how can i be able to pick my rabbit and her be comfortable with it?

Answer 1

This was the case with my bunny before. He was scared to death to be picked up. What I did was whenever I picked him up I would give him a treat. Don't give him any treats otherwise-ONLY when you pick him up. Also maybe you are picking him up wrong. You need to make him feel supported and safe.

Answer 2

With the rabbit on the floor or in their cage, gently place your hand over their ears, press the ears down against the shoulders and grasp the skin on the back of the neck (with the ears enclosed under your hand). Gently pick the rabbit up, much like a kitten, by the the "scruff" of the neck, but don't "pinch" the ears. Take your other arm and "scoop" it under the body of the rabbit, supporting most of the rabbit's weight with this arm. Now sort of tuck the head of the rabbit into the crook of that arm so the eyes are covered, but ALWAYS keeping a firm grip on the scruff of the neck with the ears enclosed in that hand. The rabbit should remain calm. If it doesn't, place it back down and try again. Practice it till the rabbit remains calm the whole time and be careful, rabbits can really scratch hard!

Answer 3

Animals like rabbits are not used to being handled, especially if you have an older animal. the best thing to do is to work slowly toward getting the animal comfortable with being held. Start slow, only hold the animal for a few minutes at a time at first and give it treats. Don't just pick it up and rn around with it. after a while you will notice the rabbit is more comfortable with you, then you can expand the ammount of time and activities you do whil holding it.

Answer 4

Rabbits are ground dwellers, they are prey animals, everything eats rabbits and rabbits know it. Thats why they are inherantly nervous creatures. They are wary and there eyesight allows them to see all around and above them. The #1 way to defend is to RUN and KICK. The best way to pick one up is not come above a rabbit or stand over it. It gets them frightened. NEVER pick it up by the ears these are delicate and full of blood and nerves... its PAINFUL and they will hate you for it. best is to place a hand under chest and forfeet, open hand and cup chest, with other hand place arm and hand under rump, support the entire back side. Immdiately bring rabbit to chest and stabilize it. Give it lots of security.To let a rabbit feel lots of air under it is to cause it to kick and spaz. It doesnt feel stable or comfortable then she will squirm and kick. Be sure those back nails are trimmed well cause if she gets spooked shes going to open up your skin pretty good. Rabbits have very powerful kicks. If she is very overly shy, tuck your rabbit head first into the crook of your arm like a football. Let her bury her head into your side and arm, she will feel safer with her head buried and rump exposed. Always provide firm solid grip under her feet and gut. Petting and quiet coos will calm her. Some people say scruff the rabbit, like a mom cat does with a kitten when picking her up, this is not a good idea, it can hurt the tissues that connect the skin and cause fear and discomfort to the rabbit. At no time in the wild does a mother rabbit do that to her babies so humans shouldnt do it to a rabbit.

Answer 5

Some rabbits just dont' like being picked up. Mine is one of them. So far, I've been working with mine by picking him up and putting him on my lap. He seems more comfortable with that.

Make sure that you aren't always putting her back in her cage when you pick her up... if you do, she'll associate being picked up with having to go back in her cage...making it a potentially negative thing. The treat idea (a few posts up) is a good one too.

Whatever you do... don't force the issue. Holding onto a rabbit too tight can be bad. Their bones are VERY brittle and they can be injured very easily from being sqeezed too tight or from jumping/falling from even a very short distance.

Try www.rabbit.org too. I think they have tips for holding a rabbit.

Answer 6

Rabbits are animals that generally do NOT like to be held at all no matter how friendly he or she may be. You should always hold a rabbit under the bum when you have him/her in your arms. Rabbits however do love lots of attention and love to be petted but can't stand being held. I've had my dwarf duchy bunny for almost a year and she craves attention in the form of petting and treats but still doesn't like it when I hold her for more than 2 seconds.

Answer 7

What I do whenever i pick of a rabbit is this...find the loose skin on the back of their neck and pick them up. I konw that it sounds cruel, but it helps protect both them and you. And then i always put my other hand underneath the bottom to make it more comfortable.

Answer 8

Rabbits are pretty tricky when it comes to picking them up. the best way I found was this: pick them up with your hands under the belly and one under the back feet (make sure he's balanced). When you hold him, hold him secure, in his natural position, with your one arm under his backlegs and the other one wrapped around....similar to a baby, except you keep the rabbit on his 'belly' instead of back! NEVER HOLD HIM ON HIS BACk! The secure part is important, because they do tend to freak

Answer 9

i have 2 rabbits they r mini rexes. the way i pic my rabbit up is i pit her keep her carm then slowly pick her up. then i pat her gently lettin her no i am not goin to hurt her.

Answer 10

Just be gentle are caring.But maybe he just doesn't want to be held.