Newbie that needs help!

[babygrace3]

My rabbit Cocoa was scared when my mom dropped her while putting her back in her cage. Now the poor baby wont let anyone touch her or pick her up. I feel so sorry for her, I just want to regain her trust.:( On days when she is in a good mood, I can somtimes can pick her up. I've only had her for 3 months and I want to retrain her so she can have a happy life. Does anyone have any ideas?:confused:

[jojoalexis]

I think you need to start out on the floor sitting with her favorite treats - I would not give her treats in the cage, only when she comes to you. Once she startes coming to you for treats, start ppicking her up each time - as reinforcement. Do not put her down when she kicks, wait a second and then put her down (after she is calm). you have to just keep at it and she will give in. I'd also make sure you keep those back feet tucked under your arm when you hold her. Rabbits have some equilibrium thing going on and get nervous when picked up....

[babygrace3]

The problem with that is she never eats out side of her cage. I tried that but she just ignores the food. I guess she associates her cage with food, but when she's in her cage she won't eat her treats/ food unless I put it in her bowl. I dont know what to do! My dad tells my to let her go in the wild b/c I can't train her, but I will NEVER, EVER do that. HELP!

[emroul]

I can't be of too much help here as I do not know much about rabbits, but you are very wise in NOT letting her go in the wild. Make sure if your dad ever makes you give her up, that she gets taken to a shelter of some kind or another home, she would never make it in a concrete jungle as you are obviously well aware. :) Good luck with regaining her trust, I have faith in you, and she will turn around with plenty of time and love.

Jennifer

[babygrace3]

Okay, so I bought Cocoa this cute new rabbit toy, and she absoloutly loves it. Its a little wooden carrot type thing, I cant really explain how it looks. But anyway, she lets me pet her now and sometimes will eat treats out of my hand, but still gets scared when I try to pick her up. So I guess she made a little improvement, and any little bit helps!

[babygrace3]

Sunday I bought Cocoa a really big new cage, the one she was in was getting too small. This one has a door on the side instead of on the top like her old one. She started acting friendlier since I bought this one, I guess its b/c she has a lot of space. I still cant pick her up, but she lets me pet her more, and she really loves her new cage! Another thing, does anyone have any more ideas about training her to be able to be picked up again? I really wish I could just hold Cocoa and pet her whithout her being scared!

[kathryn]

Try hand feeding her treats. She will learn that hands don't hert her.

[babygrace3]

Thanks. I will try anything that might help me to be able to pick her up.

[babygrace3]

Sunday Cocoa Let me pick her up for a little while, but then after I put her back a couple hours later I tried to pick her up again so I could clip her toenails and she tried to bite me. The next day I tried to picke her up just to pet her, but she wouldn't let me and kept trying to bite me. Her toenails are getting really long and she keeps licking her foot, so I guess they are bothering her, but she wont let me pick her up to cut them. Does any one have any ideas b/c I think she is afraid of her nail clippers. I'm afraid she is going to get them caught in her cage and hurt herself. Help!

[zig zag zoey]

i know how you feel i just got my first femail rabbit last mounth and i axadently dropped her and she got loos and my dog chased her and bit her now she is fine we somehow cought her and got her to her cage i tryed petting her but she kept dodging my hand so i left her alone fore the night and the next day i only fed her and gave her watterthe 3ed day i sat infront of her cage and talked varry lightly to her and she came out of her box (her hideing spot) and come to the dore but when i put my finger in between the bars on the cage she jumped back so i keept reeding the story i as reeding to her varry quiet than i opend the cage dore and tryed to pet her she let me but as soon as i put my hand on her belly che dodged and bouced around so i let her alone and played with my other bunny picked him up and that and she watched after accupple minits i went back to her cag and tryed to pick her up she didnt let me so i played with my other bunny more and then i left them alone fore accupple howeres then i tryed to pick her up she let me so i put her harness and leash on i set her down and let her hop around than i tryed to pick her up and she wouldnt let me so i titend my grip in the leash and puled it tight so she couldnt moove but not enuf to pick her up and i bent down and picked her up i dd that 4 or 5 more tines and she got the hange if it so i cuddled with her fore a minit amd put her in her cage and i am still doing the leash thing and when all this happend i just got her home she hasnt even sceen the other bunnie yeat or seen her cage or eneything!! we just got out of the car and was holding her femail rabbits dont like being cuddled so i would be careful with thatndont over do it femail rabbits like being left alone allot but that doesnt meen its inpossable to be able to cuddle on your terms not hers i relly hope that helped just rember to practise the same thing every day do the same thing start reeding quitly than try to pet her if she doesnt let you reed some more than try tom pet her you know after she lets you pet her try to pick her up if she doesnt let you since you only have her pet her more and more all around git her usto you petting her belly and her tail and in her ears (if you need a vet visit it will help when he looks in her ears) than just try to pick her up when she lets you do that cuddle fore a minit than put her harness on and leash let her run around than try to pick her yp if she dosnt let you pul the leash tought than pick her up she will git the hange of it good luck and your welcome

[bunnyface]

well, how old is ur rabbit? Does she run away from ur hand if u try to pick her up?? if not, just continue to pet her gently ans speak softly while doing this. this will help her to learn to trust u. my bunny Estherr did not let me pick her up 'till i had her for about two months... or was it more like 3 or so.... can't exactly remember but it took a while. also, some rabbits simply do not like being held. this is the case with mine, so.... she bares with me picking her up as long as she knows i will let her down in her playpen right away.... also to help her with not being so nervous when being picked up, every time I would lift her, i would gently say "up" . this way, she could know that every time i said "up" she would be more expecting of what i would do, so it did not startle her as much...... also ... how do you lift up ur bun? I know that the only way my rabbit will tolerate is by the scruff. (that took ME some tine to get used to, as I had guinea pig b4.... and they must NOT be lifted that way:) ) well, best wishes 2 u..... keep patients, ur bunny still luvs u!!!!!!

PS. I woulda completely RAGED on ur father for his evil suggestion!!!!!!!

[babygrace3]

Well, my bunny is about 6 months old. She dosent really run away from my hand, in fact, when I walk into my room, she runs to the side of the cage and wants me to open it. she likes me to pet her, but if I put my hand near her side she jumps back and sort of cowers near the back of her cage. She let me pick her up a couple of days ago (I was going to clip her nails), but then she jumped out of my arms after a couple of seconds and went crazy. I usually try pick her up by grabbing her by her stomach, then supporting her back end then picking her up. Thats how she liked being picked up before she was dropped.

[squashynose]

Try petting her, then getting hold of her scruff, don't pick her up straight away, just get her use to your hand being there (reward her with treats now if she'll eat them). She can't bite you when she's scruffed.
Then when she's used to it, get her scruff and pick her up, with your other hand under her bum, but make sure you support it. Never pick her up by the scruff without your hand under her bum! If you put her in a sitting position, with her back legs forwards, she can't really do anything. Sit on the floor or in a chair with her leaning backwads on to you.
When she's used to being in that position, you should be able to clip her claws, just make sure she's calm before you start, or she might kick out.