Don’t make sudden moves or sounds that might alarm your rabbit. Be gentle and soothing when you pet the rabbit. Rabbits are prey animals, so when they feel threatened, they run and hide if they can. Sit on the floor to minimize your size and avoid towering over the bunny.
A bunny new to the household should be picked up and restrained by adults at first. Children can pet the bunny while it is on the floor or while sitting in the child’s (or adult’s) lap sitting on the floor. Staying close to the ground for a while is a good preventative measure. Should the rabbit try to escape, they will not fall a long distance and potentially injure themselves.
Your free hand that is not holding the scruff should be placed on the bunny’s rump. You should roll the back legs underneath, toward the front of the bunny, holding the feet up with your hand. This will prevent the rabbit from kicking out and potentially injuring itself. There are differing opinions on whether or not to scruff a rabbit. Scruffing, done gently, does not injure the rabbit. [6] X Research source [7] X Research source Susan A. Brown, “Clinical techniques in rabbits,” Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, Volume 6, Issue 2, April 1997, Pages 86-95.
Make sure to contain the hind legs securely, by keeping your hand on the rump and scrunching the hind legs up toward the bunny’s head. Remember, you are holding the hind legs so that they point forward, toward the head, the opposite direction of where the hind legs would be should the bunny kick out. It may help to kneel to get closer to the rabbit, so you don’t have to bend and lift. Get down on the ground with the rabbit.
When removing a rabbit from a side or front opening carrier, do so with the hind legs first out of the opening. That way, if they get out of your grip, they will jump back into the carrier and not down to the ground. [8] X Research source Use one hand to hold the bunny’s head away from you, toward the back of the cage, while gently holding on to the scruff. The other hand is used over the bunny’s rump to scrunch the hind legs up into the “bunny ball” hold. Then lift the bunny out, hind legs toward you, and place under your arm so the bunny’s head is given a place to hide. If you are getting the bunny out of a top-opening carrier, you can use the same technique, just remember not to dangle the bunny by the scruff. If this is a well handled and calm bunny, you are likely to be able to safely pick up the bunny with one hand under its chest and one hand scrunching the rump, without holding on to the scruff. Be aware, that if the bunny feels like it might fall, it will struggle and kick and try to get down. If this happens, place the bunny back in the carrier and re-grip or go back to using the scruff to help with restraint.
Never pull on a rabbit’s legs or tail to get it to move closer to you. It is better to gently get a hold of the scruff to prevent the rabbit from getting away, then you can get an arm around the rabbit’s body and contain the hind legs. Never forcefully scruff a rabbit or dangle it by the scruff. This will cause the rabbit injury.
Again, remember to use confinement within an exercise pen or other area to help you manage the rabbit’s access to hiding places and allow you find and restrain the rabbit more easily.
If you are right handed, place the bunny’s head under your left arm. Wrap your left arm around the outside of the rabbit while using your left hand to continue to securely hold the rabbit’s hind legs under it. Place your right hand gently over the bunny’s neck, ready to get a hold of the scruff should the bunny move suddenly. Do not hold your rabbit extended outward or swing it through the air.
Use one hand to hold the scruff to restrain the rabbit and get your other hand on the rump and “scrunch” the bunny in a “bunny ball” to transfer to the carrier.
