In general, rabbits do not like to be picked up. The act of bending over them and grabbing them by their ribs to pick them up is very similar to being picked up by a hawk – scary!! The best way to interact with your rabbit is on the floor.
For a rabbit to be comfortable with being picked up, they must learn through positive experiences that being lifted isn't something that causes harm. This should start when they are just as few weeks old as part of socialisation.
Rabbits don't usually like being picked up and held unless they've become used to it from a young age and even then handling must be done carefully and gently.
Few like being held or carried as being so high up from the ground makes them feel insecure, however, many will happily sit on your lap or snuggle up next to you for a cuddle. It is best to let your rabbit initiate this i.e. sit on the ground and let them approach you.
Some bunnies are fine with being held, but never assume that your bunny likes being picked up just because they don't struggle in any way. Many rabbits hate being held and will actually freeze with fear. Our advise would be that it is always better to get down to your bunnies level and have a cuddle.
Help them feel secure by holding all four feet against your body. Never pick rabbits up by their ears - this would be extremely stressful and is highly likely to injure them. Minimise restraint - reduce stress and minimise the risk of injury by using the minimum level of restraint necessary.
Don't hold your rabbit.
Most rabbits do not like being held. It makes them feel trapped and scared. I'm not telling you to never hold your rabbit, but don't make that the main way you socialize with your rabbit. Instead, try cuddling and playing with your rabbit when they have all four feet on the ground.
If the floor won't work for you bring the rabbit up on the sofa or bed with you. Be Patient, don't rush. It can take a few months for a rabbit to adjust to a new home and new people. Speak softly.
To keep your rabbit happy and healthy, let it out of its cage at least once a day, giving it time to roam. Though at least one hour is necessary, aim closer to three or four. As a rule, never keep your rabbit cooped up for 24 hours at a time.
Rabbits like to play and need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Ideally you want to provide them with up to 4 hours daily of supervised time out of their cage. Rabbits are subject to depression and poor health if they're not provided with daily interaction and mental stimulation.
The best places to pet a rabbit are their forehead and behind their ears. The cheeks and strokes down their backs are also good spots. But rabbits dislike being pet on their bottom, feet, chin, and underside.
You may need to handle them for any number of reasons, from grooming them to checking them for any signs of a medical condition. While most rabbits won't appreciate you picking them up all the time, it's still important to practice handling them occasionally. That way you can pick them up when you have to.
Many rabbits can be taught to trust you enough to pick them up, however. Rabbits also have other ways to show affection. If your pet rabbit trusts you, it may flop down next to you. It may lean against you, and it may even sit in your lap.
A rabbit will only scream if they are scared, stressed, or frightened. Hopefully, you never hear a rabbit scream, it is eerily chilling. Some other sounds of anger, pain, or fear include: Growling: Rabbits certainly can growl and it often precedes a lunge and possibly a bite.
If your rabbits look tucked up and quiet with their chins tucked in and noses not twitching this can be a sure sign of them feeling unhappy or stressed, as this is not a normal position for a rabbit. Moving or running away. Your rabbits may turn and move away from you (or each other) if they're unhappy.
You may worry that your rabbit will be lonely. If you spend a lot of time with your rabbit, they will undoubtedly miss you when you're away, the same way you miss them. The two of you have developed a bond and friendship that your pet rabbit also understands.
Because rabbits are social animals, they require daily interaction and attention (which is why it's helpful to adopt a pair). They aren't happy languishing in a cage day after day. For several hours daily, they need time outside the cage to socialize, exercise, and explore.
Anything longer than 24 hours is too long – and even that is pushing the solitude limits of rabbits. Rabbits are social creatures and require about as much, if not more, interaction and maintenance as dogs do and more than some cats need. Considering rabbits to be low-maintenance pets does them a grave disservice.
They should be brought inside overnight. They can only stay outside at night too from mid-May when there is no longer any ground frost. If your rabbits have first been gradually accustomed to being kept outdoors, they can stay outdoors all year round from then. Even the ground frost won't bother them after that.
That said, they tend not to like being touched on the ears, neck, feet, stomach or tail. Usually, my bunnies are most receptive to petting when they're relaxing after a meal. So if your rabbit doesn't appear interested in affection, wait until just after feeding time.
Rabbits are small and low to the ground. They are also primary prey animals. So anything coming from above is a big threat, and their instinct is to race away. Even if they can see YOU are the thing coming from above, that instinct is so strong, and so ingrained, that they really can hardly help themselves.