Rabbit Web Discussion Board

hey guys, Lily is very defensive of her home and if i try to pick her up by putting my hand under her chest and picking up, she squirms around and bites me every time. I was reading a book and they said that you should pick a rabbit up by the scruff between the shoulders and then put your hand under the bum and move the other hand from the scruff back to the chest with its back resting in the crook of your armpit area.

i tried this and it works very good, but im afraid that im hurting her when i do it. she goes completely still and seems a little mad when i put her down afterwards. Am I hurting her by doing this? Ill just live with not being able to pick her up out of the cage without using her pet taxi if it does hurt her.

thanks

No, you\'re not hurting Lily.

However, the larger question is why Lily has such an attitude in the first place. Has Lily been spayed? Some unspayed does often have this nasty attitude which is directly attributable to their hormone levels. This is one reason why it\'s a good idea to have a doe spayed if you do not intend to breed her.

If Lily is spayed, she apparently has very strong territorial instincts. She very clearly feels you are invading her space.

Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com

yes, she hasn\'t been spayed yet. i am taking her and my other rabbit to get fixed next week (since classes end this week)