Confirm/Refute Bunny Theory

[Baxter n Boos Mom]

My husband has this theory – that free range buns are probably less likely to welcome being carried….as they are used to their freedom, and can easily escape.  Whereas caged buns associate being carried with being freed from their cage or play time.

So – can you support/refute his theory?

Me:  We have 2 free range buns, and they both dislike being held 

[kcomstoc]

My bunny is caged and hates when we pick him up

[Isabel]

I completely disagree. Bunnies are supposed to view their cage as “home base”, and it should be a safe place. They should enjoy being in their cages. That doesn’t mean that they want to be in their cages all the time, but it should be a comforting area. You aren’t supposed to pick up a bunny in their cage because it’s *their* territory, not yours, and you should respect that. Picking up a bunny from his safe place is disorienting and can cause aggression.

So no, I don’t think caged rabbits enjoy being picked up more. But that’s just my two cents!

[Baxter n Boos Mom]

@Isabel: I did not mean to offend with the question….nor was it a criticism of keeping bunnies predominantly in a cage. It was merely a question, that I’m curious about.

This being said, are your bunnies free range, or primarily in a cage/condo – and do they like/dislike being held.

[kcomstoc]

Usually when I pick Caleb up from his cage he doesn’t like it but when we get to where we’re going (downstairs to the living room *this is where he gets his exercise*) then he tolerates it. I think that it’s better for me to go into his “territory” so that I can get him so he can get some exercise instead of staying in the cage all day. No offense.

[Monkeybun]

Most rabbits hate being picked up, due to them being prey animals. Picked up means they are dinner for something, in their minds.

[MoveDiagonally]

Posted By Monkeybun on 05/28/2013 10:43 PM
Most rabbits hate being picked up, due to them being prey animals. Picked up means they are dinner for something, in their minds.

Exactly my thoughts as well.

[IttySmitty]

I have 3 currently in my house, all have free range time. 2 of them hate being picked up, the other is a people lover who isn’t begging to be picked up but is fine with it. The baby (already tossed aside Easter bun) is the most skittish. She will take off if she thinks you even *thought* about picking her up. The other is about 3yrs who hates it, but is happy to get pets and snuggles on the ground. The last guy is the guy who will jump on the couch, sit on your lap, and give lots of licks and love.

It just seems to be an individual bun thing in my experience.

[Isabel]

Oops, didn’t mean to come off aggressive. Sorry if it seemed that way! I was watching Breaking Bad at the time lol might have made me more intense

[Isabel]

Ah, I’m too lazy to edit my post– am on my phone.

My bun is caged at night and during the afternoon when he naps. Other than that I give him theoretically free roam of the house, but he only stays in my living room. Dunno why. He has zero interest in my kitchen lol. If his litter habits turn sour, which they often do, I’ll keep him closed in my bedroom.

He doesn’t mind being picked up as much as other rabbits. He definitely won’t try to run away. He’ll squirm a bit and try to wiggle out if he gets impatient, but usually holding him just the right way solves most of my problems. He by no means enjoys it, but he tolerates it. Thank goodness. Things would be much more complicated if he didn’t.

[Sarita]

No rabbit enjoys being carried or picked up – they are just easier to catch in an enclosure.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Posted By Sarita on 05/29/2013 07:25 AM
No rabbit enjoys being carried or picked up – they are just easier to catch in an enclosure.

 

Yup. it has nothing to do with living arrangements and everything to do with instincts. Very few bunnies like being carried, however some tolerate it better than ithers and I believe that relates to personality more than anything.

[Bam]

Maybe it can SEEM like a caged bunny can stand being picked up better than a free-roam rabbit, but that could be because it knows it’s cornered and react by freezing. Many predators can’t see still objects very clearly, their hunting-instincts are triggered by movement, preferably swift movement.

A free roam rabbit knows it at least has a shot att getting away. That could of course cause stressful moments if you absolutely have to get hold of the bun (to give medicine f ex) and must chase it around before you can grab it.

I think rabbits who likes to be picked up are rare exceptions. Being picked up is too like what would happen if so wanted to eat them. A bird of prey f ex.

 

But it’s not a stupid idea, your husband’s. With a dog a similar idea could work, (Not the exact same scenario but the idea of an animal learning to understand that sth unpleasant leads to sth nice), but a rabbit I think would be too scared, scaredness shuts off the rest of the (conscious) brain so that only fight-or-flight-systems remain activated.

[Sarita]

I think if you can allow your rabbits free roam (some rabbits just cannot be free roamers however for whatever reasons) they are much happier overall.

[Baxter n Boos Mom]

Thank you all for your responses. Yes, Monkeybun, everything I’ve read confirms your statement about prey animals – and I agree that it’s not in a bunny’s nature to enjoy being picked up….but yesterday, a new member Emandme posted a thread, that mentioned her 2 buns (1 she’s had for 2 years, 1 since the fall) used to be very cuddly until very recently – when they were allowed to be free roaming buns.

That’s when I thought I’d ask other bunny parents about their experience….since her experience confirmed what my husband has been speculating.

And yes Sarita: I’ve found that if I can use the Xpen to enclose the buns in a small area – they tend to give up more readily when I need to pick them up. And for the most part, we only pick them up when we have to take them to the vet….which is unfortunate – because I don’t want them to make such a negative association with being held.

[Author]

Messages