think neutering will help with this. My other rabbit was held and handle a lot I could tell from when I got her. I have had her for a few months now and she has her own room now and since she was moved into it I can’t hold her . Others may have some training advice for you. I think there is another post on this type of topic here on the forums. Good luck!

[nastooz]

Okay, good to know! Thanks for sharing  

[LittlePuffyTail]

Most adult bunnies hate being picked up or cuddled in a restraining way. They are a prey animal so they are naturally fearful about being in a position where they have no control. Being picked up makes a lot of bunnies panic, since in the wild being picked up by another animal would mean death. Wild bunny behaviours are present in our domestic bunnies and we have to try to accommodate and accept them..

Both my buns, especially my lop, love being pet and cuddled but only on the floor. They will not cuddle in my arms or on my lap. Bindi is okay about being picked up for a short period, to carry him to his condo and such, but Olivia freezes up and sometimes pummels me when I pick her up.

There’s really no way to make your bun like being held since you can’t train away instincts. Just start enjoying your bun from where he’s comfortable. Floor snuggles are nice too.

 Your bun is super cute! I tell my buns that they are big teases because they look Iike stuffed toys but I can’t grab and cuddle them. 

[Hazel]

Donnie is adorable! Just wanted to point that out since I’ve got nothing to add to what has already been said.

AndHenry: When you put him on his back on your lap, you’re putting him into a trance. Most bunnies will react that way when put on their back, it’s an instinctual response to being grabbed by a predator. He’s essentially “playing dead”, it doesn’t actually mean he enjoys it. I’m sorry to tell you that because I don’t mean to ruin your cuddle time with him.

[mijOok]

omg Donnie is a total cutie that I would probably have trouble resisting to cuddle as well haha

But like what most people have said, some bunnies will tolerate being picked up but instinctively I don’t think any actually like it. That is different from not seeing you as a threat and will stay by your side or have floor cuddle time when you’re at their level. It’s not really a training tip, but I hand feed all my bun’s veggies as treats and sometimes I think he forgets he’s a prey animal when it comes to treats lol I get a lot of my quality time while hand feeding him since he won’t care to come onto my lap to eat and gets more used to my presence. Now he actually comes to greet me when I come into sight (even though it was probably in hopes of me carrying a treat), but I’ll just keep telling myself it’s just because he wants to see mommy

[LBJ10]

Yep, I agree with the others.

I did want to add that once he is neutered, it is not a bad idea to work with him so he tolerates being held a little better. Not to cuddle though. He most likely will never want to be cuddled like that. But it is helpful if he at least tolerates being held for necessities like clipping nails, etc. I have worked Leopold up to tolerating being held. What I did was I would scoop him up so he didn’t see it coming. Then I would hold him with his feet against my chest and me supporting his shoulders and butt. If he nipped (and yes he nips!), I would not let him have his way. He had to be calm first and then he would get a treat. Now if I pick him up, he doesn’t struggle and instead looks for his treat.

[Deleted User]

Hi Hazel – I knew that, ha ha ha…. took advantage of him, while I could, naughty me! But I don’t do it anymore, only that first 2 weeks when I found him to be way tooooo irresistible and was doing my research/getting info on my new bun. But on a serious note – on the chance I didn’t find that out – “thank you”! I love that if I am doing something wrong, someone is quick to help my out. Cheers.

[Lady Cardinal]

Annabel HATES being picked up but loves to be cuddled. LOL It’s the weirdest thing. She’ll greet me when she sees me coming to her cage to let her out but gives me a chase of a lifetime to pick her up. I’ve had guinea pigs before having a rabbit so I’m pretty use to having to deal with this routine all the time and just accept it. But you might be able to do something about the cuddling.

When you have him out and about, just lay on the floor and ignore him. He’ll become nosy and start checking you out and what you’re doing. I did this with Annabel when I got her. It allowed her to get comfortable with me on her own terms. Now she will plop onto my lap and demand to have her bunny massage. I also handle her a lot so she gets use to human contact. I think this has helped some since I got her young enough but I think she also has that natural cuddlebug in her.

Cute bun you have there.

[Muffinluv]

THAT FACE!

Oh my goodness what a cute little bun-bun you have there!

Really came to this party late, everything I could have to offer has already been said Hope everything works out someway for you!

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