OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS. You can gradually increase the amount of time you move the carrier, interspersing this with times when she is not moved around at all. Merlin: I caught him by corraling him into his litterbox, picked him up. Apr 27, 2018 - Proverbs Thirty One Woman website shares how to train chickens to be picked up, come when called, return to the chicken coop and stay out of the garden. no matter how good your bond gets. 2. After 2 years, when Merlin died, I bonded her with Lancelot. To my dismay, he is particularly cautious of being touched. Some rabbits are also extremely sensitive about their ears or tail. Treat! I wish I had one of those. 2. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. Rabbits love being stroked on their foreheads and backs. I think this system works best, since I can move her around if she needs to be, but she completely trusts us. It isn’t a quick process, but it does have to be a daily process. It's defending its territory and this is pretty typical behavior too. For litter pans, cat litter boxes work pretty well, although smaller pans such as cake pans may work for smaller rabbits. I found that the effort of picking up a rabbit daily to get it to become accostomed to you, is frustrating, because when we are waiting for something to happen, it never seems to happen quickly enough. Darla. Train your rabbit You can stimulate your bunny’s mind and stop them from getting stressed through boredom by teaching your pet some new tricks, like coming to its name, using a litter tray or jumping into your lap. Respect your bunny and don't force them to sit and be cuddled. Further, if you keep trying to catch your rabbit to pick him up, he’ll just grow to distrust you. She lets me pet her. Bunny/human relations can often break down when these incidents occur, and if you don't stop and think about things from the rabbit's perspective, then you may end up with a situation less easily resolved than the conflict in the middle east. It’s not realistic to expect your bunny to be a good lap pet. The breeder said he didn't mind being picked up, but he is freaking out when i try. Rabbits do not like being picked up and they do not like being held. You may be lucky and develop a good bond within a week but it can take months and you may find that your bunny might never like being picked up etc. So I picker her up twice a day for 10 months. Most of the time it’s our feet and legs in their field of view. BUT – none of my rabbits “sit with me”. I have to corner her into a cat carrier, and pick her up in the carrier, not in my arms. She loves the opportunity to put her face in the kibble bowl and grab what she wants. During the last 6 months of his life, he let me pick him up where he was sitting. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. Many rabbits will try to jump, from whatever height, once they sense you are about to release them so kneel down still holding the rabbit against you, then lower your arms and let it jump to the ground. Dec 9, 2013 - Proverbs Thirty One Woman website shares how to train chickens to be picked up, come when called, return to the chicken coop and stay out of the garden. Darla: I think it’s a good idea to put the carrier permanently in the bunnies room, so he/she can explore it and get used to it (unless they start chewing on it, of course). It is up to you, the flexible human, to compromise and alter your behavior so that the bunny understands that you are a friend. Maybe, just maybe you will end up with a bunny like this who growls and thumps when you stop petting him! Morgana: 3 years later, I still cant’ pick her up with my hands. I have a 10 week old holland lop male. I’ve had my bun for over 3 months now, and he’s completely comfortable with being petted on his own terms–as long as I don’t try to pick him up. And it might even help your relationship! Speak to your rabbit in a nice voice … The first time I picked her up she did just what you described. Is the answer to this situation to not pick him up and leave him be forever alienated by sitting with a human on human’s terms? You’re much more likely to destroy any amount of trust your bun has in you. But it’s still a struggle to keep him comfortable and still. If the rabbit is healthy and well fed it will be easier for you to train it because it will feel good. It depends on his personality really. Training a rabbit to tolerate being picked up, Training a rabbit to tolerate being picked up!-->, This topic has 11sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated. However, sometimes it's necessary as I will be clipping his nails myself. Slide one hand under its tummy, just behind its front feet and the other hand under its bottom. So I switched tactics: now she is well trained to get into her carrier on command (she gets a small treat). Thing is, I actually got her into the curled position and she stayed there for a few seconds and then broke free and jumped away. So your rabbit may not appreciate being picked up and held. The 10-month process of picking her up everyday (against her will), and her seeing that I didn’t eat her or hurt her, she is now very easy to pick up. It is up to you, the flexible human, to compromise and alter your behavior so that the bunny understands that you are a friend. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Some people might also hold their rabbits on their back in a “hypnotised” or “tranced” state, where they go really still. If he’s one of the bunnies that can be trained into liking to be picked up, then a few months of picking him up every day and probably giving him some treats while you do it should calm him down. The best way to interact with your rabbit is on the floor. At first, keep your rabbit primarily in his (or her cage), which should be fairly small at first, with a litter pan. But if you’ve recently adopted your bunny, you may not even know how to start the bonding process. Always approach your rabbit from above or the side as they cannot see objects directly in front of their noses. By providing simple, reliable rabbit information in a library of documents and links, it is designed to be a useful resource for experienced rabbit owners as well as an easy way in for those new to rabbits. If you insist on scooping up little Bunnikins all the time, you may find she starts running away from you and hiding every time you come near. LOL). He knows he gets a treat for going into his cage at bedtime, I don’t even have to say anything, he knows what time it is and he’s usually in there before I get halfway across the room. So he does this even after the actual lifting part is over. Repeat this a few times, then increase the distances until the bunny comes when called. With Guinivere, I was focusing on bonding her with Lancelot, so picking her up was just part of the daily bonding process. The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. You have probably seen delightful pictures of people holding their bunnies on the internet and are wondering why your own well-meaning attempts to carry your bunny tends to trigger an instant fight involving scratching, wriggling and in the end a struggle to simply put them down safely without both of you being hurt. I don’t know if this is normal behavior for bunnies, because even though I’ve owned it do a few years now, she’s only my first rabbit. You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. He will sit and be super happy to be cuddled and pet as long as I don’t try to pick him up, at which point he freaks out and breaths really hard and claws me. I think you could probably persevere and keep trying to pick him up. What to avoid – bunny etiquette Rabbits should never be picked up by their ears or by the scruff of their neck. It is true she doesn’t scratch or bite, but you could see that her eyes were HUGE and she was really freaked out. Just wanted to share my experience as well: If you rabbit is as curios as Thor, when you put a new object in their area it will inevitably be explored. Which trees, shrubs, flowers, wild plants are safe for rabbits an... Bunnyhugga is an international non-profit site raising the profile of rabbits as pets. jewel on August 17, 2014: My bunny when I get close to she growls and stomps and also gets up on hine paw and tries scratch me what should I do. He's only 8 weeks, and sometimes i need to safely move him. 2. I end up with lots of scratches on my chest, stomach, and shoulders. If I actually try to lift him off the ground and hold him (even if I”m sitting on the floor doing it), he goes a bit berserk, breathing loudly and scratching with everything he can. Sit in the room while bunny is out to play and she will soon come investigate you. Hermione (my baby bun) for some reason has absolutely no fear of being picked up and will even put her paws on my knees when I sit down and try to get into my lap. In other words, there’s no single “best” way to go about picking up an uncooperative rabbit. no matter how good your bond gets. As you lift, try to keep most of the rabbit's weight on its bottom. Not because he’s trying to hurt me, but because he is thoroughly convinced that he will fall and is trying to get some traction. Give it treats. Click if your bunny holds still, and immediately set the basket down again. There are different opinions on the matter, some people have some success with getting their bun used to being picked up, but I think in most cases it’s not very effective. With a bit of repetition being picked up was seen as a lift toward the kibble and became a simple nuisance on the way to something she liked rather than a terror. 3. So no matter what the end result is, I don’t think it’s fair top put an animal through a situation that scares them to death, over and over, when it’s really not necessary. If your rabbit tends to back right up to the edge and deposit outside the box, some creativity may be required. If your rabbit is very nervous about being held, try wrapping it in a blanket or towel - it will make it feel more secure and will protect you from scratches. Lancelot and Guin are the snuggliest wiht me, but they both want the attention on me, not them. It seems like Tart is scared and you should try building more trust before you attempt to pick her up. Hello Hazel, I like your thoughts on training a bunny to get I to a carrier rather than trying to pick them up each day. They make great pets for both adults and children and are therefore often serve as a 4H-Rabbit. The easiest way is with food rewards: Find a food item she really likes and isn’t part of normal diet (e.g. You can also brush your rabbit using a cat grooming brush or a doll's hairbrush; this has the added benefit of removing hair from moulting rabbits and reducing the risk of hairballs. I don’t know if she was more pliable because she was scared at the time (I can’t remember what her eyes looked like) or if he was doing something different than I was. When she went in the carrier: presto! ), he is very friendly and cute aside from this one problem. sit on the ground and let them approach you. For short periods of a time. The first 6 months, he kicked and fought. Mar 16, 2015 - Proverbs Thirty One Woman website shares how to train chickens to be picked up, come when called, return to the chicken coop and stay out of the garden. Hold your bunny sideways with its feet resting at your hip facing your right shoulder. It is best to let your rabbit initiate this i.e. Somethign eventually clicked with Morgana too. Bunny knows this and occasionally begs over at the table then looks at me… I use this to “pick up drill” advantage. Without further ado, the specific ways you can train your cat to be more snuggly: Ways to Train Your Cat to Be More Snuggly 1. Slide one hand under its tummy, just behind its front feet and the other hand under its bottom. A rabbit is a prey animal and many other animals consider a rabbit to be fair game to chase and attack. hand is used over the bunny’s rump to scrunch the hind legs up into the “bunny ball” hold. Avalon: 3 years later, I have to corner him and be SUPER quick about grabbing him. It depends on his personality really. On the other hand, if the only time bunny is lifted is when play time is over or he has to go to the vet, bunny may learn to flee. As I said before, in most cases getting them used to it doesn’t really work, trying to overcome their strongest natural instinct is incredibly hard, if not impossible, and it puts the bunny through a huge amount of stress. One of mine, George, is the same way. The other position is like a hug using your arms to hold the bunny firmly against your chest. All of a sudden I realised that she was easier to handle, and very super snuggly. He nudges me with his head for attention, and nudges me when I stop petting him, to continue. I know bunnies don't like this so please don't tell me bunnies don't like being picked up - I KNOW THAT. The act of bending over them and grabbing them by their ribs to pick them up is very similar to being picked up by a hawk – scary!! Placing the box in a small room, or limiting the animal's access to a small perimeter around the pan will help drive results. freaking out, breathing heavily and scratching and fighting. Hello! Place a litter box in the cage, and note where you rabbit eliminates. Rabbits are very intelligent, social animals that can be trained quite easily. Following are a few steps you can take to win your shy rabbit's trust. The Box . That being said, if you get a baby bunny like we did and handle him or her a lot, they can be very gentle and tolerant of children. However there are things that you can do to make your rabbit love being picked up. quarter of a sultana or other tiny piece of dried fruit or banana) … I have tried wrapping her up in a towel to pick up, but she fights her way out and jumps out of my arms. The Bunny 500 . He is still wary of me. If your rabbit is confident and secure, you can put your arms around it and cuddle it, however, more nervous rabbits dislike feeling enclosed / trapped like this and may run away. Very difficult to handle. Instead, pick up (reward for good behavior) your dog for a few seconds and place him back down on the ground for a game of tug or chase, or let your dog continue sniffing and exploring outdoors. So your rabbit may not appreciate being picked up and held. He is most comfortable on my lap on his side, on his back at an angle, or with his chin resting on my arm. In the end, Thor will immediately go into the carrier now when I put it on the ground, since she knows there is something delicious in there I try to make trips to the vet as chill as possible, so she doesn’t associate it with bad things, and also intersperse non-scary carrier rides. The Sims 4: Snowy Escape rock climbing skill is one of the new additions in the frosty, Japan-inspired expansion pack. Always stroke in the direction of the hair, never against the hair (unless you are checking for skin problems). For a cat, there's tremendous security in having all paws on the ground and the ability to move at will. With Avalon and Morgana, it felt like it was taking forever to get them to trust me, because that was what I was focusing on. She still doesnt’ like it, but I dont’ have to chase her or corner her. Sounds like your Hermione (awesome name!) One way you can teach your bunny to come when it's called is to get up close to him/her and have their favorite treat, then say their name and say come then feed the treat. You will soon get to know what your rabbit likes and dislikes. At first I didn’t close the carrier on her, just let her enjoy the treat and leave. Will this change? will he become more affectionate? It may try to "reverse" out of your arms so always keep one hand under its bottom. They prefer to have their feet on the ground. I started bringing out the carrier, and placing a favorite treat inside. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. As soon as he’s safely in my arms he’s fine and he hates being lowered to the ground i have to crouch down, set him on my knees and let him hop down himself otherwise I’ll come away with my arms shredded up. Aug 10, 2015 - Proverbs Thirty One Woman website shares how to train chickens to be picked up, come when called, return to the chicken coop and stay out of the garden. Hazel’s technique for training a rabbit to go in a carrier is good! So, my bunny is about two or three years old, and she hates being picked up. If the floor won’t work for you bring the rabbit up on the sofa or bed with you. But I always had to coral him into a corner. I know that it’s important to support their back/bum so they don’t hurt their spine, and I do that fine. Settle it securely across your body, not with its head pointing up at your shoulder as it may try to climb up. From what I saw at the shelter, the employees also couldn’t pick her up, BUT when I went to get her nails trimmed at a local pet store (small, family owned) the guy there was able to pick her up with ease and hold her in his lap. I wear boots int he morngins coz she gets so exited. Get down on their level. As before, have a treat in one hand and stroke along your rabbits back, until your hand is in the right position to lift and gently take a little of your rabbits weight. What are we about? Just my 2 cents that it is totally possible to co-exist well with a rabbit without ever picking them up against their will. I wrote a journal here on BB about my efforts to get her to trust me, Lancelot: Super chill rabbit. If your rabbit struggles when being picked up, hold him/her firmly, but be ready to put him/her down. I’ve read that it’s good to gradually train a rabbit to tolerate being picked up (and hopefully like it). They are quite sugary though, so I wouldn’t give more than one a day. If you insist on scooping up little Bunnikins all the time, you may find she starts running away from you and hiding every time you come near. ), he is very friendly and cute aside from this one problem. 10 months is a long time. They may bite, kick or scratch when picked up. Cause I really hope so! You’re probably right, Hazel. Although some rabbits don’t mind it, most are not content to be held or to sit on your lap. Cleaning up accidents outside the tray with white vinegar, which is an odour neutraliser, will help make sure only the tray smells like the place to go. They want me to give THEM attention, not the other way around. Place the other hand over its back just above its tail (scut). When putting your rabbit down, slowly squat down while holding your bunny … Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules. Then lift the bunny out, hind legs toward you, and place under your arm so the bunny He doesn't bite, but he doesn't really like being pet or picked up. One final tip: pick a tray that is large enough for your rabbit to turn easily and has space for a handful of hay to one side - … It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist. Stroke its back gently until you are sure it is not about to dash away from you. SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. As for your question roserade I would do what Hazel says. Or should I persevere gradually and gently, and hopefully he’ll eventually learn that it’s not scary if I hold him for a bit? 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