Vet advice please:-)

Morning everyone I'm taking Pippin to the vets on Friday for his first vaccination and I'm quite worried about it now. Mainly because I've never taken a rabbit to the vets before. Mr. Magoo came to us fully vaccinated and vet checked and he didn't have any health checks or vaccinations due in his lifetime so didn't need to see a vet.

I'm worried about stressing him out so much that he's poorly and I'm also worried about how the vet will handle him. I don't even pick Pippin up! I have always let him get in and out of his cage by himself and have never picked him up or anything as I know he doesn't like it. I tried yesterday for practice in case the vet wants me to pick him up when I'm there but he made a noise and jumped right out of my hands! He really doesn't like to be picked up. He is very affectionate and loves nose rubs and cuddles but on his terms only so the thought of a strange prodding him and putting a needle in him makes me feel cold

Any advice on how to make this easier on Pippin would be much appreciated, thank you

Have you tried a blanket to snuggle pippin in and make him feel secure but give you more control. Fudge has his moments about being picked up but is fine when snuggled in a bunny burrito.

YOu could put his gave food/treat into his carrier and tempt him in, then close it. If he's really nervous, you could give him a drop or two of Rescue remedy in his water that morning, which calms them down.

A lot of vets are very used to handling buns, and will do it all for you, you will need to hold him while they inject. I was really surprised at how submissive Bertie was on his first trip, as he had similar issues to Pippin, they can become subdued, probably through fear, but your vet will be used to seeing all sorts of buns, so try to be confident and calm and just reassure him throughout. Good luck

Fudgesmummy - Thanks for the tip about the blanket. I'm going to try that later so at least it can get him used to being held that way.

Jay - Brill advice about the rescue remedy I still have a bottle left from our wedding day

I have always been nervous of picking Pippin up as I've read how bunnies dislike it so much but he may actually dislike it so much now because I haven't picked him up much.

If Brynn can get through it then any bunny can!!!! Brynn doesn't get stressed at the vet, but she does hate being picked up more than anything in the world. It's usually a two person job to get anything done with her (but it does get done). Brynn always forgives me a few hours or days later though!

Just give yourself lots of time to get there so that you can take a while getting him into his carrier. (Maybe you could try to lure him into it, as Jay suggested, a few times before Friday. Practice makes perfect).

He and you will be fine!

Daisy is a nightmare getting picked up too. Its def a two person job in our house.

I think its a great idea to get him used to hopping in and out of the carrier so he doesnt see it as a scary place.

however much he decides he doesnt like it - he will be fine. He may have a little sulk with you afterwards (as they do) but he will be fine if you are.

Jay is right in that the vet will know exactly what they are doing when it comes to handling pippin so dont worry about that. I expect that pippin will welcome you holding him in the vets because you are his mummy.

Try not to worry hun - it will all be fine.

Thanks everyone. I have been leaving the carrier out while Pippin is roaming so as to get him used to the smell and the idea of it. He even hopped in there once which is progress. I always worry much more about bunnies than the cats cos they are so fragile.

Gloria and Wolfgang are the same. I usually lure them into their hutch with something wonderful, like a whole carrot. Then I corner them and cover them with an old towel and bundle them out into the carrier. As long as you cover their eyes (without smothering them) they do relax a bit. I have got it down to a fine art now after having been shredded to pieces trying it without a towel.

Last week we all went to the vet and the vet had a bleeding thumb by the end because Gloria just didn't like having her bum checked by him. She is inclined to be a bit of a biter if she is scared but this time she scratched him. I wore gloves!

I'm perhaps more mean with my bunnies.... I NEVER pick them up, and so they get cocky and hang around me, begging for treats, and will often come up to me when i'm cleaning their room to see what I am doing. So I use this to my advantage on vet days - I feed them, and as they are eating their food, I pick them up and put them in their carrier.

I know it's evil, but every other method - including bribes and sweet talking, and waiting until after they've eaten to pick them up - hasn't worked for me.

They get ****** but they're fine after an hour or so. Pippin will forgive you more and more quickly as time goes on after a vet visit.

Bruce gets terrified when he is picked up - I think he's afriad of heights - but when he's at the vet he just lies there flat as he can be and doesn't move. I suppose it's out of fear, but he's much easier to handle than Miss. Josephine, who is used to the vet, and will try to explore the vet's room, or hop around a lot, when she's there.

Pippin will make you feel guilty about taking him to the vet.... but just think it's better for his long-term health than no vet at all!