Pet rabbits - how to encourage them to be less nervous?

[Blu]

We have two netherland dwarf rabbits - both allegedly female, 10 weeks old. We have had them for 3.5 weeks, and they are very scared of being picked up. To begin with, they were happy for us to stroke them while they nibbled hay etc, but now they have twigged that I catch them (to muck out, and also to keep them used to being handled and stroked) they won't come near us, and obviously hate being picked up.

They haven't had any rough treatment or nasty experiences...shall we just keep picking them up until they get used to it?

give them some kalms??

rabbits dont like to be picked up.

try handfeeding them first from an open hand, then slowly to a hand over your palm so you can stroke their noses, then slowly go to body strokes.

mine now comes upto me for strokes and will hand feed happily. i only picked him up to check him over or to move him from run to hutch etc.

Oh .
But won't they be deeply traumatised then when they have to be picked up?

OK, lots of (most, I would say) rabbits just don't like being picked up, and don't ever get used to it tbh.
I would say take it really slowly, lots of stroking when they are on the ground to get them used to handling.
One thing I used to do is have a little litter tray with hay in it for them to sit on, and train them to get on the tray (bribe them with something to eat) then pick up the tray, because they feel more secure that way.
Another thing that sometimes works is to place one hand gently but firmly over the eyes and forehead. that seems to calm some rabbits down.

Our rabbit has lived in the house since September and still dislikes being picked up, although he is very friendly and likes to play and be fussed, but on his terms and when he feels like it!

yes I would keep picking up to the very very bare minumum. it freaks them out a lot of the time

Our rabbit is not keen on being picked up but she's quite happy to sit on my lap and be stroked. i think its the sensation of being held that upsets her - she feels trapped. She often runs to the back to the hutch when i open it but she's fine once she's sitting on me so I try to make sure she's handled every day

Oh dear- will boyblu be disappointed if they don't like to be picked up? Could he sit in their shed and be part of the furniture so they get used to him and start to like strokes at least? Or could you get a guinea pig to live with them and be picked up?

If you let them run around in the house they will hassle your kids for titbits and be generally very entertaining.

Well, BoyBlu is happy to stroke them rather than hold them, anyway.
I will back off a bit.
It's all such a worry!

Agree with everyone who says don't pick em up. Sittin on laps freaked ours out less. But ideally, let them come to you - eg get Bluboy to sit down with legs flat and let them hop onto/explore him, take things slowly, but just spend lots of time available/around the rabbits so they can come to you. We had a house rabbit - very, very affectionate (dh had to lie down when he came home from work so rabbit could lick his forehead - it would run round him in circles til he lay down!) and it eventually liked being picked up and held (babylike upside down in arms) would lie for ages having its nose stroked ... so they may get used to it in time!

I have a English Giant (who you just cant pick up) just sit in the garden with them, ignore them and let them come to you

Ah, you see, you need a cat. They love being stroked. Shall we bring ours over from the Inferiority Complex to show your rabbits how to behave?

And pick up, yet...