Holding your rabbit

[SweetB]

I’ve been getting mixed reviews on whether rabbits like to be held or not. I believe that it’s very dependant on your rabbits personality, but I took her to the vet recently for a check-up and was told by the vet that they DO like being held. Mine likes to lay next to me on the floor while I pet her but scurries away if I ever try to pick her up. I don’t mind this, but I was told that handling your rabbit can be a learned thing by positive reinforcement.

Any tips or tricks to making your bunny more comfortable with being handled? Or is it simply their personality?

[Remus & Ruby's Mum]

Personality definitely makes a big difference. For example my Ruby is OBSESSED with people. Follows them around, demands to be petted and is okay with being lifted for a second to be placed on a lap, and about half the time is totally comfortable being held like a baby looking over my shoulder. BUT If she knows you’re going to clip her nails or something she freaks out.
Remus on the other hand likes people just fine, but prefers some space, HATES being lifted slightly off the ground and if you pick him up to carry around he starts kicking like mad when you bend over to put him down. BUT he’s a perfect angel at being held for brushing, nail clipping or gland cleaning.

So there’s that haha.

But also, Ruby used to not be so lovey dovey, until I started sitting on the ground with her a lot and occasionally lifting her onto my lap and letting her hop away. Try that??

[Sirius&Luna]

Most rabbits don’t like being held, instinctively they feel like they’re being taken by a predator and are about to be eaten.

Mine will tolerate it, and I think it’s important to be able to pick them up so that you can administer medicine, hold them at the vet, clip nails, stop them climbing into things they shouldn’t etc… I know some people will avoid picking up their rabbits ever, but personally, that wouldn’t work for me.

Try picking them up and sitting with them on the floor for a couple of seconds, so they don’t feel too high up, then give them a treat and put them back down. You can gradually extend the time and height. Or if they continue to really hate it, just accept that they don’t want to be picked up, and occasionally you’ll have to make them miserable by picking them up for something essential like medicine.

[Wick & Fable]

Is your rabbit a rabbit savvy vet/exotic vet? I find it unusual they’d say rabbits like being picked up.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Deleted User]

I think its very rare for a rabbit to actually enjoy being picked up. Some will “tolerate” it, but I’m sure they don’t “like” it. For this reason, I don’t pick Ophelia up because holding them because I want to is just selfish of me and uncomfortable for them.

Ophelia is a snuggle bun and she does seek me out for attention, but still she absolutely detests being picked up (even an attempt will get me foot flicks or a grunt)

[GarfyTheLop]

Garf doesn’t like being picked up but will happily jump on our laps when it’s on his terms.

We’ve had him for about 6 weeks now and to start with he wouldn’t even put his paws on us, now he climbs all over us and asks to be pet

We sit on the floor with him all the time so he’s used to us and we hand feed him his greens so he can learn we’re nice and he should trust us.
From what I’ve learnt from being on this site, it takes time and a lot of patience but your bun will eventually realise you’re the best and when they do it’s so nice to know they’re coming up to you because they want a cuddle rather than you forcing them into it

[SweetB]

She’s still under a year and has only been to the vet a few times. At the vets they have 1 “exotic pet” vet. It was difficult for the vets to hold her while they clipped her nails and asked how much I handle her and I explained that she likes to be pet but not held and they corrected me and said “oh no, rabbits do like to be held”, but like you said, I found that very unusual.

[Wick & Fable]

Yeah, that’s wrong; your sense is correct. I always add a conditional when commenting on a veterinarian’s advice/recommendations because I am not licensed, but in this case, it’s definitely wrong to say “rabbits do like to be held”. Wick is one of the most tolerant rabbits to me poking and proding him, and I pick him up multiple times on a daily basis, and he does not like being held — he tolerates it. He licks, but that’s a “Ok put me down now” lick, not a “I like this snuggle 5 feet off the ground”.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[SweetB]

I’m glad you said this! My bunny does the same, she wants to be pet and given treats but when I go to pick her up she’ll stomp at me too! Haha. It was mainly the struggle to hold her and clip her nails at the vet that they suggested I try to handle her more so that next time it wont be so difficult.

[SweetB]

Thank you everyone for your help! I will have more floor time with her to see if she’ll trust me more but now I know that it’s totally normal for your rabbit to NOT want to be held. (I think part of it is my fault too, when she was little I’d have to pick her up to put her away and she might still associate being held with being put away) 

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