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Unlike cats or dogs, which are natural predators, your companion rabbit falls under the prey animal column, which makes correct handling crucial to their health and well-being. Improper handling not only stresses out your rabbit, but it can also lead to serious physical injury, such as a spinal fracture or broken leg.
Knowing the right way to hold your rabbit keeps them safe and fosters trust, which is key to strengthening your bond with your furry companion.
Understand Your Rabbit’s Nature
Being a prey animal, rabbits are naturally wary of being picked up. Snatching up your rabbit into your arms can cause them to kick or squirm as they attempt to free themselves from your grasp, much like they would if a hawk or falcon swooped down on them in the wild. This natural instinct to flee means that your approach to handling your rabbit must prioritize creating a sense of security and trust.
Why Proper Handling Matters
Improper handling doesn’t just make your rabbit anxious and destroy trust — it can have serious consequences for their health. A frightened rabbit may flail or jump from your arms, which can lead to deep scratches on you and a broken leg or other injury to your rabbit if they suffer a hard landing. A rabbit’s spine is fragile, and if they kick or twist while being held without proper support, they risk severe spinal injuries, such as a broken back.
Holding your rabbit correctly isn’t just about avoiding harm — it’s also about fostering a positive experience for your pet. When handled properly, rabbits can learn to trust and even enjoy the bonding time with their pet parents.
7 Tips To Safely Hold A Rabbit
Create A Calm Environment: Before handling your rabbit, ensure that they are calm and relaxed. Start by allowing your rabbit time to explore the room. In the wild, knowing the lay of the land can be the difference between successfully evading a predator or being caught by one. Wild rabbits know all route options back to the safety of their den.
In a home environment, a pet rabbit also wants to know where different routes take them, and they will typically run the same routes multiple times around a room to get familiar with where they are.
Have A Seat: The best way to bond with your rabbit is to let them choose to come to you instead of you going after them. Let your rabbit out in a small, rabbit-proofed room. Sit on the floor with a favorite treat and wait for your rabbit to come up to you. It might take a couple of rounds or more of them exploring the room, but a yummy treat will eventually get your rabbit’s attention.
When your rabbit becomes accustomed to coming up to you for a treat, move the treat over your lap while you’re seated to help your rabbit feel comfortable being on your lap.
This is the safest way to interact with your rabbit — while seated on the floor. This avoids a long fall to the ground if your rabbit jumps out of your arms. For children, interactions while seated on the floor or in a low-height chair/couch are always the safest way to interact and are less stressful.
Always keep in mind that a rabbit feels more at ease and in control when they have all four paws on the floor, so they can quickly take off if they feel threatened.
Approach From The Front Or Side: Always approach your rabbit calmly — no sudden movements or loud noises — and do so from their front or from the side so they can see you coming.
Rabbits, like most prey animals, have eyes situated on the sides of their heads. This gives them a wide field of vision, but they have limited vision directly in front of them. (Yes, rabbits have a blind spot in front of their noses!) Sudden approaches from above or behind can startle your pet rabbit.
Support The Chest And Hindquarters: Whenever you lift your rabbit, place one hand under their chest, just behind their front legs. Use your other hand to scoop up and fully support their hindquarters. This support is critical to prevent them from kicking or twisting, which could lead to spinal injuries.
Once your rabbit is lifted, hold them securely against your chest. Keeping them close to your body prevents them from wriggling or jumping. This also helps distribute their weight evenly, reducing strain on their delicate spine.
Avoid The Ears Or Scruff: You might have seen a cartoon or movie of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat by their ears, but this is a no-no! Rabbits’ ears are sensitive, and this maneuver will likely send a rabbit into a panic.
Always use both hands to support your rabbit’s body. Similarly, picking up a rabbit by the scruff of their neck can cause them to squirm and put them at risk of falling to the ground.
Read Your Rabbit’s Body Language: Pay attention to your rabbit’s body language while holding them. If they seem tense or begin to struggle, it’s best to gently place them back down and give them some space. Forcing a rabbit to stay in your arms when they are uncomfortable can erode trust and make future handling more difficult.
Put Them Down Safely: When it’s time to put your rabbit down, lower them gently to the ground while still supporting their body. Allow them to hop out of your hands on their own. Avoid sudden or careless movements that could startle them.
Bonus Tips For Rabbit Handling
Not all rabbits will enjoy being held right away, especially if they’ve had negative experiences with handling in the past. Patience and consistency are key to building trust with your rabbit.
Bottom line, rabbits thrive in environments where they feel secure and respected. By handling your rabbit with care and patience, you set the foundation for a rewarding relationship built on trust, and the result is a rabbit companion who enjoys spending time with you.
