This article features a rabbit called Tuxedo. Learning how to handle Tuxedo will help you to learn how to handle your own rabbit.
Limit the rabbit’s space
With Tuxedo, a towel in the middle of a slippery floor is enough since he hates the floor. Other rabbits might require an exercise pen or a small room, like a guest bathroom.
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Picking up - Rabbit Facing You
Kneel on the floor. As the rabbit approaches you, place one hand under the rabbit’s ribs and the other behind his hips.
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The rabbit’s natural inclination is going to be to hop away from the hand behind him. Use the hand at his ribs to help guide that hop up and onto your lap. When you are first working with your rabbit, you can release the rabbit from here once he has been good for a few seconds. You may want to use a release command so that the rabbit will eventually learn that he cannot leave your lap until you have said it is okay.
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Once you are comfortable with the previous steps, you can continue the motion that you used to get the rabbit onto your lap and lift the rabbit so that all four feet are against your ribs and stomach. Keep one hand behind his hips and move the other over his shoulders. From here, you can go on to release the rabbit.
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Picking Up - Rabbit Facing Away From You
Still kneeling, wait until the rabbit is near your knees but moving or facing away from you. Place one hand under his ribs and the other behind his hips.
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Use the hand under the rabbit’s ribs to lift and use the hand behind his hips to support his weight. Place the rabbit’s backbone along your breast bone.
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It is generally easiest to pick up the rabbit if you have a finger between his front legs, your thumb on one side of the rabbit and your remaining three fingers on the other side.
This hold can be useful if you have a second person to help you trim toenails as all four feet are facing out and are accessible to the helper.
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Picking Up - The Reluctant Rabbit
When you have a reluctant (or very smart) rabbit, he will often find a way to hop out of the above holds before you can get a good grip. For these rabbits, you can gently but firmly grip the rabbit by the scruff of the neck with one hand while placing the other hand under his ribs/stomach.
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Using both hands to support the rabbit’s weight, lift him up and to the left. Your left hand and lower arm will be supporting the rabbit’s body while your grip on his scruff (which may need to be released and re-gripped depending on the original hold) will keep the rabbit from hopping off.
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Laying the rabbit on his back
For the sake of the instructions, we are assuming that you have picked the rabbit up with your left hand under his hips and your right hand at his ribs. In this case, your next step is to lift your left shoulder and slide the arm in towards the rabbit while turning the rabbit’s back out towards the arm.
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Slide your left hand across your body and lower your shoulder. The rabbit’s back should always be in contact with your left arm so that he will feel secure. Keep a gentle but firm pressure on the rabbit’s chest with your right hand so that he doesn’t decide this is a good time to twist out and hop off.
Once the rabbit is on his back, you can either simply snuggle for a few seconds or you can move on to trimming toenails.
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Calming the skittish rabbit
As intelligent as rabbits are, they seem very inclined to believe that if they cannot see something it is not scary. Calming a frightened or skittish rabbit can be as simple as covering his eyes with your hand.
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Putting the rabbit down without injury (to either of you!)
Reverse your hold on the rabbit’s shoulders so that your right hand is now under the rabbit’s ribs/stomach.
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Move both hands out and down so that the rabbit continues to face you but is getting closer to the ground.
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Move your left hand away from the rabbit and continue to lower your right hand towards the ground. If you plan to use a release command, use it now. The rabbit will generally hop off on his own.
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Rewarding the rabbit
Once your rabbit has successfully made it back to the ground without incident, reward him with a small treat such as a piece of his favorite green or a few pellets from his daily ration.
