my rabbit HATES being picked up

[odysseus]

hello!  

i have had Odysseus for about a year and a half from a baby.  he has always hated being picked up from the day i got him so i let him have it his own way and did not do it much.  he gets stressed a bit and when i put him down he flicks his back legs and sits grumpily until he forgets about it.  we get on great otherwise as he sleeps with me sometimes, sits under my computer chair when i’m init and generally things are good (even though we have just moved house and are going though all kinds of stuff like peeing on my bed).

should i keep at it or is it too late to start to try and get him to settle when i pick him up?  or is he just a grumpy little git like i like to tell myself he is?

thanks 

Garff   

[Usagi5]

Rabbit don’t like to be picked up, and they will probably kick and scratch you. If you are picking him up to try and put him somewhere I would recomend leading him with a treat, vegetables, or his pellets.

[Monkeybun]

It’s very rare to find a rabbit that likes getting picked up, as they are a prey species. Being picked up = becoming something’s breakfast in their minds.

[Stickerbunny]

You can bunny burrito him if you need to pick him up to make him more secure, but as they have said, most bunnies don’t like being picked up. It would be like sitting in a predators jaws, no fun. With work my two now will sit still and let me clip their nails etc as long as I am securing their back legs/shoulders but they will never like it.

[LBJ10]

If he doesn’t like to be picked up, then don’t pick him up unless you need to. I offer Leopold a treat while holding him, which I think helps him a little bit. Wooly is fine as long as I am supporting him and letting him look over my shoulder.

[Estecca]

If you need to pick him up for something, the way I always pick my rabbit up is to start just petting him on the floor or giving him a little massage to relax him, then slide both hands around and scoop up his whole body. He rarely fusses if I do that, although that said, he is a tiny 2-pounder and he can be scooped up like that, but in general, petting and maybe covering his eyes to calm him while you pick him up?

[jackikal]

As the others have said, rabbits don’t like to be picked up.

Evelyn starts breathing heavy if I hold her against my shoulder, but relaxes when I’m just carrying her. You have to find a way that is comfortable for the both of you. Rabbits can sense a lack of confidence, and that’s what makes them nervous. With practice, I’m sure you’ll find a way that suits both of you, just as I have.

Also, if you start getting comfortable with holding him upside-down (like a baby), he will become more comfortable with the other ways you hold him. But I don’t recommend this until he is at least able to be held for a minute or so at a time. If you just start flipping him upside-down, he will lose trust in you.

Hope it helps!

[peppypoo]

As irresistibly cuddly as they look, most bunnies will be cross if you try to hold and cuddle them…cruel isn’t it? It may be necessary sometimes to transport them from point A to point B, but there’s no reason to hold onto them any longer than necessary and risk excess grumpiness

. Like some people have mentioned, if you need him to go somewhere you can always use a bribe, or even train him to come when called.

[kinggoblin]

I’ve had my bunny for a year and have never been able to pick him up because he twists and kicks and I’m afraid to hurt him so I just let go. Even at the vet they usually have to burrito him but since he needs to be handled a lot for his twice a month teeth clipping he is getting use to it, today he actually let the vet tech pick him up to weigh him, although he kicked her when she tried to put him back in the carrier. lol.

I’ve never had to pick him up and don’t try to since he hates it, he is good about going to his pen when I tell him to and to put him in his carrier I just corner him on top of his cage or use his pen to give him no exits and push him into his carrier ( while he grunts in protest the whole time ). He’s started jumping up into my arms when I am sitting ( usually to beg for treats if he suspects I have some ) and lets me put my arms around him like if I was holding him, but when he wants to leave I just let go.

I think bunnies that like being held are rare.

[LBJ10]

That’s funny kinggoblin! Both of mine are absolute angels when they go to the vet. Scared stiff I guess.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Fern will tolerate being picked up and cuddled (I’ll admit that sometimes I like to tickle her belly, much to her displeasure). Thistle on the other hand does not like to be picked up, and will struggle unless I have a very tight grip on him. I try not to pick him up to often, only when its nail clipping time, and when I do I hold him close to my body, holding him tightly against my chest. That seems to work for me. He gets better at it over time, but I know that he won’t ever be as tolerant as fern.

[Monkeybun]

Moose hates getting picked up, but when I take him to the vet or outreaches, he’s all MOMMY SAVE ME and tries to hide under my hair, climbing up my chest lol.

[samiboo]

you can try supporting his back feet, even holding them firmly with one hand on his back.
try this sitting down first then on your knees and standing over a period of a few weeks. to get him use to the height and idea. try calming him or distracting him as you do this.
if it doesn’t work leave it be. it’s not like it’s a huge life threatening behavior or like peeing on you xD

[Ollie]

My bunny Ollie didn’t like being picked up but he would stay still and I could clip his nails. But my new bunny hates it with all his strength. I got him from a girl that rescued him and he’s almost 1 year old and they never trimmed his nails. They’re too long and sharp It’s impossible to trim his nails. Help. What can I do? Take him to the vet?

[jerseygirl]

Posted By ollie_leo_bunnies on 2/09/2018 4:09 PM

My bunny Ollie didn’t like being picked up but he would stay still and I could clip his nails. But my new bunny hates it with all his strength. I got him from a girl that rescued him and he’s almost 1 year old and they never trimmed his nails. They’re too long and sharp It’s impossible to trim his nails. Help. What can I do? Take him to the vet?

Welcome ollie_leo_bunnies

Taking him to the vet would be a good idea, given he is a new pet. They can give him a full health check also. Rabbits will often cooperate better when at the vet. 

You could try the “bunny burrito” method by wrapping him in a towel also but it can be tricky then getting a paw out to do the trims!

Some vets and assistants do this for particularly flightly bunnies.

I’ll lock this thread now as it was started in 2012. We encourage members to not reply to threads that are more then several months old.

If you would like to start a new thread about Ollie, click here.

There is also a WELCOME thread if you would like to introduce yourself and bun(s) too.

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