Tips on Handling Rabbits

[Ollie]

Hi everyone!

I am new on this online forum and was wondering how long it took for you all to handle your rabbits. To give a little background on mine, Ollie is a Netherland dwarf rabbit who is 31/2 months old. I recently bought him about a month ago and as of now, he lets me pet him when he is laying down. Sometimes when I walk into his pen, he circles around my feet and does head binkies. He lets me pet his head, ears, and on the sides of his stomach. I handled him before, but only to take him out of his carrier when I bought him home. It seems like he doesn’t like being handled, but not many rabbits are fond of it since they are prey animals. I know you can train them to be handled as well, so I was wondering if any of you have tips on doing so, and what the timeline of it looks like. Thanks in advance!

[Wick & Fable]

To an extent, you can habituate a rabbit to handling and instill in them a certain sense of security that they will not get injured/be dropped when carried/handled by humans. I do adamantly believe that every rabbit has his/her own threshold though, and trying to change that threshold can be an impossible and frustrating task for both parties.

As a result, I don’t think there’s a real time line. I would guess-timate that most rabbits show their colors and personality by 6 months to 1 year into being with an owner, but there are some at the beginning and end of the bell curve that have shown instant habituation and also being more cuddly after 3+ years of work. It’s really about reading your rabbit and seeing if you are inducing unnecessary stress in your attempts.

Generally, I think associating treats works well, haha. I also think it’s important to gently “insist” on ending the interaction on a positive note. So if the rabbit is squirming like crazy, you want to try your best to keep him/her with you until he/she calms down. If a rabbit learns that the crazy squirming is associated with escape, they will do it every time in order to get away, and that’s very dangerous.

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.

[LBJ10]

Or biting Wick… don’t forget the biting. LOL  OK, maybe it’s more of a nip.

I agree with Wick. Each individual is going to be different. The vast majority of rabbits do not *like* being held. I do believe it is important to get them to the point where they somewhat tolerate it. After all, there are some things that just require them being handled. And what about in an emergency? You want to be able to grab your bunny if you need to.

Baby steps and offering treats as you go are definitely good ideas. Also show your bunny that you are not going to pick them up every time you reach out to pet them. And yes, once you’re to the point where you are actually holding them, it would be wise not to give into demands to be put down. Only put them down when they are calm. Again, offering treats helps.

From my own experience, I have found that bunnies tend to be more comfortable being held with all for paws firmly on my chest, my hand supporting their butt, my other hand supporting their back, and bunny looking over my shoulder. So you might try that position to see if that helps your bunny feel more secure.

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