Grooming=mayhem!

[luvmyhunybuny]

I seriously hate/dread grooming 2 of my buns (both female, one spayed, one unspayed). The most issues are with my 4 month old unspayed girl (whom I will be getting spayed when she gets a bit older). She *loathes* being picked up. I mean she completely freaks the heck out. Once I get her situated it is still hell. She grunts, tries to bite and never settles down. Then when I put her down she goes after me or anyone who dare enter the room. It is maddening and makes me completely dread grooming her. I know she is right at the “I am hormonal so back off stage” but she has never been good about grooming time. Anyone have suggestions on making this a less stressful situation for the both of us?

[RabbitPam]

I get a lot of resistance, growling, running etc. from Samantha when it’s nail trim time. It’s hard when you have a longer haired rabbit that needs daily grooming. You need to establish a routine that she will accept.

I don’t know what state you live in, but if it’s California there are many more rescues that are good with giving advice and training on many issues with bunnies. Otherwise, I would make an appointment with your vet and request a hands-on lesson on how to groom her. Explain her hostile behavior, and ask if they would demonstrate the best way to catch, hold and groom her and then let you practice while they coach you. It may cost you, but I think hands-on demonstrations work best for learning a daily activity. Nail trims are less frequent so a bunny will get better with age and the security of knowing you, but the grooming for long hairs is so vital that I advocate a teacher. Rescues may be able to provide this on a visit as well.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

For nail clipping, I toss a blanket over Sam, scoop her up and flip her on her back. She doesn’t trance, but I can hold her securely (and keep a towel between my hand/clippers and her teeth, if need be). There is nothing fun about this, hah. She hates it, and is generally mad at me for a couple days. Although last time I ended it with a bunny massage like was posted in a thread a while ago, and it seemed to mellow her out a bit. For just brushing/general looking over, I toss a few pellets/couple craisins, oat/botanical hay/veggies whatever in front of her and do my thing. She stays preoccupied enough for it.

[Elrohwen]

Hannah will absolutely not let me pick her up. The technique I use is to get her into the carrier, then take her to the kitchen and let her out on the counter on a towel. As long as she has all four feet on the ground, she’s pretty good. One person wraps her in a towel and kind of holds her down (though she’s actually pretty good) while the other pulls her feet out and cuts the nails. She generally doesn’t need to be brushed, but it works much better this way than on the ground or trying to hold her. In generally Hannah really does like human touch, just as long as she doesn’t have to be picked up.

Does your girl like to be petted or have human contact at all? If she does, I think she’d be better if she could keep her feet on a counter or something. If she still squirms any time you try to pet or restrain her, it might just take trying as many different ways as you can think of until she settles down a bit.

[Eepster]

I always bribe Porky with a treat (carrot or parsley) right after nail clipping or anything else that requires being picked up. he has gradually gotten better about it. For regular combing, I do it on the floor without picking him up or holding him. he hops away occasionally, but he will usually come back after a minute or two.

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