Handling

[Fluffybunny84]

Hi there, I’m very new to rabbits and I have only had my little chap a day so this is more a question for the future,obviously when he has settled in. Now I see the term ‘handling’ used a lot with rabbits. The lady I got my 4 month old said he’d been handled every day…to which I assume is a good thing with a young rabbit. Now, given that rabbits generally don’t like being picked up and I guess will always naturally scrabble away for safety when a big pair of hands come towards them, can I assume that when rabbits are handled when young they have been picked up against their will and they learn to put up with it? So if my rabbit has indeed been handled every day will he be used to just being plucked from his cage? My natural instinct is to assume he will come to us in his own time and build up trust and want to be stroked. But am I meant to continue the ‘handling’ to get him used to being held? If he never wants to be picked up from his cage do I just not do it and always wait for him to come out of his own accord? I have only ever had guinea pigs (as a child) they used to run round the cage when I wanted to pet them but I didn’t think twice about picking them up to hold! I desperately don’t want to ruin any bond we will potentially build up but also don’t want to undo all the handling that has gone into him. I’m confused!

[Erin]

Well welcome to the world of rabbits! haha I would say since he’s still new to you, wait for him to come to you. Let the cage open lay on the floor and then wait for him to come out. Being that he was handled when it was young, I think that depends the relationship he and the other owner had. If it was a good relationship, he might be mourning the loss of his buddy and you need to let him come to you. If it was a bad relationship (or a pet store) he really won’t like being picked up, so you have to be very calm and patient with him. One of my boys I got from a neighbor and he doesn’t mind being picked up, but I’m the only person who has every picked him up and I always try to make his experience pleasant. His brother however, is from a pet store and he does not like to be picked up because he wasn’t handled well. The more he comes around to you and build your relationship, the better it will be. Also, I’ve trained my buns that when i want to pick them up, I wait for them to come to me, then pet them and put both my hands on their shoulders, if they don’t want to be picked up, they know to get out of that pose and I won’t pick them up. So that could help too, by making a habit of how you pick them up they know what you’re trying to do before you do it.

Howcast is a great channel on youtube that I would suggest watching! Here is a link to the one about handling which helped me a lot when I was starting out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXdvtNwAPk

[Erin]

I also forgot to mention, my buns don’t care too much about the side handling that she shows in the howcast. Since I have boobs (lol) I like to place them on my chest so that they feel they have a secure area to sit. I do keep one hand on their butt and pet their heads with the other and give them kisses!

[sarahthegemini]

Tbh I think a lot of breeders tell people that their bunnies like to be handled and gave been handled because it makes their ‘product’ sound more appealing. I wouldn’t force it, even if a rabbit tolerates it, it isn’t nice to put them through that every day.

[Brambino]

I think it depends. Ive had Bramble since she was a baby and the advantage is that babies are smaller I think, so feel more secure when you pick them up because you can support all of them at once. Bramble got used to it and didn’t think it was scary. I always made it a pleasant experience for her. Once our trust was built, I started slowly lifting her and carrying or cuddling her, she got lots of treats whenever she was picked up and I never let her scrabble or panic so we developed an understanding. I don’t think you can do that with an adult bun. I wouldn’t dream of picking Gandalf up now but Bramble knows it’s not scary. Xx

[Author]

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