|
This is a long page (just warning you ahead of time). Please, PLEASE take the time to read it all. List of Headings Prologue Prologue More bunnies are injured by mishandling than by outright abuse - or any other reason, for that matter. Let that soak in a minute. A second point to ponder is ... More bunnies are returned to us and other shelters as "poor pets" because they "won't sit still" or they "bite" and/or "scratch" than almost any other reason. These two points are directly related in almost every case. Overview Two things to always remember about rabbits: 1. They are prey animals.1. As prey animals, they are naturally skeptical. The warm, fuzzy, cuddly bunny with the girl in her Easter dress became that way through a long-developed trust of its handlers. Bunnies want to trust you, but they will not until they have seen all the possible scenarios in which they will have to trust you. They are extremely sensitive to your intentions and feelings. They will feel if they can even try to trust you or not. That's why one person seems to have no trouble at all with handling a bunny and another person can't "control" it at all. 2. As ground animals, they are "scared as rabbits" when lifted off the earth. It's an extremely natural instinct for a rabbit to kick its way free so it can be on the ground again. The bunny has to feel secure in order for those fears to lessen. Be assured, however, that a bunny never is totally secure with being off the ground. Think of yourself on a carnival ride - you trust it (you think), but it still scares you. Approaching a Bunny First, bunnies don't see straight ahead well, at all. If you must approach a bunny from directly in front, begin by making sure it knows you're there by a quiet voice. You'll probably see it turn to see you. Second, picking up a bunny from above and, more especially, above from behind puts you in the same position that a hawk or eagle would attack from. What do you think your bunny is going to do? Well, the answer is not "sit calmly". Next, before anything else, assure the bunny by a "snuggle". Bunnies meet each other by "rubbing noses". You should always lightly stroke your bunny carefully between the eyes with a fingertip. This has a tremendous calming effect. A note here ... NEVER pull your bunny from its cage. Allow it to come out on its own. Make accomodations for this action. If your cage door opens downward, place a dishtowel or something over it for solid footing. If the door opens to the side, make sure there is plenty of table space (not slick) for the bunny to feel confident in exiting the cage. If you have an appointment, allow time for this action. If you pull the bunny out, you will have already placed the bunny on "high alert" and raised both its "fear factor" and stress level to sometimes unmanagable degrees. Picking up a bunny The short answer is ... don't. Bunnies are not "built" for being picked up. However, realizing that we all must pick up our bunnies at one time or another, let's look at how. Note the skeletal diagram of a rabbit in the left column. Pay particular attention to the spinal length and curvature (it's not designed to be held straight). A bunny, being built for speed, has most of its weight in its legs. The bunny has no support for its spine at all if you take away its back feet. Remember - above anything else - that bunnies are ground animals. They must feel their feet on something solid or they will attempt to get to where they can. NEVER pick up a bunny like a baby - under its forearms, feet left to dangle. This not only is dangerous to the spine but can injure the shoulder(s), as well. YOU MAY pick up a bunny by the scruff of the neck, but you should only do so if the situation/location requires it. A bunny with no support under its feet will likely kick. Kicking in such a position for a bunny is the best way possible for it to break its own back. If you must pick up a bunny this way, get a hand under its hind legs as quickly as you can to gain control. OUR RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE is to slide one hand (dominant hand is best) under the chest or front feet and the other under the hind feet. Then you can go two ways: 1. You can "swivel" either hand - continued support under the hind legs, especially - to either allow it to rest its body on your chest or you can move its head on around until the entire bunny is totally supported by your forearm - not unlike cradling a football.The "rest on your chest" position is very comfortable for a bunny. It feels its entire body "laying" on yours. A caveat, though ... a skittish bunny will often "take off" over your shoulder, so be prepared. The "forearm" holding position is further assisted by using your body for side support. You can further increase the bunny's sense of security if you can curl your fingers up around its "bunny butt". Bunnies like to feel that they have backed into something - so that they cannot be attacked from behind. The "baby doll" position is good for "underside inspection" and - again, if the bunny feels your confidence - you can even see that the bunny will relax and perhaps even go to "sleep". In any of these recommended carrying positions, one hand is virtually left free to either further control the bunny or to comfort it, as the case may be. My Bunny Won't Let Me ... There is nothing that you couldn't do better if you just practiced. And so it is with picking up your bunny. Remember, the bunny must genuinely trust you to allow itself to be manipulated without "trying to help". You may develop modifications to our method - that's between you and your bunny - but the only way it will ever go off without a hitch is if your bunny can feel your confidence. If you are not confident, how can the bunny be? Some people have practiced with baby dolls. That's not nearly as silly as it sounds. Every professional (soldier, firefighter, basketball player, etc) practices when it doesn't count, so when the time actually comes, nothing goes wrong. Holding Your Bunny We just talked about that, right? Actually ... no. The first rule of holding a bunny is BE SEATED. The more stable you are, the more confident the bunny will be. If you truly are going to "just hold it", there's no reason to do it standing up - is there? This is not to say that we advocate "just holding" a bunny. That's no fun - let them play - play with them! NEVER let an inexperienced person - young or old - pick up the bunny. If that person wants to "hold it", then have them sit and then transfer the bunny to their lap. This is far less dangerous for both the bunny and the people involved. To transfer or release a bunny, kneel. Do not bend at the waist unless you absolutely have to. Bending over indicates that you are going to have to extend your arms. If you do, the bunny will sense that it is losing support and will bolt. A great number of bunnies have been injured by people that let them (voluntary or otherwise) jump from four or five feet up. Note that we did not say, above, that the bunnies "injured themselves", as do those people trying to excuse their own lack of responsibility. Remember at the beginning when we mentioned bunnies being returned because they "bit" or "scratched"? Well, probably 97 times out of a hundred, the bunny is being mis-handled and is letting the one doing so know about it. This person is usually an inexperienced youngster. "I want to hold it" can be readily answered with "no". You are expecting the bunny to behave a certain way ... expect your children to act a certain way, as well. If the bunny doesn't want to be held, there's not much you can do to change its mind. And if the bunny is being mis-handled, it's abuse, no matter how good the intentions. If you allow it to go on, what does that say of you? The Answer A great idea is to keep the cage on the floor so it can be opened and the bunny can come out and be on the ground - unassisted. Avoid all the problems and play with your bunny on its terms - on its "turf". Besides, it's more fun to roll around on the floor, anyway, isn't it? Point is ... when the bunny is more confident, it will hop up in the chair or on the couch with you and you don't have to pick up the bunny anyway - Right? |
