Rabbit panicking when picked up

[lorree]

Hi, I’ve had my rabbit for a few years now and she has always hated being picked up. She lives in my bedroom and is free to roam wherever she wants. And she’s always seemed happy and I guess I just let her get away with not getting picked up, but I realize that it was a bit neglectful of me bcos not picking her up means I can’t get her to the vet. So anyway I decided that she must learn to accept it. And have been picking her up and cuddling her everyday, and I just wanted to ask about her stressed out actions. I mean what is normal and what’s not normal?
When I started picking her up she would breathe very loud and heavy, really puffing. And then I’d sit there patting her and she wouldnt calm down and she’d jump off me and angrily run under the bed to hide. With more and more days passing by with picking her up, she still does the heavy breathing thing but settles down after a few minutes and then will sit on me for a while and eventually jump away and do her little grooming thing and doesn’t seem to be as angry. But the other day I went to cut her nails whilst she was on my lap and she freaked out big time and the breathing got heavier and louder and her heart was beating way faster then normal and I could actually hear it without putting my ear on her body. And that scared me. Is that normal at all? Again yesterday I tried to do her nails and this happened again. Loud heavy breath and fast loud heart beat. And even after cuddling and patting for at least 10 minutes she was still panicking.
I want to keep working on my relationship with her and get her able to be handled so I can take her for check ups and desexing etc but I’m so worried about her panicking so I’m just looking for advice and yeah is it normal for her to do this?
I’d do anything for her, I love her so much. Please help me

[Bam]

I’m all for desensiting a rabbit to being handled, but maybe you are moving too fast? When an animal doesn’t respond as intended to whatever training, a general rule is to back up a bit and take it slower. Maybe just lift her up a couple of times a week. You could even start from the beginning with lifting her up and putting her right back down again, without any stroking etc. in my experience, adult bunnies can be slow learners.

[lorree]

Hmm ok, well perhaps I’ll at least go back to the old way I was doing her nails rather then having her being picked up and the nails done at the same time as both scare her. And yeah maybe space out the picking up rather than everyday. Thanks

But still is the way she panicked normal? I mean is that how they panic? I know that sounds weird but it was especially alarming hearing that loud fast heart beat.

[Bam]

Yes, it’s normal. Bam has reacted this way at the vet, when he’s had his vaccination-shot (I’,m in a country where rabbits needs the myxomatosis-vaccine). The vet noticed it, she listened to his heart with her stethoscope, but didn’t seem worried, just remarked that he was stressed, as most healthy rabbits tend to be at the vet.

[lorree]

thank u
It’s good to know that it’s not a unusual reaction

[Author]

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