';sp. dont' listen to a breeder,';
Oh yes, PLEASE don't listen to breeders with years of experience and a wider knowledge base than most people!
The part about the ears was correct, but poorly worded. There are a lot of breeds where you want to do whatever you can to avoid grabbing the scruff. It can pull fur out, ruin markings, and over time actually cause a loosening/sagging of the skin.
You want to hold onto the ears, but DO NOT pick the rabbit up by them. You want to use them to 'guide' he front part of the body, and even though you're holding the ears, you hand is also supporting the shoulders. The actual lifting and turning comes from your other hand which should be on her butt.
If she gets upset while being flipped, try picking her up and holding her against your chest until she is calm, then slowly lean forward, which will tip her onto her back.
If you search for 'rabbit show' on YouTube you can find some examples of people and judges doing this.Tips on flipping a rabbit over?
Listen to Pesky Fly, I show Holland Lops, Mini Rex, and Lionhead rabbits and I have never seen a judge pick up a lop rabbit by one ear. They grab the ears (not the scruff) and it bottom and quickly flip them over, so the rabbit does not know what happened. Then they continue to hold them by the ears while they determine the sex of the rabbit. I do not do it that way all my Kits (baby rabbits) are handled from birth, and every rabbit I have ever raised you can flip over with no problem, touch it's teeth with out it biting, and pose its feet!!LOL I teach them from birth by holding them on their backs for short periods of time every day.
If you are in 4-H they do it the same way, as most 4-H judges are also ARBA judges.
don't physically manipulate your rabbit in anyway
esp. dont' listen to a breeder, don't move your rabbit around by it's ears
sit the rabbit in your lap and do it slowly and constantly reassure him or her
or you can have a vet do it and they have machines that get it over with quickly and painlessly
Do NOT grab her by only the ears. Here is how to properly flip a bunny:
If your rabbit is not a lop, grasp both ears AND the scruff of the neck. The slowly roll her back, using your other hand to gently push her butt under her.
If your rabbit is a lop, only grab ONE ear. Grabbing both and pulling them up can break the cartilige between them.
Make sure you aren't pulling the ears. You are using mostly the scruff on the neck to have a hold of her. Don't hold her like that unless you are supporting her bottom too. Most, if not all of the weight is on her hind end, so you aren't pulling on her neck or ears at all once she is flipped and on her back.
Also, until she stops panicking, hold her tight to your chest and then slowly lean forward with her so she gets used to being flipped like that. It helps with the panicking. It worked with my rabbit Thumper.
Good luck!
I breed and show my rabbits and when the judge flips them over he usally grab the ears and then flip them over.
A pic,
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi鈥?/a>
Here's a tip:
Unless you know how to do it properly, DON'T. Panic could cause a heart attack in a rabbit.
When you flip your rabbit over, hold food over the rabbits mouth so it can calm down.
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