Scruffing?

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equestrian<3

equestrian<3

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I have heard both, that it is perfectly fine, and that you shouldn't scruff your rabbit. People have told me to do it, and others said that your rabbit can really hurt itself when you do this. I can't seem to get a straight answer. So...I guess what I am asking is, is it safe to scruff my rabbit :?:
 
The judges at the shows I've been to handle the rabbits that way. :shrug:
 
If my rabbit is likely to disembowel me if I pick it up under the belly, (and a lot of mine are) you can bet I'm going to pick it up by the scruff! I've got enough scars. :p

Just don't do it in front of the judge. :mrgreen:
 
it may depend on the size of the rabbit--a squiggley junior at under 6-7 lbs should be fine, but I'm not sure I could lift a big Flemish Giant that way...And a rabbit will squeal in pure panic, so if someone picked one up and got squealed at, maybe they thought they hurt it? Mostly they go limp like a cat, which can help with the squirrelier ones. Brody should tell us--with all her rescue work, she should know.
 
Scruffing can cause damage to the tissues under the area. Unlike a cat which has all the loose skin there, a rabbits skin isn't as loose. and some rabbits if you scruff them you get smut over their shoulders.

What judges do in shows from what I have seen is different than scruffing...where you are actually lifting the rabbit, what they are doing is grasping the ears and shoulder area to hold the rabbit still. Scruffing tends to be grab and carry...and THAT causes damage to the underlying tissues.
 
I always grab my rabbits by the scruff,
I cup the ears at the same time. When checking your rabbit this is called the control hand.
When picking up the rabbit, I never lift it by only the scruff.
I scoop up the hindquarters with my other hand so that the rabbits weight
is never carried by its shoulders. I have heard that scruffing
will pull the fur away from the the body causing loose flesh.
This may be so if you are not supporting the weight of the rabbit
with your other hand under the rump.
I have never had a problem with loose flesh do to the method I use
to pick up and control my rabbits.
Your mileage may differ.
Ottersatin.
 
Ok, I should say I do always carry the hind quarters in my other hand, and it is only for the length of time that it takes to get them from the cage to snuggled against my chest.

But I only have one rabbit that will ever let me pick him up by putting my hand under his belly, and he is exceptionally mellow, and even he wont let me put him DOWN that way...starts running before his feet touch and scratches me all up.
 
I would not worry about the scruffing.
The only time that is a problem is when [and there are those that do!]
you have the rabbit dangling by the scruff and give no other support.
That is also dangerous as the rabbit in struggling for a foothold may
[and they quite often do] break it's back.
A properly handled/carried rabbit will not suffer any damage due to a simple scruffing
and proper scruffing give you the best control of the rabbit.
As always JMPO. Your mileage may differ.
Ottersatin.
 
I had one rabbit, Maverick, that the ONLY way I could avoid getting sliced myself was to ONLY hold him by the scruff. As a result, I never picked him up, ever, unless it was absolutly nessacary. I gave him away because I couldn't bear it, and made very clear to the new owner why I was getting rid of him. I would have butchered him, honestly, but they were desparate for a buck and were very aware and ok with how he was. I told them there was no way he would stay longer than he sired a litter of kits with me.

For some reason with him, when I went to support his weight it sent his legs to flinging. I was as scared of him as he was of me, unfortunatly. Thought I'd throw in that experience. The rest of the rabbits I have had, I support their weight, and with many I can just pick them up.
 
as others say the issue is scruffing without support

really you should only move young cats and dogs this way as well (hanging from the scruff only)
 
I do the same thing as Dennis with any rabbit that I think will struggle in the slightest. Most of my adults can be picked up by placing one hand under their chest and one under their rump to support them while lifting with their feet away from me at home, but I won't take chances with a kicker or a scared bun. They will get the control hand over the scruff/ears and their weight supported by my under hand under their HQ. I lift this way at shows also even with my trusty older buck because it is not a calm environment they are used to. Last year I saw someone pick up a huge and beautiful French Lop doe without lifting securely. She kicked out several times in rapid succession on the way up and managed to twist and get the owner across the arms before she went flying into the air. We heard the thud/crunch as she landed in a heap on the concrete with her back legs splayed out. I was sure she broke her back right in front of all of us, but was amazingly okay. Even though it wasn't my rabbit, that was quite a lesson that even the most reasonable rabbits can get get both us and themselves hurt if something that we don't even see or hear makes them panic.

Best of luck,

Lauren
 
I never scruff my rabbits ever, I even wince if a judge scruffs them.

I just don't like it, what is worse is when people pick their rabbits up by the loin :(
 
DevonW":1mc8bnsl said:
I never scruff my rabbits ever, I even wince if a judge scruffs them.

I just don't like it, what is worse is when people pick their rabbits up by the loin :(
Click to expand...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with picking up young rabbits
by the loin, providing that your hand is large enough and strong enough
to hold the rabbit securely without dropping it.
Many breeders will lift weanlings by the loin/hindquarter.
I have never seen nor heard of any problem being caused by doing so.
Hey, everybody has their own way of doing things. Neither is right nor wrong,
just different. We have to learn to accept the fact that others
may not always believe or think as you do. If the action created difficulties
you can be assured that they would soon be discontinued.
Ottersatin. :eek:ldtimer:
 
ottersatin":ng9diksm said:
DevonW":ng9diksm said:
I never scruff my rabbits ever, I even wince if a judge scruffs them.

I just don't like it, what is worse is when people pick their rabbits up by the loin :(
Click to expand...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with picking up young rabbits
by the loin, providing that your hand is large enough and strong enough
to hold the rabbit securely without dropping it.
Many breeders will lift weanlings by the loin/hindquarter.
I have never seen nor heard of any problem being caused by doing so.
Hey, everybody has their own way of doing things. Neither is right nor wrong,
just different. We have to learn to accept the fact that others
may not always believe or think as you do. If the action created difficulties
you can be assured that they would soon be discontinued.
Ottersatin. :eek:ldtimer:
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with you. There is nothing that you can do to harm a bunny by picking it up by the loin/hindquarter. For me it seems to calm the rabbits tremendously when picking them up. They never kick or anything. I do however seem to cring when people pick up a rabbit by the scruff without proper support on the back end.

Rachel
 
I wish I had known about the picking up by the hindquarter. It may have made a difference with Maverick. Everytime I have to move that rabbit, I was scared.
 

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