How To Train A Rabbit To Be Held
Introduction
If your rabbit is skittish, you may be wondering how to get them comfortable with being held. In this post, we’ll explain the different stages of training a rabbit to be picked up and held, as well as some tips on how to implement the process.
What Age To Start Training a Rabbit to Be Held
Rabbits aren’t ready to be held at birth. They will have enough instincts to keep them safe, but you can’t really hold them until they are about six weeks old. In fact, if you try to pick up a rabbit who is younger than four weeks old and he struggles or wriggles around too much, it could cause problems for him.
Rabbits should be able to balance on their own without falling over before they’re ready for holding. If your bunny isn’t quite there yet, that’s okay! Just keep working on it and your patience will pay off in the end!
Stages of the ‘Holding a Rabbit’ Process
The first stage of getting a rabbit to be comfortable being held is to get the rabbit into your lap. This is best done by coaxing the rabbit with treats or by gently lifting their bottom half and wedging it in between your legs so that they can’t move back. If you have a large breed, like a giant angora, this will probably be easier than if you have an English lop or teddy bear cross.
Holding them against your chest will help prevent them from jumping out of your arms as well as make them feel more secure—it makes them feel like they are being snuggled by their mother! If you want to move up in difficulty level, try holding them with just one arm while doing something else at the same time; such as watching TV or using social media (no selfies).
Getting Your Rabbit Ready for Picking Up
Before you start training your rabbit to be held, it’s important to make sure that he or she is in good health and ready for picking up. It’s not a great idea to pick up a rabbit that is too young or too old; if you try to pick up a baby bunny, he or she might become frightened and hurt themselves trying to get away from you. Likewise, older rabbits are prone to joint problems and other issues that can be aggravated by being picked up frequently. Try not to pick up your adult pet if they seem ill or are underweight (even though some rabbits can still be trained even when they’re sick). And don’t attempt this training if your rabbit seems nervous—it could lead them into stress-related behavior like urinating on themselves or biting when scared!
Step One: Getting Your Rabbit Comfortable with Touch and Close Proximity
To begin training, you’ll need to get your rabbit accustomed to being touched and held. The first step is to make sure that your rabbit is comfortable with getting close to you. This is best accomplished by letting your rabbit get used to the idea of being touched all over its body—not just on the head or ears like most people think.
If your rabbit becomes nervous when you approach it, try lightly stroking its back, legs and stomach. If this doesn’t work immediately, try again later in the day or another day when your bunny seems more relaxed. As soon as the bunny starts getting used to being petted all over, move on to holding it in various positions (sit down without sitting on top of him/her).
Step Two: Teaching Your Rabbit to Stay on Your Lap
Once your rabbit is feeling more comfortable being held, it’s time for Step Two: teaching your rabbit to stay on your lap. This might be the most important step in training a rabbit to be held, because once your bunny has learned how to sit still and obey commands once you put him down, he’ll probably want off of you again! If you’re lucky enough for this not to happen (mine are both very well behaved when I’m holding them), then this step won’t matter as much.
First things first: make sure that there’s no stressful situation going on around the two of you while trying this method. It’ll be much harder for him if he hears loud noises or sees something scary or startling nearby—for example, if he sees another animal outside through a window or door (a dog or cat especially) or if there are any other factors causing stress around him right before this attempt at training begins. You can do some things ahead of time like playing music softly so that everything sounds calm rather than chaotic; opening windows/doors so there’s nothing blocking what little light may come through; getting rid of toys lying around; etc., but generally speaking these things shouldn’t have any significant effect on how successful this process turns out (unless maybe one pet really dislikes another).
Before starting though…
Step Three: Teaching Your Bunny to Be Handled in the Air
Now you are ready to try lifting the rabbit off of the ground. You will want to first use a table or something similar that is at least waist-high, so that you can have room to work with your hands. Once again, it is important not to try this step too soon! The rabbit should be comfortable with you touching it and holding it before attempting this step. Likewise, they should be comfortable being lifted by their scruffs or back legs. So don’t rush things; take your time and make sure they are completely comfortable with all aspects of handling before moving on!
Don’t rush the process, or you may end up with a rabbit that is afraid of you.
Don’t rush the process, or you’ll end up with a rabbit who is afraid of you and won’t let you pet it. It’s important to let your rabbit know that you are in charge and that it needs to listen to what you say. If your rabbit begins to show any signs of disobedience, use discipline immediately. This may mean putting them in time out for a few minutes for the first infraction, but eventually they will learn their lesson and understand what is expected from them as far as behavior goes. Don’t be afraid to scold or discipline your rabbit if needed!
Conclusion
In conclusion, training your rabbit to be held is not something that is going to happen overnight. It will take a lot of time and patience. So don’t rush the process or force it, you may end up with a rabbit that is afraid of you.