Its been over a week now since Ive had Flake and Daisy and they have really become part of the family

My main problem at the moment is handling them. They dont mind me stroked although Flake the male who is 6 months is quite jumpy. Hes very nosey he wants to know everything that is going on so he will come sniff you etc. Every day I spend time sitting in their run with them he will come and eat apple treats from my hand he will climb my back to put his paws on my shoulders etc. But if I try to pick him up he panicks and starts kicking and struggling like mad so Im unable to!

In the Rehome Centre every day I went for 2 weeks he would sit on my lap and fall asleep!!! But then one of the staff would pick him and bring him to me. It seems as though he does like me and is comfortable playing around me and climbing onto me he doesnt want me to pick him up or have in my lap. I have noticed he seems to get started quite easily poor baby. Do you think with time we could over come this and what thing should I do or avoid to help him?

Daisy on the other hand doesnt mind being stroked. In the centre its funny she wasnt nosey at all. She would sit in the same place looking very grumpy bless her. Since I have bought her home she is a different rabbit. When I start to open the door of the run she comes running to see if Im going to feed her lol! When I sit in the run she wont come and climb all over me like Flake does but I think part of this reason is because of Flake. A few times she has come to sniff around me he sorts of chases her away as if to say bakc off shes mine lol!
A couple of times what she has done when im in the run is she has come and sat next to me and allowed me to play with her head! Flake has also done this.

Again when I try to pick her up she tries to get free but not as much as Flake. I have actually managed to calm her and have her on my lap for a short while.

When I first bought them home although they struggled I was easily able to take them out of their hutch by hand and put them in the run on the grass. Now I cant do that I just cant get them lol! Plus I dont want to scare them! So I have to let them climb into their pet carrier then transfer them that way!

Any tips please. I know not all rabbits like to be handled but I have heard that with patience and time they can get more used to it so I just want to see if I can do anything that may help this. IF not then Ill just love them by looking and petting!

Some rabbits like it some dont...my rabbit dosent like it atall..but will come and jump up on you ..but wont let you pick him up in anyway...but thats just a rabbit thing.. he will do everything like fallow you knows his name pet him sleep like a dog ect ...but cant handle it ..i used to be able when he was younger but not now...
hers a link for you..

Rabbit Behaviour - www.fuzzy-rabbit.com

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R.I.P ...Mesha xx Never Forget you xx
I will be back! i need to fight the BIG "C" atm!

Hi i have this problem with Dexie and Barney, they both hate being picked up and struggle like mad so now i dont really bother to try even though i want to but i dont want to upset them!

Whereas Dave doesnt mind that much, he struggles a little but not a lot and he will jump and climb all over me and he loves it. I think this is because he is a baby and i am picking him up everyday so that he gets used to it as he is gonna be a big chap so i need him to get used to me doing it. I think Dexie's and Barney's previous owners must not have bothered handling them and so they arent used to it unfortunately as i love picking them up and sitting them on my lap!

But then again rabbits do hate being picked up so best not to scare them even more but i suppose some rabbits will get used to it if you keep doing it on a daily basis and raelise that no harm is going to come to them! Good luck and i know its horrible not being able to pick them up, i would love nothing more than to handle all my three everyday!

Yes its true Kelly about previous owners not handling them! Daisy was rejected by the children in her last home and the rehome centre said when she 1st arrive she was a nightmare as soon as you opened her door she would grunt and claw and scratch and bite you badly and there was no way you could pick her up! After they spayed her she calmed alot but was still quite fiesty. They did say that they both need to get used to be picked up although now they are friendly and Daisy has never grunted, bitten or scratched me yet

Ill just keep trying to let them know im no danger and perhaps one day they may come around! I guess trust has a lot to do with it too!

One thing Im worried about though is if I cant pick them up easily how I will check them bums when its warmer for fly strike

With handleing rabbits its very much to do with trust. Them trusting you and feeling safe that you arent going to drop them, and you trusting yourself in your abilities to handle them. If they sense that you are worried about picking them up, that will make them worry.

Although its true not all rabbits will tollerate being picked up. One of mine (trixie) will not let anyone pick her up unless its out of her hutch because she knows that means its time to come out and play, so them learning is also a big thing. But when i first got her she wouldn't let anyone even touch her, she was always a very twitchy nervous rabbit, even when she was in the shop, (which i must admit was part of the reason i took her home because she was too feisty for people bless her...), and she still wont let my dad or my sister touch her.

Personally, i would say persevere, keep sitting with them and building up your relationship by letting them come to you, but try and encourage them to come and sit on your knee to show them that you arent a threat. It could also be that they like fuss and attention just on their terms.

kjs_buns