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Neck

22 11:17:02

Question
My rabbit has a swelling it looks like, around her neck. I could compare it to a double chin. She is a giant chinchilla and I am not quite sure what to make of it! I got her a month ago and cannot pick her up as she is very anxious and scared.

Answer
That "double chin" is called a dewlap. It is a very normal extra fold of skin and fat that females use to provide extra energy while they are pregnant and raising babies. Males can also sometimes get a dewlap, though it is not as common. Larger breeds usually have larger dewlaps, and giant chinchillas generally have rather impressive dewlaps. This is nothing to be worried about. :)

Try working with her on the floor, a chair, or a couch rather than picking her up and carrying her around. Get her used to you and used to being pet before you really work on carrying her. Once she is more comfortable with you, you should be able to advance to getting her used to being picked up. Also make sure you are supporting her correctly. If a rabbit feels at all like it is going to fall, it will scramble and be scared.