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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Advice for picking up/holding/carrying

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    • Hazel416
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      29 posts Send Private Message

        Hi everyone,

        It has been a while since I’ve logged on. Hazel (who I adopted in October) has been doing very well! She has warmed up so much, is super social and curious about everything, and everyone who meets her falls in love with her.

        I am still having a few minor issues. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get her to be more comfortable with being held or picked up and moved? I know it is common for rabbits to dislike this, as I have researched it quite a bit. However, sometimes it is necessary, e.g. when I need to trim her nails; and other times I really just want to give her a cuddle. She absolutely loves being pet and rubbed for hours, but as soon as I go to put her in my lap or in my arms, or even on top of my belly if I’m laying down, she gets awfully scared and runs away angrily.

        Is there any way to get her more comfortable with this or should I really just accept it and let her be? It’s frustrating because at the vet they have absolutely no issues picking her up (I know they are very experienced, but maybe it’s also because she is scared so she becomes more passive?), and her foster mom also never had any issues with it and carried her around frequently. It’s kind of making me feel bad that it seems to be just me that she has the problem with, when all I want to do is love her!

        I’d really appreciate any tips or advice, even if you think I should just give up.

        Thanks!


      • Rookie
        Participant
        466 posts Send Private Message

          Rookie is not an in hand kind of guy either. I never really forced the matter myself but I too was always jealous of the vet as they could hold him no problem. Rookie is now sick and I have to pick him up often to give him meds. I still cannot pick him up from the floor so I always have to trap him in his carrier then pick him out from there. He doesn’t fight that too much but still is not a fan of being picked up. He still wont allow me to pick him up from the floor. So my only tip is maybe start with the carrier trick and then put her in your lap. Maybe slowly she’ll be less scared of it.


        • Hazel416
          Participant
          29 posts Send Private Message

            I’m sorry to hear Rookie is sick. Thank you for your advice. I hope she will warm up to the idea eventually.


          • skysblue
            Participant
            208 posts Send Private Message

              I’d lure her with pellet one by one so she get close to you, then onto the lap, then hv her near ur chest and eventually settle in your arms and u get to cuddle!

              Another thing is really just the technique. It should be secured, fast and firm.


            • Hazel416
              Participant
              29 posts Send Private Message

                Thanks skysblue. I think she might just be a bit too smart for me. I had initially tried luring her with small treats, but eventually she understood what was happening and as soon as she would get the food in her mouth she would bolt to her safe spot and eat it. She would continue coming back for me but would never stay on my lap unless it were something that she couldn’t run away with, such as a large carrot.

                Crazy. She’s just determined to not be cuddled!


              • vanessa
                Participant
                2212 posts Send Private Message

                  Personally – I’d give up on cuddling her unless both her feet are on the ground. I’d focus on making her comfortable for times that you have to move her or pick her up for welness/habitat reasons. For example, My 2 bunnies that allow me to pick them up – One allows me to trim his nails without wrapping him up. The other, I bundle her in a burrito, pet her, and get it over quickly. Other than that, she is very damanding about reveiving her snuggles as long as both feet are on the ground. The other 2 rabbits don’t let me pick them up, so instead of chasing them, i coral them into acorner, place a cat carier in front of them, and scoop them in. That’s the safest way for me to pick those two up. Once Ihave them in the burrito, Avalon is really good. Morgana still fights a bit. I focus on making it safe, quick, and comortable. I keep their back feet bundled up.
                  Lancelot is the exception – due to illness, paralysis, and a lot of nursing care from me, we have quite a bond, and he allows me to snuggle him on my lap. But he still doesn’t like to be picked up or put down.
                  Guin is so damm snuggly and cute. She demands her snuggles – when she sees me walking down the hallway, she perks up and watches me. When I come into the room, she is at my ankles, and sometimes on my toes. She gets all flat and comfy and purs when I pet her. She likes to be petted all over – head, nose, ears, neck, loves a little massage on those crazy thick fat rolls, loves to be rubbed from head to tail. Positionally – she wants to face me. Lancelot likes to be at my side. He wants me to sit next to him so he can press up along side me. He likes to lean against me while I pet him. When I pet his head, he pushes it up, as if he wants a harder rub.
                  That’s how they want to snuggle, so that’s how I snuggle them.
                  Morgana and Avalon are different. Morgana allows me to pet her, and Avalon does not. But we are not bonded like Guin, Lancelot and I are. So I let Avalon and Morgana dictate the pace of our relationship.


                • Hazel416
                  Participant
                  29 posts Send Private Message

                    Thank you for your input vanessa! You’re totally right, I should accept her for who she is and how she likes to cuddle. I feel better knowing it’s not just me, too.

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                Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Advice for picking up/holding/carrying