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.
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.