How to Pick Up & Hold Your Rabbit Properly

Do rabbits like to be picked up and held? How do you hold a rabbit properly without scarring it or hurting it? What if he kicks or just plain hates it? What do you do?

Some rabbits like to cuddle and be held. Some downright hate it. Truth be told, most rabbits don’t like being picked up and toted around but will still behave. What really matters is how you do it and how your rabbit has been handled before.

If you do it properly, they’ll likely come around to being held. But don’t hold it against your bunny if he never really wants to. Again, some rabbits just aren’t all that physically affectionate.

If that’s the case, you’ve got to work with them on their own terms because, no matter what, there will come a time when you need to hold your rabbit, regardless of him liking it. That’s why knowing how to pick up and hold your rabbit properly is crucial. So you don’t accidentally scare him, hurt him, or worse, drop him.

How to Pick Your Rabbit Up Properly

Whether your rabbit likes being handled or not, you still need to know how to pick him up properly. Rabbits are pretty fragile, and if you do it the wrong way, they’ll want to escape, which can quickly turn into a bad situation.

So here are the steps to properly pick up your rabbit:

• Step 1: One Hand Under Rabbit, On Chest: With your rabbit facing you, place one hand on his chest, supporting his upper body.
• Step 2: One Hand Scoops Your Rabbit’s Bottom: Next, scoop up your rabbit by placing your hand on the bottom.
• Step 3: Lift Up Your Rabbit Slowly & Bring It To Your Chest: Not that you’ve gotten a firm and secure grasp on your rabbit, lift him up to your chest slowly. Once he’s held against you safely, you can get up and off the floor or move to a chair. Make sure that while you’re holding your rabbit, one hand remains on the bottom while the other secures the back.

How Do You Pick Up a Rabbit Without Scaring It?

You’ve got to remember that rabbits, while not nervous per se, are vigilant. They’ll usually run whenever spooked (out of self-preservation). And, as prey animals, you can’t blame them for having that instinct.

The most crucial part is making your rabbit feel safe and secure with you. So, if your rabbit is scared of being picked up or isn’t used to it, you will have to do it with a little more tact.

You don’t want your rabbit to get scared while holding him. So, remember to move slowly, don’t make any scary sudden movements, and speak softly to your rabbit to get him to come to you.

It will help your rabbit if you make yourself look less of a threat. Get down on your rabbit’s level by sitting on the floor. Don’t forget to entice your rabbit to come towards you with some fresh fruits or treats.

Once he’s comfortable, follow the same steps you normally would when picking up your rabbit.

How NOT to Pick Up Your Rabbit

If you try to pick your rabbit up the WRONG way, you can hurt him or get yourself hurt. And you’ll probably make your rabbit never want to be picked up again.

Here are some of the wrong ways to pick up your rabbit:

• Grabbing your rabbit quickly or harshly
• From behind, like a sneak attack
• By the ears, legs, or scruff (this is painful and could cause major damage)
• Scooping up from the abdomen without supporting the bottom

How to Hold a Rabbit Properly

Where to Put Your Hands: One on the back, one on the bottom, very similar to holding a newborn baby upright.

Here are some tips for holding your rabbit properly:

• Hold your rabbit firmly, so he can’t slip out of your grip but don’t grip him too tightly. That will just make him want to squirm and escape.
• Make sure your rabbit is secured and feels safe in your arms.
• Keep holding your rabbit as you squat down slowly, don’t quickly bend over and let them jump.

How NOT to Hold a Rabbit

Just like picking your rabbit up the wrong way, holding him the wrong way can cause discomfort, leading to an escape attempt, which could turn really bad.

So, here are some ways you should NEVER hold your rabbit:

• Upside down, like cradling a baby
• Like a purse dog or a football, with only one hand supporting the abdomen
• Don’t hold with too much grip or too hard
• Don’t hold your rabbit without supporting its bottom

How to Hold a Rabbit That Kicks

When a rabbit is kicking and thrashing about while you’re holding it, it can be quite dangerous for both of you. Your rabbit could jump from your arms, or you could accidentally drop it, causing an injury.

Hold your rabbit the same way described in the steps above, except you need to secure the back legs as well. You can do this using the hand that’s already supporting the bottom. Do not grab the back legs and hold them tightly, as that will only scare your rabbit more. Just secure them.

You should also sit down or stay still to make your rabbit feel a little safer. Once your rabbit settles down, you can ease up.

How to Hold a Rabbit That Hates Being Held

Some rabbits hate being held. And that’s okay. No prey animal like a bunny would like to be in a situation with no possible escape. Think about it. That’s terrifying.

But that doesn’t mean you’ll never have to handle them.