Help with rabbit?!? Please someone help...?

Question

Ok I needed to know that when you pick up a bunny by their scruff, does it hurt them? All I've heard is that you shouldn't... never really heard why. The reason I'm asking is because sometimes my rabbit gets into the tiniest places and the scruff is my last result to getting her out...

Answer 1

just keep her in a cage and when she's not in one, hold her

Answer 2

First to all the misinformed people--rabbits DO NOT carry their young at all, ever. When they are born they stay in a nest, wild rabbits leave the nest on their own at about 2 weeks of age and are on their own from that point on. Domestic rabbits leave the nest box at 14-21 days and stay with the doe until they are 6-8 weeks old. The doe never picks up the kits.

It is not a recommended method of picking up a rabbit. When you pick them up that way it can cause the skin to detach from the muscle, they can then get a pocket of blood under the skin. If you occasionally grab onto your rabbit his way it will not hurt them. Just don't pick them up and carry them by the scruff, that is too much weight on their body.

It does not hurt them at the time but it can cause problems eventually.

Answer 3

My husband swears that it doesn't hurt them, he says that is how their momma carries them around. They don't seem to mind it. We however really don't do it. But I don't see the harm in it if you are just trying to get it out of a small place. Please don't keep your rabbit caged up like the other comment says. They need a lot of exercise too. Our bunnies run around the house like 4-5 hours per day. If I knew that they wouldn't chew on everything, I would leave them run the house all the time. Just be careful when you do it and don't make a habit out of it. I hope this helps. Good Luck :)

Answer 4

It does hurt them when you grab them by the scruff.  But as long as you don't do it often and are careful it is ok.  I use the same method when my bunnies get into tight spots and I have to get them out.

Answer 5

No it does not hurt them. When they are young, the mother carries them that way. However, because your rabbit is full grown be sure to support the bum when you actually carry her. That way it is less stressful and you don't have to worry about actually hurting her. When my rabbit tries to run underneath the bed, that is often how I grab him too, and he's just fine.

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Answer 6

you can pick her up by the scruff but if you grab to little of their skin they start to stuggle. so make sure to grab enough skin to almost fit your hand. But their moms carried them like that so it does not hurt them.