Starting to hate rabbits

[Zass]

Talk or sing to them too, I know it sounds weird but it works, it helps them to know that you are not a threat.

My theory is that the rabbits have a hard time reading human body language, so they rely more heavily on the sounds we make to determine if we are threatening or friendly.

 

[wamplercathy]

My meat buns are outside with good/excellent air flow. Well good for warm weather. Their poop slides down into guttering. Then all I need to do is scrape it all towards the catch pan. The gutters have small holes to allow most of the urine to fall to the dirt floor. The doe cages are 2Tx2Wx4L with a 1x2 shelf and the buck has a 2Tx2Wx3L all are made of wire and hang. With this set up smell is not an issue, and clean up is a snap. I only clean out 1 a week, and do a detail clean 1 a month.

As for the clawing, well meat rabbits aren't pets and most likely were not breed to be overly friendly. Overall I don't like being picked up, so I don't pick up my critters unless I have to. It's scary. Try the football hold, that tends to keep mine from de-gloving my arm.

http://florida4h.org/projects/rabbits/G ... /MR1_8.jpg <br /><br /> __________ Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:25 pm __________ <br /><br />

Talk or sing to them too, I know it sounds weird but it works, it helps them to know that you are not a threat.

My theory is that the rabbits have a hard time reading human body language, so they rely more heavily on the sounds we make to determine if we are threatening or friendly.

I sing "Little Bunny Foo Foo" :lol: :lol: Just can't help it. :lol:

 

[GBov]

Fingerless welding gloves are your friends! :lol:

So far, out of several hundred rabbits over the years, I have only had TWO that actively enjoyed being picked up and held. And one of those had a broken back (from before we got her) so, perhaps, she just couldnt kick.

Out of all those rabbits though, only a few dozen didnt like being PETTED! Right now, all but one in my herd of 30 like being petted and she gets a pass through litter size and the fact she isnt actively aggressive, just antisocial.

It does sound like you are too cramped, big rabbits need big space adn all wire cages are the best for odor control. Well, the best I have found anyway. All my cages are set up in deep shade, about 3 feet off the ground adn the manure just builds up into a pile, mixed with spilt hay, and, when I need it for the garden I just fill up my cart from the biggest pile. All sorts of things live in the piles, breaking it down into compost, so after awhile I have no smell problems at all.

If you go with the "let the manure pile up" method try to get solder fly larva to put under your cages, they help break the manure down faster and they eat other fly larva so no barn fly problem.

When I started with rabbits I was actively afraid of them so, if you stick with them you might also get galloping rabbitosis too.

 

[BirchLane]

I'm one of those weird people who actively handles every single rabbit - whether it's from my show stock or my meat pens - every single day. That doesn't just mean reaching in and petting; I get every last one of them out and bring it to a small table I've got set up in the middle of my rabbitry so I can check everyone over. Over time, the repetition of the daily routine has really mellowed the temperaments of my rabbits and every single one of them is a pleasure to handle. I've only had one doe who couldn't get with the program - a Silver Fox / California mutt - and she was culled not long after. I'd rather not be made into ribbons, so grouchy rabbits have one of two options: get it together or get out! :lol:

I absolutely recommend investing in a pair of kevlar gloves for handling your rabbits, especially if they're not used to it. I personally like the 18" length. When worn with a unisex T-shirt, I find that I have about 90% arm coverage without getting too hot in the warmer months. Here's a random pair I found on Amazon to show you what I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.com/BLACK-STALLION-BS ... 508&sr=8-1