How to pick up a rabbit

Picking up a rabbit is an artform.  Rabbits are very bottom heavy, have sharp nails and can panic when threatened.  Rabbits see being picked up as a life threatening experience.

If you need to pick up your bunny, you need to know how to do this quickly and safely for you and your bunny.

The photos to the left show how NOT to hold a rabbit.  You'll notice that all the bunnies are babies, as an adult rabbit would not tolerate this kind of handling. 

An adult bunny would feel very uneasy being held in the photos to the left.  A rabbit's back legs should always be fully supported, otherwise they will kick out and struggle, possibly being dropped in the process, injuring itself scrambling free and injuring the person holding the bunny. 

The best way to hold a rabbit is pictured on the right.  The bunny has both back legs supported on the person's body and the front legs are also fully supported by the other hand to ensure that the rabbit will feel comfortable and safe.