How to Handle a Rabbit

Rabbits are a gardeners best friend and worst enemy, all in one cute fuzzy dynamite stick. When contained, rabbits are incredible manufacturers and reproducers. They will make you more fertilizer than you can imagine what to do with! In my world, that's a good thing. If you don't have a garden, I would not recommend getting a rabbit. The frustration and heart break of dealing with their highly potent urine and insanely insatiable attitudes, in my opinion, is not worth it unless you are harvesting the super rich fertilizer. Which, believe me, is a farm job meant for farm or farm-esk settings. That doesn't mean rural! Any city dweller with a green thumb can tell you, where there is a will -- there is a way! But rabbits do not belong in peoples homes. It just isn't sanitary (or good for the electrical units and appliances, no kidding... Rabbits naw on stuff.) Indoor or outdoor rabbit hutches are easy to come by and easier to make. Anybody can MacGyver a rabbit hutch out of some old furniture, chicken wire, a couple of hinges with screws, a make-shift door/reclaimed cabinet door, and a latch. A little elbow grease and ingenuity, and your furry friend will feel right at home!

Li ke cats or dogs, owning a rabbit is not for everyone. Fear is the most dangerous thing around animals, wild or handled. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits generally do not like to be handled and can be very dangerous when improperly handled. Before approaching a rabbit, let go of the fear. The best way to combat fear is with knowledge. Listen to me tell you how to properly handle a rabbit, so you don't get bit or disemboweled!

What you don't want to do is hurt the rabbit, or for pete's sake get torn up in the process. Rabbits are very sensitive creatures, they can sense the vibration of the ground from you walking up to them, they can sense quick motions - as they can see very well, and I reckon they can hear even better. Nature has gifted these creatures with a lot of ways to survive, and a mishandled rabbit will fight you to the death. They do not like to be killed and eaten. (I guess that goes without saying.) Always keep in mind that in their world, they are always prey. You are just another potential predator until you make friends with it.

Wild rabbits are the hardest to catch or to carry. They're fast, smart, and scared to death of being eaten. Your tame or hand fed rabbits are also still leery of being eaten, naturally. However, hand fed, enclosure born rabbits are also curious and less fearful, as they come to depend upon people very quickly.

Approach your furry four legged friend from behind, tale facing you -- or turn it around so. With your left hand, or less dominant hand gently grab the rabbit by the scruff or nape of the neck - at the back of the head, behind the ears and above the shoulders. With your dominant hand, scoop the chest of the rabbit, up under the arms KEEPING THE RABBITS FEET AND CLAWS AWAY FROM YOUR BODY. Or support the weight of rabbit at its back, near the tail but with those giant, strong back legs facing away from you. Keep the animal at a distance until you can calm it and reassure it. They are very temperamental. To keep the rabbit calm, you can bring the rabbits head into your armpit and clutch it firmly. They're scared easily, so they like dark, warm and safe.

My advice is handle rabbits with care, so as not to hurt the rabbit and especially don't let the rabbit hurt you. For the most part, they like to sniff at you and play with you and they will let you pet them all day long. They like to be brought tasty treats and they like fresh air and sunshine. They also prefer not to be picked up or carried. They can be easily convinced or tricked into going into small dog or animal carriers, because of their curious nature.

Also keep in mind, rabbits are naturally afraid of heights, as they can easily break legs or bones from a miscalculated jump or bad fall.

Until next time, folks! My name is Misty Bowman and I breed rabbits for That Simple Life in Galesburg, Illinois.