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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR impossible to pick up

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    • piperknitsRN
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        My bunnies, Simon and Olive, are very friendly.  They come to you (especially if you’ve got a treat in hand!).  But the minute you try to pick them up, they am-scray.  Now, I don’t pick them up for cuddles, since I know most buns hate to be picked up… but sometimes I need to pick them up for things like nail trims.  How do I get them used to being picked up?  They seem to have a sixth sense about when I go to pick them up, and struggle to hop away, no matter how much petting or other bribery I use.  


      • Sarita
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          I would try to get them in the bathroom or some enclosed place to pick them up where they cannot run away. You have to be confident too once you get them picked up and hold on tight.


        • kinggoblin
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            I wish I knew, not even the vet tech at the vets can pick him up, only the exotics vet woman can and she burritos him like its nothing and he just hangs there >.<

            When I cut his nails I lay on the floor with him when he is flopped out and rub his ears and am like “good bunny *snip* such a good bunny *snip* aren’t you a pretty boy *snip*”

            then he catches on and starts covering his paws with his head then runs away and I have to wait for another time to do some more nails.


          • piperknitsRN
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              I just picked Simon up to clip his nails and he nipped me several times–both on the hands and my thigh. OUCH! He was clearly saying, “Mommy! I don’t like this! Let me down!” So I gave him the usual high pitched squeal to let him know he was hurting me (they do it so quickly it takes you by surprise!). Oh well. Can’t help it. What has to be done, has to be done. Luckily I had long sleeves and pants on, so the damage done was minimal. Even the nip on my hand was light and didn’t break the skin.


            • Beka27
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                I would probably clip him with two people then. One can securely hold him against their chest, feet out, using one hand to secure their neck so they can’t bite. The other can then clip each paw without fearing attack.


              • piperknitsRN
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                  Hi, Beka. We’ve tried this and can’t quite get the coordination down yet… he struggles like crazy and gets really, really freaked out. I don’t know, I feel sorry for the poor guy, as it’s obviously sending his stress levels through the roof. I might just bring him to the vet’s next time he needs them done. Probably the new environment and new people might be enough to “tame” him so they can get the job done with minimal muss and fuss. OTOH, it seems like a waste of money.

                  Olive is just a pain. I can flip her onto her back, but it has to be in an enclosed area like an X pen, or she jumps up and runs away. I just can’t win ;-).


                • Beka27
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                    I did nail trims at the vet for a long time. They do a great job and the strange environment/people does help. When my husband was laid-off though, I forced myself to do it myself, and now I can do both buns (36 toes!!!) in about 3 minutes! Maybe your vet tech will allow you to help trim in the office so you can get more comfortable with holding them.


                  • bunnyfriend
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                      Oh yes, Wilbur definitely has that sixth sense. When I intend to pick up but haven’t even tried yet, she just knows. What I do is scoop her up quickly supporting her butt and her chest, then I bring her in close so she can’t stubble (because believe me, she will). Just be confident, that what works for me.


                    • kralspace
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                        When we got our first bun, the lovely Pringles, I could only pick her up by dropping a towel over her and scooping her. She sounded scary, barking, growling, huffing and throwing her head around, but she’s never even nipped anyone. We finally figured out she was a big bluff but it’s still easier to get all the feet and ears in by using the towel..lol

                        Mine don’t trance well, but if my son holds them snugly against his chest, they don’t fight, just send the glares of death at me while I clip nails.


                      • piperknitsRN
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                          Posted By kralspace on 11/26/2011 01:14 PM
                          When we got our first bun, the lovely Pringles, I could only pick her up by dropping a towel over her and scooping her. She sounded scary, barking, growling, huffing and throwing her head around, but she’s never even nipped anyone. We finally figured out she was a big bluff but it’s still easier to get all the feet and ears in by using the towel..lol

                          Mine don’t trance well, but if my son holds them snugly against his chest, they don’t fight, just send the glares of death at me while I clip nails.

                          I can flip Olive on her back for short amounts of time, but she eventually gets tired of it and rights her self and foot flicks/thumps away.  Simon is trickier, because he’s a much bigger bunny.  I used to do the towel thing with Flip-Flop, a Holland lop I once had, but Simon fights being in a towel .  He just generally is not a “pick me up” bunny.  I prefer not to handle the bunnies, myself, since they dislike it so much, but it is necessary for toe nail trims and health checks, so I guess I’m just going to have to grit my teeth and get it done–meaning getting them used to being held. 

                           


                        • RabbitPam
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                            Sammy will never let me pick her up unless she is ill. I use a towel in a loose bunny burrito. My vet’s tech. assistant once told me that a towel loosely over their face is safe – they won’t smother – so if it goes across their head it’s not bad. I tend to sit in her cage, throw the towel over and scoop under for a burrito wrap, set her between my legs and pull out one paw at a time.
                            It also is easier if another person can burrito her and you pull out the paw. The problem with attempts to trance is anytime you put a bunny on its back it may decide to flip over, and they can seriously harm their own backs in the process. I don’t recommend it for an already struggling bunny.

                            I remember when Beka took hers to the vet. She had a great formula for nail trims:
                            Open carrier. Insert bunny.
                            Drive to vet.
                            Pay bill.


                          • piperknitsRN
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                              Posted By RabbitPam on 11/26/2011 04:25 PM
                              Sammy will never let me pick her up unless she is ill. I use a towel in a loose bunny burrito. My vet’s tech. assistant once told me that a towel loosely over their face is safe – they won’t smother – so if it goes across their head it’s not bad. I tend to sit in her cage, throw the towel over and scoop under for a burrito wrap, set her between my legs and pull out one paw at a time.
                              It also is easier if another person can burrito her and you pull out the paw. The problem with attempts to trance is anytime you put a bunny on its back it may decide to flip over, and they can seriously harm their own backs in the process. I don’t recommend it for an already struggling bunny.

                              I remember when Beka took hers to the vet. She had a great formula for nail trims:
                              Open carrier. Insert bunny.
                              Drive to vet.
                              Pay bill.

                              !!


                            • Dee
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                                I like Beca’s method- lol. That’s what I used to do, and aside from my feeling guilty about scaring them with the car ride, it was a good solution. Then Nelli got wise to the carrier- all the tricks I used no longer worked. So basically, she can only go to the vet now if there’s an emergency, God forbid. What I did was get in touch with the House Rabbit Society- they have volunteers who go to people’s houses and clip nails and groom bunnies!
                                PiperknitsRN, I don’t know where you live, but I would definitely check online to see if there’s a House Rabbit network near you. Diane, the woman who comes to my house, is absolutely awesome with the bunnies, and it’s so nice to get to visit with another “rabbit person”. I’ve gained confidence from watching her handle the bunnies too. The last time, I actually picked Nelli up and handed her to Diane! She showed me the method of folding yourself over the bunny and holding them firmly so they can’t struggle and kick and hurt themselves. I think that having an experienced bunny handler with you makes such a difference. When my husband and I have to handle BunBun for a butt bath or whatever, it’s so panicky and chaotic. We have tried the bunny burritos with BunBun when he needed oral meds, and I don’t think I did it right because it always resulted in a half-wrapped, completely traumatized BunBun and a slightly hysterical me . When we had to give him SubQ’s, I was literally sick to my stomach with nerves for hours beforehand.


                              • piperknitsRN
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                                  Dee:  I do have a chapter of HRS but I don’t think anyone will come to my home to do the nail clipping (oh, that would be heaven if they did!)  Simon is the first bunny to ever nip me, so it took me by surprise.  He didn’t break the skin, and I know better than to think he’s being “mean”–he just doesn’t like what I”m doing and is telling me he’d prefer I stop the only way he knows how–unfortunately, it happens to be with his teeth .  I’m sure they sense that I really don’t feel comfortable giving them nail trims, but it has to be done.  I might have the vet tech clip Simon’s nails from now on; not sure if I will try again.  This board has surely been helpful in giving me suggestions, though!  thanks, all!


                                • Whiskey&Melvin
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                                    I don’t know if this would work for you since it only partially worked for me, but when i first got my rabbit Whiskey i could not pick her up without ending up with scratch marks where ever her little toes could reach. One day (while wearing a thick sweatshirt) i just grabbed her and made her sit on my lap. She was NOT happy about this and was persistant about leaving. So, as soon as she would calm i would loosen my grip on her, and she would kick, so i would grab her firmly again. This went on for a half an hour, but by the end she was sitting nicely on my lap. I did this every day for about a week and now the kicking is at a minimum. She still has her moments when I have to follow her until she goes into her cage because she wants to kick, but for the most part i can pick her up when necessary, hope this helps


                                  • Elrohwen
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                                      I make sure to get mine into their pen with nowhere to escape if I need to trap them (maze haven and tunnels removed, etc). Next I generally get out a carrier and try to get them in – Hannah will run right into the carrier and it’s so much easier than trying to pick her up. Otto doesn’t really like to go in, but it’s certainly easier to trap him in the carrier than try to pick him up. Once he’s in the carrier he’s super easy to pick up because he knows he can’t run anymore.


                                    • piperknitsRN
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                                        Posted By Elrohwen on 11/28/2011 08:45 AM
                                        I make sure to get mine into their pen with nowhere to escape if I need to trap them (maze haven and tunnels removed, etc). Next I generally get out a carrier and try to get them in – Hannah will run right into the carrier and it’s so much easier than trying to pick her up. Otto doesn’t really like to go in, but it’s certainly easier to trap him in the carrier than try to pick him up. Once he’s in the carrier he’s super easy to pick up because he knows he can’t run anymore.

                                        I often get them to go in the pen when I have unpleasant tasks like nail clipping.  It does help “corral” them so they can’t get anywhere (well, anywhere far) but it’s never a fun experience.  The carrier is a good idea.  I’ll have to try these suggestions. 


                                      • RabbitPam
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                                          They do sense when you’re nervous and hesitant, so when they need to be caught in a hurry sometimes they are easier to handle when you grab them firmly – they sense you are not messing around and it’s better to give in. Vets seem to do that with ease.

                                          I might also suggest bringing your bunny to the HRS near you for a trim and a lesson in doing it and catching/holding him. Being shown the proper way can go far in getting it done well. There once was a DVD made by the HRS (I think), but it was a lecture series and not sold. (was it?) You can find some good videos on line with demonstrations on bunny handling.
                                          That’s where I learned the press/press/clip technique of nail trimming that keeps you from ever cutting the quick and making the paw bleed. Briefly, once you have the toe ready, you press the clipper down twice in a row before cutting. If you have positioned it too close to the quick, the bunny will yank its paw away. Let it. You need to reposition the clipper and try again. They are flinching and saving themselves the pain of a cut. Say “Press, Press, Clip” out loud with each toe. It really works.


                                        • piperknitsRN
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                                            Ooh!  I do th “press, press, clip” method, too.  I’ve watched lots of youtube videos (and I actually think HRS or HRN sells a video about nail clipping) but the bunnies in the videos actually behave quite docilely.  Simon starts up once I start messing with his paws at all, so I’ve been trying to get him used to me touching his paws without him freaking out.  I think I have a long road ahead of me.  


                                          • RabbitPam
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                                              I know what you mean about those docile, pliable rabbits. (I have a theory: they get them drunk first. Shhhh. don’t tell.)


                                            • piperknitsRN
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                                                Posted By RabbitPam on 11/28/2011 04:07 PM
                                                I know what you mean about those docile, pliable rabbits. (I have a theory: they get them drunk first. Shhhh. don’t tell.)

                                                !!!!

                                                I swear, I’ve been tempted to spike their water bowl with rum .  That, or just drink some myself, so I don’t mind when I get clawed and nipped by Simon.  

                                                 

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                                            Forum BEHAVIOR impossible to pick up