This video discusses how to handle and restrain rabbits in the veterinary workplace. Learn how to properly handle veterinary exotics such as exotic mammals, birds, and reptiles in Patterson Veterinary Academy's Handling Exotic Series.
TO ALL NEW RABBIT OWNERS!! I’ve been a rabbit mama for about six months now and love having my baby bun with me all the time. I also know how many of you say that you’re rabbit hates being picked up and tries to escape or run away. I had that problem as well when I first got my rabbit. He wouldn’t let me pet him, let alone grab him. The secret to them calming down and letting you hold them and let them is time. They need to build trust and you need to show them that you’re there to take care of them. Just a month ago I could barely pick him up without getting scratched by him trying to get away. Now, he’s practically glued to me wherever I go 😆 It took me five months, for my rabbit to be calm when getting pet and picked up. Now, he doesn’t put up any fight and lets himself get picked up calmly because he knows that he’ll be okay. I didn’t do anything special besides feeding him, and making sure that he had everything he needed.
I have rabbits that I'm raising for school and they dont like being picked up yet but after only a few days the most friendly of them will stick its head under my hand like a dog to get me to pet its ears. Though I have to be able to pick them up and weigh them but they're pretty ok with it
my Dad did that too, i think parents/adults do this because they grew up on farms and it was normal for them to pick them up like that for meat rabbits.
Used to have rabbit farm and rabbits that were handled like that all lived longer than pet rabbits, yes it can stress them out but what vets say vs what is practiced is very different like how yu shouldn't feed cow milk to cats or dogs because "they can't digest it". I've been with cats and dogs since i was born, feeding them cooked chicken, bony fish(the ones with lots of tiny hair like bones), milk,etc. They have all lived longer than 10 years excluding some that got lost because they ran away.
@@atcera8714 Okay? Not all bunnies are going to react the same. Rabbits should be handled properly so that they are able to be comfortable and won’t be afraid of you, otherwise it’s just blatant mistreatment.
@@atcera8714 it's cruelty to be holding them up by their ears. It's literally not how they're meant to be hold. It's common sense... All the weight of their bodies is held by their fragile ears..
Same I actually have an outdoor cage for mine and I want to bring her out so she isn’t always cooped up but while she tolerates me petting and feeding her she hates being picked up so I’m trying to figure out how to get her in and out of the backyard without scaring her.
Thank You for this. Somebody's bunny wandered up in my yard and I can't find the owner. These handling tips may have headed off disaster, as I know very little about them.
Not all rabbits are happy being picked up like that. One of ours wasn't and it took me a while to get confident handling him. He hated anyone touching him underneath and would bite if anyone touched him there. He was much happier being picked up by the scruff of the neck. Once he got used to us though he loved sitting on our knee and cuddles. He used to go in my childrens sand pit and dig knocking they're sandcastles down which they thought was hilarious. Last one was quite happy to be picked up from underneath.
I'm here on this video because heeeella people in another video were complaining that bunnies should NOT be picked up vy the neck because it's painful for them since they don't have a "scruff" like cats do. I'm just trying to find the truth, lol!
@@she_sings_delightful_things I think it depends on the rabbit size etc. The one we picked up by scruff of neck was bigger and did have one. The one we picked up underneath was smaller and never really had anything there to grab hold of. He was two when we got him though as we rehomed him.
When I was in a school working with rabbits, the ones we had were skittish enough to where they would bite and scratch. Some said just scruff it and others said to scoop them. We always got bit when we scooped them up though so how would we pick the rabbit up if it keeps running and biting? Sry if this is too long.
I like that they said straight up scruffing is acceptable. Hopefully all of those people who comment on videos saying it’s animal cruelty to scruff a rabbit will see this video and shut up.
Bunnies are ground animals they don’t likevto be picked up. Please do not do that unless it’s extremely necessary otherwise the rabbit will never trust you & will feel stressed out around you
We have come to accept that our rabbit does not enjoy being picked up. Maybe some rabbits don't mind, but ours will kick like a donkey if you even think about it 😆
Someone gifted me a pair of Rabbit yesterday .Been feeding them all day and let them roam inside my house , They let me touch them and they nudge me with their nose . BUt they hate when i pick them up 😂 I got scratch everywhere .
I was a new rabbit owner since 2022, and at first, I thought that rabbits have no attack power since they were prey animals, but when I threatened it, it scratched me.
If it has those big splotches and is a big rabbit (10-13 lbs) that is still rather lean in look, it could be a "Checkered Giant". However, more likely it is a "New Zealand" in a "broken" fur pattern, which can also be pretty sizable rabbits, but aren't as leggy. If your rabbit happens to have a stripe down it's back and little splotches on the sides, then it would be an "English Spot" :) Hope that helps.
