Bunny Care Guide: How To Handle Your Bunny / Pick Your Rabbit Up
78Enough of your handling tomfoolery!
As a bunny owner, one of your biggest challenges may be handling your rabbit. This is because oftentimes, rabbits don't particularly like to be held, which means that they struggle, growl, and occasionally bite and scratch. Even if they do these things however, that doesn't mean you shouldn't handle them. It does mean that you will have to take some time to establish a better bond between you and your bunny. This is a guide for the beginner bunny owner and takes you through the first steps of handling your rabbit.
Step One:
Pet your bunny. You have to walk before you can run, and petting your bunny is the first step towards being able to pick it up and handle it. Bunnies like to have their heads gently scratched and rubbed, but they generally do not like to be touched under the chin or around their hind quarters. If you want to earn your rabbit's trust, giving it a gentle head rub is an excellent way of doing that. After a while your rabbit may even start running up to you and demanding that you pat it.
Step Two:
Put the bunny in your lap. Sit on the floor with the bunny and gently put the bunny in your lap. Let it run off if it wants to, but let it get used to the idea that being picked up and put in your lap is not the end of the world. If you cannot pick your rabbit up at all, try luring it into your lap with treats.
Step Three:
Try holding your bunny. Odds are that your rabbit will not like being restrained. Remember, these are prey animals, and to them, being held down or trapped by a bigger creature often means death. Is there really any wonder that they fight so hard to be let go? Bonding with your rabbit in the first two steps, and being gentle but firm when you do pick the bunny up will go a long way to helping your bunny become more amenable to being picked up.
Picking Up Bunny Checklist:
Support the bunny under its chest
Support the hindquarters
Hold the bunny close to your body. Let it rest against your body if you can. This will provide it much more security.
Once you've picked your bunny up, hold it for a few seconds, or until it stops struggling, and then release it gently. Rabbits will often start struggling again when they feel themselves being released, so make sure you do this very close to the ground. Giving the bunny a treat may sweeten the experience as well. Beware that once you put the rabbit down it may try to bite you for your effrontery. This is where fast feet (yours, not the rabbit's) come in handy!
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i hope it works!!
I am having great success handling my baby bunny thanks to all of your info. Thanks :)
Great! I am glad it is helping you. Keep in mind that some bunnies never really like to be handled at all, but even a bunny that hates being picked up can become a huge fan of gentle head rubs, which build trust between you and your bunny.
yea i hope this works with Raynn (my bunny)!
shes so sweet just freaks out easily
This is awesome advise. sorry about my spelling(if its bad), i'm from Europe. I just got a rabit,and i was wondring if you could tel me what colour it is. well i now what colour it is, but wat that colour is called in rabit world. It is brown-grey, kind of like the colouring from your account picture up their. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Thank you, pleas respund, from youre freind,
Andy, sometimes called timmy.
my bunny fluffy is white with black eyes and nose
I LOVEE BUNNIESS!!! and this bunny i have doesnt like to be picked up often i think thats okay and if your bunny is liike that no need to have your bunny become upset or put in a position it doesnt like.
the key to this is just listen to your bunnies likes, and bunnies are the cutest ever if you cant pick it up more than once a day whatever you have an ADORABLE Bunny!
I got my daughter a rabbit then a neighbour gave her another when they were moving i went to feed them and to my surprise i now have four (i wonder why ?) not ever thinking we had male female the problem i have with four 2 females 2 boys what is the best way to house them as i dont want anymore but it seems cruel to seperate them from one and other please help John
John,
Spay the females, and maybe even fix the males.It may seem a bit silly beacause we generaly think of only fixing cats and dogs. In the end, thought, the rabbits will be more docile pets, and you won't have to worry about your pets multiplying exponentially
my bunny is like a tortisshell cat...and likes 2 be held but is huge! i just want to know the correct way to pick her up cuz soemtimes she startles and im not sure exactly if that means it hurts her or if she just likes different positions but this was helpful. : )
I currently own a neutered male mini lop pretty boy and a baby bunny that I just got the other day, I plan on bonding the two my baby girl (precious) gets used to her surroundings. But my biggest problem I had with my male rabbit is that he just hates being held, hate is not an understatement at all lol, when I fist got my boy pretty boy I researched allot on the net because he was my first rabbit. What I took from many pages is, to wait to hold your rabbit until you establish a good bond. So I tried to hold pretty boy as little possible and now.. Pretty boy and me have a great bond, he lives in my bunny-proofed bedroom and has a litter and cage open for him to come and go as he pleases. When I enter my room he comes running to my feet and begins licking me lol whenever he can groom me he does. He also lays beside me at allows me to pet him as much as I would like, he even does a light purring grinding sound when he is being petted. And about twice a week he walks around me buzzing. These are all really great things so I read that my rabbit loves and enjoys me and we have a good bond.
However he will never hop into my lap if I place him there he hops out and turns around angrily lol. He will however put his to front paws on me or will sit on my feet. The biggest problem I am having is holding him. I was hopeing it would go smoothly because he seems to really trust me now. When I pick him up he struggles then calms for about 10 seconds and struggles again sometimes he will even put his ears back witch scares me because he is so STRONG lol. When I place him down he thumps is foot at me and gives me the feet flick and gets distance from me. And in a matter of min he is beside me again like nothing happened. I just cant wrap my brain around why he does not trust me to hold him and what I can do to maybe get him to enjoy it more. He is not getting any smaller and when he is an adult I fear I will have no chance in picking him up for meds and other things I might need to do.
Now that I have a new bunny I wonder if I should do anything differently? Maybe hold her more but I don’t, want to ruin our bond before it begins she is only about 8 to 9 weeks old. Within having her out for 5 min she was in my lap climbing me and sniffing me. Complete opposite from pretty boy who was very distant, wouldn’t come near me I spent a month on the floor talking to him and trying to pet him when he came close enough and of course bribing him lol. And all went good but it was a slow process of gaining his trust. I am very shocked by my new rabbit’s curiosity and friendly she is not skittish towards me at all. Just when I hold her lol.
So sorry for the long message, if anyone can help me out please do J I would love to know what I can do or what I am doing wrong.
i hope it works i always try to pick up chico (my rabbit) but he just kicks and runs away.
Flame (my rabbit) always bites me when i pick him up i try and do this but it doesnt work! Am i holding him wrong. I really want to take him outside but i cant pick him up!
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
i am 9 and can not pick my 7 year old bunny up she bites
Thanks hope my bunny will let me she is 4 months and bites me and so all my familiy are scared to pick her up so hopefully this will help.
Thanks a lot!!
Jess
thanks for the help it was great
i have a bunny and her name is zoey and she dose not listn and i need help to hanle a baby bunny
my rabbits ometimes let me pet them but some imes when were in a big area when i get close so i can pet them they growel and run away they do not like getting picked up at all and i just got em yesterday
my bunny used ot be calm and peaceful when i bought her form a friend, but when i got her shes become angry and a bit wild. I don;t think i spend enough time with her when i got her. When i just got her (lilo) i always coud pick her up and then i only could somtimes and now never.
If my hand even goes under her, she jumps and becomes all angry. She tears up the newspaper in her hutch and tips over her food bowl. HOw do i make her mroe tame??!?!?!?!?!?
PLEASE HELP
hI I WONDERED IF U CUD HELP, IV HAD A LION HEAD RABBIT 4 ABOUT 3 WEEKS, BUT THE TING IS MY STEP BOTHER HAD ER 4 A MONTH B4 HAND N I DONT KNOW IF I CAN TRAIN ER, I DONT KNOW IF ES NOT BEEN VERY NICE 2 ER. DATS Y IV AD ER. SHE IS MORE RELAXED, LOVED A FUSE CUZ WEN IN CAGE FOLLOWS ME ROUND DA ROOM WEN SHE SEES ME UNTIL GIVE ER A FUSE, BUT WEN IT COMES 2 BIN HANDLED SHE WONT LENT ME NEAR, SHE'L LOVE A FUSE N STROKIN BUT ONCE IV DUN DAT 4 BOUT 15 MINS N SHES CALM SHE WONT LET ME NEAR ER WEN I GO 2 PICK ER UP N JUS PANICS, JUS DONT UNDERSTAND HOW I CAN GET ER 2 LET ME PICK ER UP,SHES EVEN GONE 4 ME AT POINTS N ALWAYS TRYS 2 RUN OUT CAGE, PLEASE HELP.
Wow it realy works my bunny harry dosnt scratch when we pick him up anymor!!!
I will try this as well
Yea I have always liked this page and it has helped me alot too. I have shown it to my family 'cause Rudy(my bun bun bunny) bit my dad and counldn't go in my room anymore. i just don't know if it is cause he is to used to being here that he thinks he is the king but this page helped me get him out of my room!!!lol!! Thanks Bunniez!!!alot
ur advis is grate get in
I posted this on another board, but wanted to share it here also. I know the article says they don't like to be restrained. Mine however likes me to hold her if she's wrapped in a towels. With her head sticking out! She prefers this as I think she feels secure. Just my opinion!
I'm looking after a pair of rabbits while some neighbours are away for a few weeks and I've had lots of pets but never rabbits so this has helped a lot! (:
my rabbit and i have a great bond she is very sweet but she does not like to be held she'll come on my lap sometimes but at her own will and leaves when she wants when i try and pick her up to do her nails she freaks out (she's never bit or scratched but im afraid she'll hurt herself) i need to cut her nails they are way too long and she has already snagged them. I've had her a while and am ok with the fact that rabbits dont like to be held but for her sake i need to in order to cut her nails im gonna give it another try this time with my husband's help and i hope i can before she snags another nail (what can i do about the snagged nail?) I feel like a neglectful bunny-mom b/c her nails are ridiculous but she's stubborn and i'm likely to clip her if she wont be still for 2 seconds let alone 5 mins! Other than this my 2 rabbits are perfect they are so easy and sweet we truley lucked out but they wont let us do the things that is for their own good!
I hope this works; my bunny Toki loves a head rub and treats, but when it comes to being held, my hands are covered in scratches.
Ya, know i have a bunny (Shadow) and she always scracthes me when i pick her up!!!!!!!!!!! Today she scractht me sooo hard that i needed a band - aid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow- what great advise! My 2 female dwarfs are just 4 weeks old- Coco (my brown rabbit) is so-so with me... I can't tell what shes trying to say! Millie ( my black & white) is so afraid- even if I open the hutch!
Yes, I do all this. But my bunny, whom I love very much, still won't come out of her hutch! She just runs to her box when I try to, gently, scoop her up! HELP!
i LOVE my bunnys (noddy and big ears) they are so cute and have always let me pick them up since i bought them but my friend came round the other day and big ears scratched my friend when she tried to pick him up. He has never done this to me before can anyone tell me why he did this
thanks sooo much for the info it has helped in every way i just got the bunny yesterday and now it loves me!
MY RABBIT (THUMPA) LOVES BEEN RUBED ON HIS HEAD AND EARS AND COMES TO ME FOR TREATS, THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE IS HE DOESNT LIKE BEEN PICKED UP, SO I HOPE THIS WILL HELP.
THANKS
i really hope this works ...
I really hope this works with my bunny (Shadow)! She is black with some dark brown on her forehead, has brown eyes, and shell let you rubb her head forever! She's soooooo sweet. And her fur is very soft. Shell be the sweetest bunny in my life. And if she dies she will be forever loved, and will never be forgotten. I LOVE SHADOW! I really like her! I wish I could show you her.
Love,
A Proud Owner
my 3 rabbits pepsi,shurley and fifi never let me pick them up they allways just run away from me.i want to pick them up and rub them .and when i pick one up it scratches me so i have to put it back .AM I HOLDING THEM WRONG WHAT DO I DO ???????????
I have just bought a rabbit my son is scared of all animals so I was hoping a cute rabbit will help, It does seem to, but i really need to ensure that it will allow us to pick it up and cuddle it, I have been told to not handle it for the first 48 hours is this correct? or shall i handle it as soon as possible? can anyone advise me?
You MUST wait at least 3 days. give your new bunny a chance to look around and to feel safe. then you can lightly pet it if it lets you, and then you can try to handle it.
are bunnies easy 2 take care of?
I am getting a bunny and this is exactly the kind of info I am looking for to really make a good first impression to my bunny.
I found this very useful,my bunny doessnt even struggle when I pick her up.
my 3 month old lion head loves to be petted and hes face rubed,but i dont think he like to be held because i pick him up wrong.but im going to try and pick him up how you said on here.thanks!(:
I have a 24week old Papillion rabbit that i brought from the pet shop about a week ago now... he is the most friendlest rabbit you would ever meet, he jumps on the sofa and comes and sits on my lap for a fuss, but he will not let you pick him up he struggles alot! ( but never bites or scratches). how can i get him to let me hold him?
A good way to move around with your bunny is to put his/her head under your arm, or in your arm pit. That way, he/she can't see, so he/she won't be trying to jump out of your arms at all the commotion around him/her.
I have a 14 month old Dutch rabbit named Custard. He loves to be petted, and loves having me around. He also always let me hold him until I got him neutered. Now he hates being held, he's never bitten me, but I do get scratched when I try to hold him. Do you think he didn't like the vet, and remembers what happened the last time I held him?
I forgot about the fact that if you hold them down they'll think I'm going to eat it -_- This is quite helpful. I can hold him for about 30 seconds and then he scratches me D: Lol
im 8 and i have three rabbits used to have four i have 1female 1male they had two babys 1 died and i hope this works for my 1 baby rabbit ps its only 1week old and im not sure if its a boy or girl
My Bunny Is Very Cute He Is All Black And Has One Very Cute White Paw, :P. I Held Him In The Pet Shop And He Was Great Ive Not Tried It Since,It Has Been Two Days Since Then And He Is Liking The Head Rubs. Thanx Ill Try This Today!!!!...
how dow youu pick a bunny i do not have one yet but i am getting ong how do u chosse
Thnx! =) ? your info!
My bunny nalah is a yr old I got her about three weeks ago.. she likes to be petted and even comes over nd licks me sometyms. But won't let me pick her up. Her nailss are rele longg and i can't pick her up to cut them. I want to hold her so she can come on the couch with mee and stuff my sisters rabbit is very comfortable with it all even sleeps in her bed with her.. how can I get nalah to let me hold her?? .. any advice?....~corinne~
Hello i own three rabbits and one had babies.I was wondering how old do the baby rabbits have to be before i can hold them?
Hi. I think, if you'r rabbit is struggling, then you may be holding them too high. Rabbits don't like hights and so if your holding them too high tey will struggle. It is best to sit down with your rabbit. I hope I helped.
my bunny is now calm and gentle 2 hold after I read these steps:P
my bunny is now calm and gentle 2 hold after I read these steps:P
how can i tell how my bunny is a boy or girl?
my bunny farts every time i pick it up what is wrong with it!!!!????!!!!
my bunny loves to be held, he even bury's his head in the crease of your elbow. he loves it and so does my other one! but he kicks a lot.
I didn't even know that bunnies don't lik to be held! My bunny is fine w/ me holding her!
im about to try this with my bunny brodie thanks for the info i hope it works :)
I have 2 hamsters when they get old and,die I will buy a bunny.When I buy the bunny what type of gender and bread
should get. I want 1 that works well with ages 5-any age.
I would like to have a baby bunny.When I get my bunny I
will work on every thing when I get my bunny
first off why in the world would u not introduce it by tellin why they dont like bein held? reasons can be simple! a big reason is because rabbits are ground animal and dont like bein off the ground!...2nd. some rabbits will scream and freak on u if u try picking them up if this happens get on ur kneels slowly by the rabbit an remain calm an try to pet the rabbit.........oh and 3rd some rabbits HATE if u touch there face.....WATCH WHO U GET UR BUNNY FROM AN ASK TO SEE THE MOTHER AN FATHER MOST PET STORES HAVE SO MANY CROSS BREEDS THEY RY SAYIN ARE PUREBRED, DONT LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY UNLESS U KNOW THE BREED AND
my rabbit allways scraches me when i pick him up.i have had him one week yesterday (monday) and he is 10 weeks old.he is a lionhead called parsley. he is in the run at the moment but im scared to carry him to his hutch even though its not verry far to the garage but i now put him into a hampster cage ( that is big enough for him at the moment) with some straw in it and a carrot so he can munch on it when its the guinnea pigs turn to go out first although he doesnt mind being in there as he will actually sit in it without moaning. this is very helpfull im going to try it out now thanks x !!!!!!!
I've got some French lop giants they are 7 months and I need some advice picking them and where?? I have picked them up a few times but it's seems to been getting worse were I can't n there kicking n fighting but when you have got them right so of thing there fine. N there behaviour is not every good.. There are two sister they get on very well but they are both naughty they have toys the lot.plus they live outside I Really don't know what to do.. Any help I got them a week ago :)
Thanks for your advice, but my bunny still HATES to be held. Geuss Ill keep trying! I Have hope! :)
My rabbit, Simba is the BEST rabbit on Earth!!! On the first day I got him, he was 3 months old... I thought he was an old rabbit as he is HUGE! when i found out about his age, i was relieved, lol...
At first.. he wouldnt let me carry him, he would struggle when carry him... So, i won't carry it ever since... Everyday, i spend time grooming him, playing with him... I thought him how to play football!!! Until one day, i tried to carry him... i was so shock he let me!!! I hold him for hours and he didnt struggle! He managed to sleep in my hands!!! I was so happy that he finally trust me!!!!!!!!
My bro get so jealous as his female rabbit won't let him handle her!! lol.
Surprisingly... my little bunny wouldn't let anyone handle him except him... Im really happy about that, hah!!
I love you, Simba!!!!!!!!!
it rely works
i love bunnys really ok i will try pick my rabbit up
Ive got a 12 weeks old mini lop,Harryhe sometimes likes cuddles but sometimes he will headbut me!
my rabbit reggy is not used to being handled he used to kick me ever since he was 14 weeeks old . which was when i bought him.i was really scared so over the years he has only been stroked he still wont let me pick him up to date. any advice ? i loove him he is my world!
YAY!! Thankyou!! It worked!! You do very good hubs!!! Totally Impressed!! :)
i use a leech that way you can pick him up and if it jumps away you still have a hold of him it also allows him to get used being picked up
Rabbits are great pet
Thanks!!i'm going to try this I hope it works!! :)
Btw the rabbit in the pic is really cute!!! :D
NOW I KNOW HOW TO HANDLE MY BUNNY
special thanks to Bunniez.com
thanks for taking time to write positive good things about rabbits
YOU BUILT UP MY CONFIDENCE WITH rabbits
i already know all that stuff!!! im wondering when u let it out for fresh air, how to not let them hop away?!
I read all of this but she still wont let me hold her. When I put my hand under her she runs away really fast so I cant get a hold of her. Any advice?
Hi my bunny hides in his hutch when I try and pick him up.he also stays lieying down for ages PLEASE HELP xx P.S. he's called Fudge
My bunny Delilah (3 months) is starting to bite and scratch and kick I don't know if I'm not graving her properly....she was really nice and wouldn't bite but now she bites what do I do can you help?
elena 4 years ago
Wow This Is really helpful!!Thanks
Im about to try this with my rabbit.