Bunny Issues

[Kalei]

I haven't bothered with this little problem for awhile, but I wanted to get some extra rabbit advice from some others than just myself.

I've had Kishii since October, which is 7 months now, and she still just doesn't want to be held by me or anything. If I hold her for longer than 2 or 3 minutes, she starts going crazy, kicking and everything. She's even kicked to get away so hard that she put a long 3 inch slit going up my arm before.

I have her on my floor sometimes and when I want to go get her she runs and runs and then when I catch her and start lifting her up, she even makes noises like she's right scared of me. I know not all bunnies like to be held and I don't mind that. But I would think that there could be something I could do to make it so my rabbit wouldn't be so scared and hyper when I do go to pick her up?

Do any of you have any suggestions? Should I start by spending lots of time with her? I just don't know what I should do. Other than this little problem, Kishii is a very good and healthy bunny.

I have her out trying her as a house bunny again, do you think maybe she should be in a cage. I can't walk anywhere without her always running under my bed away from me.

[Crayons09]

I know how you feel. Oz my 4 year old rabbit does that with me too. Except when I catch him he makes angry noises. I have found that wrapping him in a blanket helps. He feels more secure in the blanket. Leave a area so her head can stick out, but loose enough so if she wants to she can hide her head in the blanket. Hopfully that helps

[Genny]

Some rabbits just aren't real big on being held and cuddling. My rabbit, Cadbury doesn't like to be held all the time either. He wants me to pet him 'ONLY' when he wants me to--

[Karen]

Pick her up every day, make sure you are supporting all four feet on your arm or chest and just hold her, talk soothingly and pet her. Do it every day for five minutes for a couple weeks, then try extending the time. I have held Miss Hoppy since she was a baby, and she is perfectly calm when I hold her. Paul rarely holds her, so she hates being held by him, and he can feel her heart race.

It's all a matter of getting her used to it. Kishii may never exactly love it, but will get to the point that she's calm when you hold her, which is a good thing to have happen in case of emergencies, when you need to, for example, hold her while people are holding a door open for some reason, etc., never mind for vet visits.

In the wild, of course, anything that picks a bunny up does so for the purpose of eating it, so you can understand why they naturally don't like it.

[Kalei]

Wow thanks for the great advice everyone! Today I held her some and put a blanket around her, she was still very scared and heart racing but it made it so she didn't kick at least.

And I will try holding her for 5 minutes every day. Hopefully after awhile she'll get calmer. She wasn't as small as alot of bunnies usually are when people first get them. Alot of people get there bunnies when they are really young, usually even just 1 month old, but Kishii was a little older than most so I don't know if that would have anything to do with her being so frightened of being held.

But I will definately try out your advices(haha that's not a word but oh well).

[sweetpatata6]

Yeah try rapping Kishii up pretty tight in the blanket, it makes things ((I say this for this because it's true for animals and people)) feel secure, and it will help Kishii not scratch you!

[Kalei]

Well I have some good news. Today I had lots of company over to the house and of course one of the women there just loved my bunny and wanted to see her lots. So I took Kishii out and she sat on the couch with us. Well after Kishii was done doing her roaming around and exploring of the couch.

She hopped onto me (I had her favorite blanket on my lap) and she settled into the blanket while I pet her. I got to pet her around the head, cheeks and ears(which she just loves)for almost 20 minutes and she was so nice an calm and she almost was falling asleep with her head falling into the blanket. It was so adorable and one of the best moments I've had with Kishii so far. I am so thrilled and I am going to try and do that everyday.

[Karen]

Oh, how nice! Yup, every day, and how wonderful that she just hopped up on her own accord. Remember that favorite blanket if you ever have to bring her to the vet's in an emergency - it'll be a comfort to her.

[Kalei]

Thanks Karen! I definately will remember the blanket if we ever have to go anywhere. When I took to get her spayed a few months ago, she didn't have the blanket then, but I took the pillow case I lay on everynight and put it in her carrier as a blanket, and it seemed to calm her while she was in it, I'm guessing because she had my scent with her all the time.