Not A Cuddle Bunny!

[nicolex198]

I’ve had my bunny for about 5 months now, his name is Bandit. He is a dutch rabbit ( as you can see from the picture below). He is very friendly, I never knew rabbits were so friendly until I got him! He kisses me, runs around me when I get into his playpen because he’s so excited, etc. The only thing is, as much as I was hoping for him to be comfortable with me to let me pick him up, he isnt. At first when I got him he would hop into my lap and let me pet him, he would jump into his carrier to go from his cage to his playpen, but now he wont do any of that. Is there any way I could ever get Bandit to allow me to pick him up when I need to? I tried recently and he actually went to bite me-that was a first!!! After that I haven’t tried because I don’t want to aggravate him to the point where he wont trust me to even come near me. I’ve read that some rabbits will never allow people to pick them up, so I was just curious to know if there’s anyway for me to maybe work with him to get him comfortable to letting me pick him up. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

[Sarita]

Oh, he’s adorable. As a rule rabbits do not like to be picked up – they are prey animals and it is scary for them to be off the ground.

What you might do is try getting on the ground and let him come to you. Rabbits are naturally curious – he may end up climbing on you and over you on the ground. I doubt though that he will ever really enjoy you picking him up.

If you do need to pick him up, put your hand under his chest and have your other hand scoop up his butt – I would practice picking him up on the floor until you feel comfortable doing this..

Also – were you trying to pick him up in his cage or condo or playpen? Rabbits can be very territorial so perhaps that’s why he bit you – he was warning you that you are in his territory.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

What a gorgeous bunny!!
Kokanee hated being picked up when we first got her, and she REFUSED to be held. But we kept picking her up and we kept trying to hold her. We made a point to pick her up all the time not just when we were putting her back in her cage. This helped get her used to it.

As Sarita said, lay on the ground! This always works, your bunny thinks “what the ***” and comes over to see what you are doing (maybe eating carrots) and might hop on you.

Ensure you are holding her correctly. Try sitting on the ground and holding her….Less height may make this better for bunny.

Try giving her treats while you hold her. (not too much of course!!)

Give her head /nose rubs while you hold her! Bunnies love having their nose, cheeks, behind the ears, ears and ear joints (? where the ear meets the head) rubbed. If you haven’t found this out yet, try it while shes on the floor. When you find what she loves best do it while you hold her! And don’t be surprised when she grinds her teeth…this is a bunny purr!

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Kokanee and Sarita gave you very good advice.

A lot of bunnies don’t like being picked up and will scratch, but biting is much more painful! If your bun doesn’t like it that much, it’s probably best not to put him through the stress of picking him up unless it is necessary.

Is bandit neutered? It tends to reduce aggressiveness in males.

And I must say – your bunny is absolutely gorgeous. Very unique color patterns and beautiful blue eyes!

[poopy]

Welcome to the club, my Medusa will never be comfortable with me picking her up.

[nicolex198]

Thank you all for your quick responses! I have been able to pick him up a few times since I’ve gotten him, but as of late he will not let me whatsoever. I wanted to just keep practicing doing it to get him comfortable but I had read online a few places that if you keep doing it when they don’t like it, its possible that they will just begin to ignore you all together because they think you are going to try to pick them up. Thats the last thing I want! I sit/lay with him all the time and he just runs around and around me in joy and stuff hehe. He loves his little cheek rubbed, he’ll lay his head down on the floor and close his eye when I do it. I guess I’ll just have to accept the fact that he doesn’t like being picked up! I don’t want to stress the little guy!

& thanks you everyone for complimenting him! I was surprised when I got him home and realized his blue eyes! He’s such a good bunny.

[Toki+Pumpkin+Elmo]

When I first got Pumpkin, she didn’t like to be picked up either. But now she LOVES IT! I can hold her and go to places and she sits in my arms like a dog.
Before, she started kicking as soon as I pick her up. I found that if I put her up against my chest, she stops kicking. You have to be very fast about it though. If you are not confinent, your bunny will run away or start to protest. Just grab your bunny firmly, with confidence, and put her up against your chest. Support her butt with one hand and pet her with the other hand. This is how I calmed down Pumpkin when I could tell that she’s stressed, mostly breathing fast.

[nicolex198]

I try to be confident but Im so scared Im going to hurt him! Especially after doing my research before I got him and learning that they can break their own spine if you dont pick them up right and they wiggle and hurt themselves! On top of that, he always scratches up my arms when I do get him. I just dont want to hurt or stress him. I want to be able to pick him up though, especially incase I ever need to take him to the vet or something for an emergency, I dont want him to protest because then it would be hard to get him there!

[Gravehearted]

ooh my goodness he is SUPER cute! yes – as other have mentioned many bunnies hate to be picked up. we’re huge and high off the group. i think they also hate not having control when we’re holding them. it’s always a good idea to be careful with lifting and holding for exactly the spine problem you said. Acting confident will help for sure. I know that some people have had success trying to pick up several times a week and offering a treat as a reward.

[Floppy]

What a beautiful ahem I mean Handsome bunny…as for picking bunnies up, like the others have said
they dont like being picked up- When I took Floppy to get neutered the vet asst. asked me to pick
Floppy up so that he can be weighed, I was nervous and he knew I had never really done it (and to
my defense, I know bunnies don’t like to be picked up so I am not going to go running around chasing
him to pick him up!!!) I just lay on the ground and hang out with him and he hops on me and we just
chill out…the vet tech was almost scolding me like I was some uninformed bunny owner– I was kind of
upset but it was 1) wayy to early for me to be in a nasty mood and 2) I was to nervous about Floppy
getting neutered to throw a fit. Anyway, he told me basically that I should try to pick him up often
so that I am used to doing it. It’s something that i’ve yet to do and I doubt I will be doing it much…
when I trim his nails I usually have my bf hold him in a towel.

[nicolex198]

Aw Floppy! I would be so mad if someone made me seem like I didn’t know what I was doing owning a bunny! That wasn’t right of them to do at all!! & thank you for the compliment about Bandit, your bun is so cute as well! =]

 

 

& just to inform everyone who offered me their opinions & help, I gave Bandit a blanket and he lays in it and nestles his nose inside to get comfy, & then licks my hand while I pet him! I just lay on the floor with him when he does this. Then I got him all comfy in the blanket & slowly picked him up with the blanket to put him on my lap & he layed there while I was petting him! So hopefully I can gradually work with him & he will become comfortable! I’ll keep everyone updated! Thanks again.

[osprey]

We took DJ in to the vet recently for his yearly checkup and to have a small swollen area on his lip checked (turned out to be nothing important).  The vet tech was an older lady and when the time came to take DJ out of the carrier and up on to the table, she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck!  As far as I know, he has never been picked up that way before.  I was not pleased.  After that, when she needed to weigh him or the doc needed to look in his mouth, I lifted him and held him.

 

[nicolex198]

Yeah I didn’t think you were supposed to pick them up like that! I’ve always heard to pick them up by supporting their body, becuase if you had them scruffed and they struggle they can hurt themselves. I wouldn’t have been very happy either! Out of all people vets. should know how to pick up an animal they work with!

[5cats1bun]

none of my vets have ever done that to rocky. I did just look it up and couldn’t find anything negative saying not to though.glad you beauty bun is starting to cuddle more (blanket thing sounds like a good trick) I have one bun that every week I have to pick him up & force hold him which I hate cuz he needs his teeth cut. one of the other buns doesn’t mind being picked up cuz he like cuddles and i think he associates the 2 together. 2 hate it and the runt is tolerant of it,

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

I heard that you’re not supposed to pick them up by the scruff.

I’m taking Frankie for his first vet visit tomorrow. I’m a bit nervous about it!

[nicolex198]

That’s what I’ve always read/heard as well! I can’t imagine it being good when they are capable of breaking their own spine if they struggle too much. They need the support from us when we pick them up, they aren’t cats! lol Good luck with Frankie at the vets! =] Im sure he’ll do fine! Let me know how it is! I still haven’t taken Bandit =\

[BinkyBunny]

A bunny that likes to be picked up is rare. I would say some tolerate it very well, but really, as far as enjoying it, it’s uncommon. I do know that at the shelter, when one comes in that loves to be held, all the volunteers take that opportunity to cuddle cuddle cuddle. I know I take advantage of that as much as I can since I know it doesn’t happen often.

It is true that some bunnies will begin to not trust you if you force holding them all the time, and some may even become aggressive. I think that at least getting a bunny to tolerate it will help with nail trims, and for times when you must get a hold of him or her.  But that means you still have to gain her/his trust that you won’t drop him/her.   Also, be sure to spend some some time with your bunny afterwards on the floor with treats and love so he can not see you as a scary threat.

I am actually putting together a video that shows different ways to pick up a bunny, but for now here is a great video that should be of help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=394WrfWmXKE

I have to pick up Bailey every single day to wash her bootie and give her medicine. She is very used to it and hangs out very calmly, but if she had the choice, she would rather be on the ground. She would never come up on my lap and hope to be held. I find great joy in hanging out with them on the ground.

[BinkyBunny]

OH, I also forgot to mention that the change from being more friendly to now, showing even some aggression could also be due to reaching sexual maturity. I noticed in your profile that your bunny is about 5 months and is not neutered. This is a typical time for this change to happen. Are you planning on getting him neutered?

[nicolex198]

That’s really all I want is for him to be comfortable with me picking him up incase he needs to go to the vets or something. I know he will never like being picked up off the ground & I dont blame him! He likes to sit in my lap in a little blanket and let me pet him which is good, I consider that our cuddle time! I already have cut his nails & I did it without having to pick him up. As you can see from the picture of him laying with his feet out (on the first post), Im able to actually get on the floor with him and just hold his little feet and cut his toenails. He’s great with that!

I was thinking the same about him reaching maturity. He has only gone to nip me once and thats it , so his agression isn’t bad at all! & that incident is partially my fault becuase I had botherd him right after he had woken up =[ so I think he was a bit cranky as well. But I was thinking of getting him neutered to avoid the urine spraying and other bad habits that come along with an unneutered bunny, but I don’t think Im going to. I don’t plan to ever get another rabbit while I have Bandit so I don’t have to worry about unexpected little babies! Unless it is recommended by a vet and it is in his best interest to get him neutered, I don’t plan on it.

What are your opinions on this? =] Thanks for all your help!

[Sarita]

I recommend that you get him neutered whether or not you have to worry about babies. Neutering will help to keep his litter box skills good as well as help with the urine odor. It will also help in the long run with the urges to chew, spray, and possible aggressive behavior. I feel certain if you go to a vet who sees many rabbits that they will suggest neutering your rabbit. When I got my first rabbit who I did not have bonded with another rabbit, the thought just never crossed my mind not to neuter him – at that time it was just based on feeling it was the right thing for me to do and I didn’t know about the other issues that neutering would help with like I do know.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Osprey I would have lost my cool and yelled at her not to do that and shown her the appropriate way or ask me to lift the rabbit.  Glad that you took over the situation.  It’s like what are you doing? Hanging laundry? My word it’s a living animal for crying out loud.

[skunklionshow]

That’s the number one reason to work on picking up your bun…so they can tolerate it in case of emergency.  I know that my big issue was a lack of confidence.  I was terrified that I would get bit or scratched or that bunny would break his neck.  I had to build up my own confidence.  Animals know/smell fear, so if you’re afraid and kinda dainty about picking them up they can take advantage of the situation.  Practice makes perfect!

[Gravehearted]

nicolex198 – it really is very important to neuter your bunny – he will be healthier and happier. His litterbox habits are likely to improve and he will be more mellow and less aggressive. A vet who is knowledgeable about rabbits will absolutely recommend it.

[osprey]

I asked Auntie Heather (who knows more about rabbits than anyone I know) about the picking up by the scruff business.  She said that is an old fashioned way to lift a bunny, but she will use it occasionaly to lift an extremely agitated and/or aggressive rabbit.  When you grab them by the neck, it somehow calms them and prevents them from kicking alot.  The biggest danger is losing your grip and dropping them.  She said for normal, socialized bunnies there is no reason to lift them this way.  She suggested in the future I tell the tech you are not to lift my rabbit that way, and I will lift him for you.  Unfortunately, I am not that assertive.

 

[Gravehearted]

ooo Osprey, I would have been extremely unhappy about it – especially since you were likely at a rabbit savvy vet’s office.  I really would consider calling and talking to the vet about how the tech picked up DJ.

Auntie Heather’s suggestion is very PC and polite, I likely would have let the tech have it. 

If it had been Hareiette picked up like that, she likely would have had the tech rubbed out by now, ha ha!

[nicolex198]

So I’ve been doing a lot of research about neutering ale rabbits & the only main reasons I’ve found for doing so is to stop aggression/bad little training habits that unaltered MALES have. Bandit does neither of the two. Health wise is mainly pertaining to females because of certain cancers that can occur. So as of right now I am not planning on having him neutered. If there is any change in these things though I will consider having him neutered. Like I’ve said before, I love him more than ever and want whats best for him. I’ll have plenty of time to change my mind if there is any need to anyways, he’s just about the age limit that vets do neuters on rabbits anyways.

Thanks everyone for your opinion! =]

[osprey]

Another reason to neuter is if you ever want to bond him with another bunny, he will have to be neutered first.  If he is going to continue to live alone, this is not a big deal.

[nicolex198]

Unfortunitly, I know noone with a bunny to socialize Bandit with. I know he would love that though, but sadly there is no buns around =[

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