The best way to start getting your rabbit used to you is to feed it a piece of vegetable or fruit from your hand. After a while it will feel comfortable with this and let you stroke it whilst it is feeding.

Once it is happy that there is nothing to fear, and accepts being stroked you can begin picking the rabbit up. This is best done by placing one hand under the chest and placing the other arm over the body of the rabbit and under its bottom, supporting its hind legs and then lifting the rabbit towards your body. Never lift a rabbit by its ears!

Don’t lift your rabbit too high as if it wriggles from your hands and falls it may injure itself. Once you have your rabbit it is best to hold it against your body or sit and hold it in your lap.

Younger children should be supervised when handling rabbits as they may have trouble lifting them out of the cage or may unintentionally squeeze and harm a small rabbit.