Rabbits in the wild would only get held for one reason- they're some animal's dinner. Your rabbit's instincts tell them that being held is the worst thing in the world. Think of it like this, if you saw someone coming at you with a fork and knife, you would think you were going to be in someone's stomach soon too. The key to holding your rabbit without much or any stress is all in your hands. (Literally) You need to use a lot of support -especially in their legs- and move gentle and slow. Some rabbits are social butterflies and grow to love being held and petted, but others are more of a "sit and watch them play" kind of companion.
Going against Instincts
Carrying the bun
Holding your rabbit on their back
At first glance, the photo to the left gives you the impression that the man is holding the rabbit by its ears. (We all know you should never, ever, under any circumstance hold a rabbit by their ears.) However, if you look closer you see that the man is actually holding the rabbit on its back on a flat surface. This is a very, very stressful position for a rabbit. In the wild they would only do this as a last form of defense against an eagle, hawk, snake, wolf, etc. (Not that it would work.) This type of handling is tricky because you have to hold your rabbit securely but you must also be extremely careful with them. This pose is a bit scary to do on your rabbit, but it comes in handy when clipping nails and cleaning out the anal scent glands.
Carrying a rabbit is just like carrying an American football. (Take away the running and tackling.) See how the football player has the football? He is cradling it in his elbow. Well think of the football as your rabbit. You always want to use two hands, but your rabbits nose tucks into your elbow and you use your other hand to support their bum. Another way to carry your rabbit is to put them against your chest horozontially. Just remember, always support your rabbit's butt and back legs. If they decided to kick when you were not doing this, they could break their back and possibly kill themselves.
