LionheadsLover
Member
When I'm on a rabbit breeders website, I always see the rabbits posing. I go to 4H and they tried to teach me how to pose my rabbits, but i can never get it to work. How do you make rabbits pose?
How do I make my rabbits pose?
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SatinsRule
Well-known member
With most rabbits, it simply does not happen all at once. Time, patience, and persistence are big keys. I have a blue satin buck right now that is probably the most difficult rabbit I've worked with as far as trying to get him to pose. He's not a bad rabbit, just a little too adventurous and curious for his own good sometimes. He's coming around, and he's an impressive rabbit once he does pose, but it's a real work project.
If they resist it from the get-go, start off by doing a quick "lift and set" by picking up the mid section just high enough to get their feet off the table, then let them back down quickly. It gets their attention without much of a struggle most of the time. Make sure you wear your arm protectors anytime you're dealing with such an animal, because a struggle might result in your being scratched unnecessarily.
I'd suggest working in short, daily sessions with them. Get them to pose for short stints of time, but put them back into their cages when they reach the point that they're about to start acting up and try again later on. You don't really don't want to fight the animal to get them to do it, and once they begin acting up, if you continue to try and force the issue in that posing session, they may very well get bored with the whole routine.
Sooner or later, they'll get it, but try to keep in mind that some rabbits just take longer than others.
If they resist it from the get-go, start off by doing a quick "lift and set" by picking up the mid section just high enough to get their feet off the table, then let them back down quickly. It gets their attention without much of a struggle most of the time. Make sure you wear your arm protectors anytime you're dealing with such an animal, because a struggle might result in your being scratched unnecessarily.
I'd suggest working in short, daily sessions with them. Get them to pose for short stints of time, but put them back into their cages when they reach the point that they're about to start acting up and try again later on. You don't really don't want to fight the animal to get them to do it, and once they begin acting up, if you continue to try and force the issue in that posing session, they may very well get bored with the whole routine.
Sooner or later, they'll get it, but try to keep in mind that some rabbits just take longer than others.
Practice, practice, practice.... It also helps to handle them a lot besides posing. Just messing around with them so they are less nervous about being out of the cage. A relaxed, well put together rabbit will pretty much pose itself. A poorly handled, nervous rabbit will just not do it no matter how much you shift and prod them. Part of knowing what to look for in rabbits is also learning to judge one that is not trained to pose yet.
KKRabbitry
Well-known member
It is tricky to learn how to pose your rabbits at first, but keep trying and learning. Practice makes perfect. Lot's of patience also!
Also, conformation does have a lot to do with it. A poorly typed rabbit will have a much more difficult time posing correctly compared to one with good type.
I ran into a good youtube video posted by someone who raises Holland Lops. I don't know what breed your working with, but I'm guessing Lionheads?
They are posed very similarly to Hollands, so this video might help you out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeEwtjh2PLs#t=51
Also, conformation does have a lot to do with it. A poorly typed rabbit will have a much more difficult time posing correctly compared to one with good type.
I ran into a good youtube video posted by someone who raises Holland Lops. I don't know what breed your working with, but I'm guessing Lionheads?
They are posed very similarly to Hollands, so this video might help you out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeEwtjh2PLs#t=51
