Rabbit Handling

I have been wanting to post an entry about rabbit handling after a discussion that took place on the FA list. A great point was made during this discussion that since handling (and rabbit holds) are such a difficult thing to explain in words it would be nice to have a film or pictures available to study and imitate as needed. I decided to take a bunny out and post a few pics for anyone who might be interested:).

I decided to use a recently clipped rabbit for this tutorial because my hand placement would be easier to see, as well as the location of both ends of the rabbit. LOL. This is Spang's Miriam, a young REW doe who has recently been clipped.

The first picture below shows the standard method breeders and show people use to transport their rabbits from place to place. You can see that the bunny's head is tucked beneath my elbow on one side and the entire rabbit is being supported in a 'football' hold to keep it calm and avoid unnecessary movement.




The first step in the process of flipping a rabbit over to check teeth, etc. is to place it down in front of you on all fours. Grasp the rear of the rabbit with one hand, and the BASE of the ears (and back of the head) with the other so that the head is firmly in place and cannot move from side to side.



Supporting the hindquarters strongly, lift the rabbit gently and turn it over deliberately, allowing for no twisting or struggling.



To check teeth, LIGHTLY balance the rabbit on it's back and use the hand that previously held the head to quickly lift the top lip of the rabbit. A quick look is all that's necessary to rule out malocclusion. Do not dawdle in this part of the bunny examination. Most rabbits absolutely hate having their teeth checked:(.



When you are finished checking teeth (or any other part of the underside that requires checking), gently grasp the rabbit in the same position as before (on the rump and head) and flip it back to it's original position on the table, facing you on all fours.







In order to flip an angora over for belly grooming, all you have to do is employ the above method over your lap instead of the grooming table. If you prefer to sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you that's fine, but you can also sit on a chair and rest the rabbit between your knees where it cannot escape or injure itself.




In this position (wedged between your knees with one hand supporting head and ears firmly again), it is extremely easy to groom or clip the underside of your rabbit, even on the chin or chest, which are difficult areas to reach. Again, once you are finished, simply flip the rabbit over right side up again using the method shown above.




Bunny handling takes some time to learn, but with practice it truly becomes second nature and the rabbit feels safe and secure. There are different ways of handling rabbits and everyone must find their own comfort level, but the method shown above is the same one judges employ at shows and it has been tried and true for decades.

Hopefully this 'tutorial' has been helpful:). I will see if I can find other step by step subjects to blog about, especially since my 12 year old son is getting to be such a good photographer that I don't have to take all the pictures myself anymore, LOL.

Have a great week and see you again next time:-)