How to Pick Up a Rabbit

Rabbits deserve a high level of respect and this includes the right not to be restrained by humans for our pleasure, for instance, by unnecessarily picking them up. (Look back here to read why rabbits don't like being held despite their stuffed-animal appearance.) However, there are instances, like a vet visit or a nail trim, that require a rabbit to be picked up.

Knowing the proper way to pick up and hold your rabbit is essential to avoiding serious injury. When picking up a rabbit, you'll need to be confident and slightly forceful. Meek attempts allow the rabbit to flail and kick out its hind legs, which could cause a disastrous spinal fracture. Therefore you must always support the bottom of a rabbit while they are being picked up and held.



The best way to pick up a rabbit starts with a few nice pats on the head for reassurance.














Then, move your hands down to its shoulders and wrap your hands around its back and sides, pushing down softly but firmly.














Move your right hand under the chest and lift up slightly.












Place your left hand on the bottom of the rabbit near its tail and lift her up, holding her firmly and tightly.












Place the rabbit to your chest, supporting her legs. Hold her firmly and securely, disabling her ability to jump. A fall from a few feet can lead to a leg or back fracture.
If your rabbit has a tendency to flail when held, wrap her in a towel to restrain her completely. This sort of wrapping technique can be helpful for nail trims as well.


















She gets a treat for being such a good sport!

How to Train your Rabbit

Training your rabbit to come when called can be a valuable tool. I use this command to get my rabbit into her cage and keep her mentally stimulated!
To teach your bunny this trick, start by crouching down a few feet away from her. Hold a treat, like a blueberry in your hand and make tsk tsk tsk sounds. If there's no response, move a little closer and let your rabbit smell the treat, making the tsk continuously. When she comes to you, continue making the sound and give her the treat. Move back and start the process over again. Your aim is to get the rabbit to associate the tsk sound with a treat. She'll likely catch on faster than you think, but the bottom line here is patience and repetition. Later on, you'll only need a treat half the time. Practice calling her over often to keep it fresh in her memory, and if your rabbit starts giving you that clueless look, increase the frequency of your practice sessions.

This sort of Pavlovian conditioning works well with rabbits. As we owners know, bunnies are intelligent creatures. Teaching them commands is an excellent way to mentally stimulate and keep them active, thinking, and happy. And teaching your rabbit to come when called can make your life easier. You'll never have to chase her into the cage at night again! She'll go in on command. This not only helps you, but since your rabbit is entering the cage seemingly at her own will, she'll view the cage as her own controlled territory, causing her to feel safer.