QuestionDear Dana,
Our pet house bunny came to us a little over a year ago as a tiny little fellow whom we rescued. He has been neutered and seems content though not particularly active (sorry, in a cage, and comes out (often!) when we play with him. I love this rabbit (Jimmy) and spend quite a bit of time with him on the floor, giving him "bunny kisses" (nose to nose), etc. He seems content and will often make a "chirruping" sound when I pet him or put my head near his face - which I assume means contentment! Anyway.... family members and I disagree over the proper way to pick him up. I never pick him up by the scruff of the neck alone, though sometimes I will use the scruff of his neck to gain purchase while supporting him underneath. Is there a website or a page with an illustration of proper rabbit handling? Ours is a pretty hefty bunny (I think he might be one of the "meat" breeds - perish the thought!) and I've heard that rabbits backs can easily be broken by improper handling. I want to educate my family and am hoping that you can help! Thanks very much! :-)
Sincerely,
Cheryl C.
AnswerDear Cheryl,
I was surprised to find a real lack of illustrations abouut this on the web, but this site isn't too bad:
http://www.beal-net.com/laluna/safe.html
You are correct, and your family members are wrong. One must *always* support a bunny's back end, and it is painful (especially for a big rabbit) to be lifted by the scruff of the neck if the bottom of the body is not well supported. You can use the scruff to stabilize, as you do, but not as a "handle". That's just wrong. :(
The one gripe I have with the site above is the "wrong" hold picture. The only thing "wrong" about it that I can see is that the bunny is held too low, and the bottom of the bunny is not well enough supported to prevent a good kick from causing injury to human and/or bunny.
You can find a lot more excellent information on proper care, handling and housing of rabbits here:
www.rabbit.org/
and in The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman. The book can be ordered on line from the above site, or is available at most major bookstores for under $10.
Hope that helps! Please write back if you have any other questions.
Dana