| Education, Rescue, and Respect |
| Handling |
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The more love you give to your rabbit, the smarter and more affectionate he/she will be.� Start giving your rabbit as
much attention as possible from the day he/she enters your home.
All rabbits love to be pet. Try stroking the ears, cheekbones, and temples; these are "sweet spots" for some
rabbits. Some female rabbits love having their dewlap (roll of skin under the chin) scratched, while others can't
stand it. Some rabbits like their chins scratched, some like their bellies petted; almost all rabbits like their heads
and back petted. Learn where your rabbit likes to be petted the most. If you find a sweet spot, your rabbit will let
you know with purring, teeth chattering, or eye closing. Or, if you stop petting a spot and your rabbit pokes at your
hand with its head, it is an indication that you should get back to petting.
Try petting your rabbit while he/she is eating, or while the two of you are sitting in an armchair. I find that my
rabbits love to sit and watch TV with me while I pet them. Choose a place that will be the "petting place" for you
and your rabbit; soon your rabbit will be able to identify this place.
Some rabbits like to be carried around everywhere. Mine do not, but make sure to try. With a little practice, you
will learn what your rabbit likes best in the way of affection.
Playtime is also an important way to show affection for your pet rabbit. It is not necessary to purchase special toys
from a pet store for your rabbit; most of the times they will choose their own toys from around the house. Almost all
rabbit like toilet paper rolls because they are fun to chew, collect, pile up, scatter, throw, and stomp on. My rabbits
have a tray in their hutch that is full of toilet paper rolls.
Rabbits also like to play with other cardboard or paper objects that are easy to toss around. If your rabbits are
loose in a room of your house, place a stack of newspapers on the floor and watch what happens.
Rubber balls and jingle-bell balls (cat toys) can also be tried as toys. My rabbits never had a fascination in this sort
of toy; Flopsy preferred long, skinny objects like pens, pencils, and spoons. Try placing some of these in front of
your rabbit; get a game started. Try many different toys and soon you'll learn what your rabbit likes best. *NOTE*
don't choose any cloth toys or anything else that can pose a hazard to your rabbit. Make sure that the toys are NOT
edible; bare in mind that rabbits love to chew things! *ALSO NOTE* it is okay for them to ingest small amounts of
paper and cardboard.
Exercise
Rabbits need daily exercise in order to stay in shape. Rabbits who live indoors all the time (not in a cage or hutch)
have plenty of space to exercise on their own, but rabbits who live in a cage or hutch (indoors or outdoors) need a
space to run and play. Bunny proof a room or two in your house and allow your rabbit to run around in there. Or, you
might prefer to exercise your rabbit outdoors if your yard is COMPLETELY FENCED IN. Never exercise your rabbit in
a yard without a fence; the risk of him/her running away--or into the street--is too high. Even if your yard is fenced
in, watch your rabbit AT ALL TIMES while he/she is exercising outdoors.
If your yard is not fenced, you can still give your rabbit some outdoor exercise (though most exercise should be
indoors if this is the case). Buy a small leash at a dollar store, pet store, or supermarket. The leash should not
have a choke collar; it should have an adjustable harness. The tether part should be metal, as a rabbit will chew
through just about anything else.
Make sure your rabbit is securely fastened into the harness before starting outdoor exercise. You may choose to
either walk around holding the leash or tethering the leash to a tree or stake. I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH how
important it is that you stay with your rabbit at all times in an unfenced yard; rabbits are tricky and may slip out of
the harness no matter how tightly it is fastened. If this happens you must be nearby so that you can catch your
rabbit and put the harness back on.
How to Pick Up and Hold a Rabbit
In order for your rabbit to feel secure in your arms, you must know how to properly lift, carry, or hold your rabbit.
First, place one hand under your rabbit's chest. Begin to lift. Scoop the other hand under your rabbit's rear, keeping
the tail between your hand and his/her genital area.
The second way to lift is almost the same as the first, but instead of having one hand under the rabbit's chest you
have it holding the loose fur and skin between the rabbit's shoulders. This is known as the scruff. Though this is
considered one of the proper ways to pick up a rabbit, I have found that my rabbits prefer the first lifting technique
listed here.
There are three ways to position and hold the rabbit in your arms after you have lifted it. The first is to flip the
rabbit belly-up and cradle it in your arms baby style. (My rabbits do not like this very much, but some rabbits love
it.) Be sure not to let the ears hang; rabbits feel more secure with their ears between their head and your arm.
The second way is to hold your rabbit horizontally in your arms. This is probably the best way to hold larger
breeds. However, holding your rabbit this way makes it easier for them to leap off to freedom! Be prepared to keep
your rabbit from jumping away.
The third and final way to hold a rabbit is vertically, with its head on or near your shoulder. Have one hand
supporting the rear and the other hand resting on the rabbit's shoulders or upper back.
*NOTE:* NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pick a rabbit up by the tail, legs, stomach, or ESPECIALLY the ears!
This can cause serious injury to the rabbit.
Trancing
Trancing is a special way of holding a rabbit in order to calm it down or make it almost fall asleep. This works
especially well with babies or smaller breeds. I used this technique to help Mopsey feels more secure at her new
home when I first bought her.
Sit in a chair. Start by holding the rabbit vertically against your body, with its rear resting in your lap. Clasp your
hands gently but firmly in a circle around your rabbit's upper body; make sure to have the ears and front paws
tucked into the circle of your hands. Lower your rabbit onto its back so that it ends up lying down belly-up in the
crease between your legs. Its eyes should start to close. Start to stroke the rabbit's head and ears with one hand
while keeping the other wrapped around its body and front legs. As your rabbit goes deeper into the trance, its feet
may begin o quiver, its head will turn to the side, its eyes will shut completely, and its mouth will fall slightly
open. Eventually you will be able to remove your other hand from around its body.
Be sure to watch your rabbit carefully...it may jump out of the trance at any given moment and try to hop away!
Reference: The Bunny Hutch
http://webspace.webring.com/people/qp/pb_and_js/playtime.html
much attention as possible from the day he/she enters your home.
All rabbits love to be pet. Try stroking the ears, cheekbones, and temples; these are "sweet spots" for some
rabbits. Some female rabbits love having their dewlap (roll of skin under the chin) scratched, while others can't
stand it. Some rabbits like their chins scratched, some like their bellies petted; almost all rabbits like their heads
and back petted. Learn where your rabbit likes to be petted the most. If you find a sweet spot, your rabbit will let
you know with purring, teeth chattering, or eye closing. Or, if you stop petting a spot and your rabbit pokes at your
hand with its head, it is an indication that you should get back to petting.
Try petting your rabbit while he/she is eating, or while the two of you are sitting in an armchair. I find that my
rabbits love to sit and watch TV with me while I pet them. Choose a place that will be the "petting place" for you
and your rabbit; soon your rabbit will be able to identify this place.
Some rabbits like to be carried around everywhere. Mine do not, but make sure to try. With a little practice, you
will learn what your rabbit likes best in the way of affection.
Playtime is also an important way to show affection for your pet rabbit. It is not necessary to purchase special toys
from a pet store for your rabbit; most of the times they will choose their own toys from around the house. Almost all
rabbit like toilet paper rolls because they are fun to chew, collect, pile up, scatter, throw, and stomp on. My rabbits
have a tray in their hutch that is full of toilet paper rolls.
Rabbits also like to play with other cardboard or paper objects that are easy to toss around. If your rabbits are
loose in a room of your house, place a stack of newspapers on the floor and watch what happens.
Rubber balls and jingle-bell balls (cat toys) can also be tried as toys. My rabbits never had a fascination in this sort
of toy; Flopsy preferred long, skinny objects like pens, pencils, and spoons. Try placing some of these in front of
your rabbit; get a game started. Try many different toys and soon you'll learn what your rabbit likes best. *NOTE*
don't choose any cloth toys or anything else that can pose a hazard to your rabbit. Make sure that the toys are NOT
edible; bare in mind that rabbits love to chew things! *ALSO NOTE* it is okay for them to ingest small amounts of
paper and cardboard.
Exercise
Rabbits need daily exercise in order to stay in shape. Rabbits who live indoors all the time (not in a cage or hutch)
have plenty of space to exercise on their own, but rabbits who live in a cage or hutch (indoors or outdoors) need a
space to run and play. Bunny proof a room or two in your house and allow your rabbit to run around in there. Or, you
might prefer to exercise your rabbit outdoors if your yard is COMPLETELY FENCED IN. Never exercise your rabbit in
a yard without a fence; the risk of him/her running away--or into the street--is too high. Even if your yard is fenced
in, watch your rabbit AT ALL TIMES while he/she is exercising outdoors.
If your yard is not fenced, you can still give your rabbit some outdoor exercise (though most exercise should be
indoors if this is the case). Buy a small leash at a dollar store, pet store, or supermarket. The leash should not
have a choke collar; it should have an adjustable harness. The tether part should be metal, as a rabbit will chew
through just about anything else.
Make sure your rabbit is securely fastened into the harness before starting outdoor exercise. You may choose to
either walk around holding the leash or tethering the leash to a tree or stake. I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH how
important it is that you stay with your rabbit at all times in an unfenced yard; rabbits are tricky and may slip out of
the harness no matter how tightly it is fastened. If this happens you must be nearby so that you can catch your
rabbit and put the harness back on.
How to Pick Up and Hold a Rabbit
In order for your rabbit to feel secure in your arms, you must know how to properly lift, carry, or hold your rabbit.
First, place one hand under your rabbit's chest. Begin to lift. Scoop the other hand under your rabbit's rear, keeping
the tail between your hand and his/her genital area.
The second way to lift is almost the same as the first, but instead of having one hand under the rabbit's chest you
have it holding the loose fur and skin between the rabbit's shoulders. This is known as the scruff. Though this is
considered one of the proper ways to pick up a rabbit, I have found that my rabbits prefer the first lifting technique
listed here.
There are three ways to position and hold the rabbit in your arms after you have lifted it. The first is to flip the
rabbit belly-up and cradle it in your arms baby style. (My rabbits do not like this very much, but some rabbits love
it.) Be sure not to let the ears hang; rabbits feel more secure with their ears between their head and your arm.
The second way is to hold your rabbit horizontally in your arms. This is probably the best way to hold larger
breeds. However, holding your rabbit this way makes it easier for them to leap off to freedom! Be prepared to keep
your rabbit from jumping away.
The third and final way to hold a rabbit is vertically, with its head on or near your shoulder. Have one hand
supporting the rear and the other hand resting on the rabbit's shoulders or upper back.
*NOTE:* NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pick a rabbit up by the tail, legs, stomach, or ESPECIALLY the ears!
This can cause serious injury to the rabbit.
Trancing
Trancing is a special way of holding a rabbit in order to calm it down or make it almost fall asleep. This works
especially well with babies or smaller breeds. I used this technique to help Mopsey feels more secure at her new
home when I first bought her.
Sit in a chair. Start by holding the rabbit vertically against your body, with its rear resting in your lap. Clasp your
hands gently but firmly in a circle around your rabbit's upper body; make sure to have the ears and front paws
tucked into the circle of your hands. Lower your rabbit onto its back so that it ends up lying down belly-up in the
crease between your legs. Its eyes should start to close. Start to stroke the rabbit's head and ears with one hand
while keeping the other wrapped around its body and front legs. As your rabbit goes deeper into the trance, its feet
may begin o quiver, its head will turn to the side, its eyes will shut completely, and its mouth will fall slightly
open. Eventually you will be able to remove your other hand from around its body.
Be sure to watch your rabbit carefully...it may jump out of the trance at any given moment and try to hop away!
Reference: The Bunny Hutch
http://webspace.webring.com/people/qp/pb_and_js/playtime.html
