How do you restrain your rabbits?

[Truckinguy]

Well, this afternoon I decided to breed Scarlett so I took Adam out of his cage, laid him on his back on my knees and trimmed his nails. He laid there quietly with only a couple of twitches then when I pulled him back over onto my chest he was all calm which is normal as he is a calm, laid back rabbit. I returned him to his cage, then went and took Scarlett out of hers. I had to catch her in the cage as she is pretty feisty but I'm used to that. I took her in the house and laid her on her back on my knees with a little struggling but she calmed down and I trimmed her nails without incident. When I finished and was reaching for her to bring her back up she suddenly kicked out and scrambled down my legs. I grabbed her as she reached the floor and briefly pinned her but she got away and scrabbled her way across the linoleum under the kitchen table. I reached under the table, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, put my hand under her bum and lifted her up to my chest.

Well... as soon as she felt my hand on her shoulders she started to scream. After I got her onto my chest she screamed about four or five more times right in my face, probably a dozen times in total. Scared the bejeezus out of me! I've heard her scream before but not that close up. Anyway, after she calmed down I put her in with Adam and as usual they were all over each other, he fell off her five times in 15 minutes and I put her in her cage. I just went out to feed the buns and she was all calm, started eating and paid me no attention.

Laying the rabbits on their backs on my knees has worked pretty well for the most part but it's incidents like this that make me think about doing it differently. I haven't tried using a towel yet but might try it on the next one.

 

[Jack]

Um, you really much have to get used to the rabbit, even my 'feistiest' rabbit will lay for a foot once I get them settled, it might take a while,but once they are settled, it is much easier,

talk to them, rub them, cover the eyes as you flip them and basically you have to read the rabbit and learn what you can and can't do, and how to do it.


Oh the screaming,
LARGE PREDATOR JUST PINNED THE POOR BUNNY DOWN AND NOW GRABBED IT IN IT'S JAWS, yeah, you might have scared her a little...

 

[ladysown]

oh Jack...you made me laugh...

Trunkinguy....when I restrain rabbits on their backs I put their head between my arm and my chest. Covers their eyes, keeps them calm. Also means when I flip them up they are sitting in my lap with my hand over their head. Gives me a place to catch them should I have a freak-a-zoid on my hands. Some rabbits react to things VERY quickly (aka...Dropping the nail clippers and they ting on a tile = freakazoid bunny). NOT ALL bunnies, just certain ones have the high startle reflex.

 

[Truckinguy]

Yup, I know my rabbits real well individually and Scarlett is the most high strung of the bunch. She's a great mom and has given me many calm litters.... go figure! Mabye they get Adam's laid back personality... hehe... he's the only one she's been with but he's been around a bit! However, her daughter Wanda has timid litters so maybe it skips a generation. Timid or high strung ones go in the freezer....

Screaming's pretty rare around here, they all get handled pretty calmly and they're used to me. It's only happened twice before and both involved incidents like this when they almost got away and I had to grab them.

Ladysown, I'll try tucking the head under my arm. Keeping their eyes covered makes a lot of sense, I think I've read that works for a lot of other animals too.

 

[ottersatin]

To restrain a jumpy/nervous rabbit
is really quite simply.
all you need is a solid table top and
a good Staple gun! Usually one in each foot
will hold them securely. Remove each staple
as you get to the nails that need trimming.
It is not often necessary to re-staple each foot
as you finish, but can be done if needed. :mbounce:
I just place the rabbit on a rugged table,
clip the nails on each foot. Front than back then switch sides.
Perhaps they are just become used to my system after
a few times and give into my desires. Hey, the quicker I get done
the quicker they are back in their cage.
Though I would think a Staple gun would do the trick!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[avdpas77]

Some rabbits are just "screamers" You can try to be as calm and gentle as you can, but if they feel trapped, they are going to scream. It gives me the willies, and I have the luxury of selecting between a great number of animals for stock,(I have 76 kits as of this writing) so I never keep a youngster that screams.

 

[Anntann]

Some rabbits are just "screamers" You can try to be as calm and gentle as you can, but if they feel trapped, they are going to scream. It gives me the willies, and I have the luxury of selecting between a great number of animals for stock,(I have 76 kits as of this writing) so I never keep a youngster that screams.

how TRUE! When I went to look at the TollBork herd, there was this lovely (trulygorgeous) cage of juniors. deep blue. lovely heads <longing sigh>; but Tami said "er, no, you really don't want one of those, they're screamers". I asked what she meant...so she pulled one out.

As SOON as she touched one of them the screaming started. Didn't stop until a full 30 seconds after she finally put the rabbit back in the cage. :x my GOD that was horrible. She said the entire litter did that. <wonderful...move on to the next cage quickly>

On the original topic: I found that I can capture their ears in the crook of my arm, or between my knees when I flip them. It's just a gentle capture, but it sure quiets them down. The other thing is the head under the arm..although they often squggle out and up my chest when I try that.

With a new rabbit who got all panicked, I finally did the "wrap in a towel and stick it's feet out" a few times. After two towel wraps, and finding it wasn't being killed, that rabbit settle down.

 

[Pickles]

I guess with my bun its very different- If I ever heard him scream I think I would completely freak out. I dont ever have to restrain him... dont think he would let me if I tried (he is Very strong... very!). And I cant make him go on his back for anything - however, he will do it on his own if playing or in a deep sleep. Ive never been successful at the whole "bunny hypnosis" thing- Ive tried many, many times- I wish I could do it. I trim my buns nails when he is restful - he stays very steady and lets me do whatever I need to. He doesnt mind atall that I am touching his hands & feet, but I am sure this is due to the fact I have constantly touched him all over since I have had him and he not only is used to it, he enjoys my touch.

 

[mountainrabbits]

You could also try clipping their nails on a table, I have done the wrapped in a towel on their backs in my lap successfully. But I started to clip them with them sitting on the table in front of me with their bodies between my ribs and arm so they couldn't get away (like the football hold) and just gently took a hold of each foot one by one and clipped their nails-I also rewarded them while it was happening with some fresh cilantro. I have also used saltines as a reward as they love them and get them only when their nails are clipped. I have had a better success rate with clipping this way, the rabbits seem to enjoy it more too.

 

[Shara]

I am interested reading all the responses...I have the hardest time holding one of mine! Minute I try to pick her up, she freaks, lol

 

[Miss M]

To restrain a jumpy/nervous rabbit
is really quite simply.
all you need is a solid table top and
a good Staple gun! Usually one in each foot
will hold them securely. Remove each staple
as you get to the nails that need trimming.
It is not often necessary to re-staple each foot
as you finish, but can be done if needed. :mbounce:
I just place the rabbit on a rugged table,
clip the nails on each foot. Front than back then switch sides.
Perhaps they are just become used to my system after
a few times and give into my desires. Hey, the quicker I get done
the quicker they are back in their cage.
Though I would think a Staple gun would do the trick!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

Oh, my goodness, maybe I'm just bad, but that just about made me fall out of my chair laughing! :lol:

 

[mountainrabbits]

I am interested reading all the responses...I have the hardest time holding one of mine! Minute I try to pick her up, she freaks, lol

My buck was that way originally, he was horrible to try and pick up or clip! He isn't a biter at all but he would kick scratch flip and do crazy things trying to get away-I was afraid he would either hurt himself or have a heart attack from the stress of it all. Finally I decided to take him out every day and handle him for first 2 minutes then 3 and so on for at least a week. It took me about that to get him used to being taken out of his cage, then another week to really get him to start relaxing...now I take him out every other day or so and he doesn't throw such a huge fit and he is so much easier to handle!