Restraint of rodents and rabbits can result in injuries if not done correctly. The handler can use a towel or glove to prevent the animal from biting. Sleeping animals should be given a chance to wake up prior to handling

If handling by the tail, you need to be careful not to strip the skin. You should handle the animal by the base of the tail to prevent injury.

Two handed support should be used for adult animals and pregnant animals. It is important not to grab an animal too roughly. Damage can be done to the throat or chest.

Rabbits have very powerful back legs and should have their feet restrained. The animal can fracture their back if they start kicking

You should never restrain a rabbit by their ears. The blood vessels can be damaged.

Guinea Pigs: grasp skin at base of neck, support the rump with the other hand. They will usually give a loud squeal before biting.

Hamsters: grasp loose skin of neck and back. Use third finger and thumb to grasp body. They are heavy sleepers and should be woken up before handling.

Gerbil: grasp base of tail with one hand and restrain over the back with the other hand. Mice are restrained the same way

Rat: grasp the base of the tail with one hand and place the other hand over the back.

Rabbits: The rabbit is held with it’s back to the handler and the feet forward.

Ratites: ostrich, emu, rhea: keep them in close confinement and use solid panels to herd into a narrow area. Total darkness is soothing. Holding around the chest can cause the bird to stop breathing.

These birds can thrash with their legs and will fan their wings. Wings should be held close to the body. Birds will kick forward or to the side, but not backwards.

Small chicks can be cradled. Adults should be restrained by lowering the head to near ground level.

Llamas: Usually shy and easy to handle. Males have sharp curved canine teeth. Llamas can regurgitate and will spit when agitated. Using a towel over the head will prevent this. They can be difficult to physically restrain and using a chute can help.

Pot belly pigs: Are usually easy to handle. They should be lifted by the trunk, not the legs. Snout snares can also cause injuries. Most pigs like to be scratched on the back.

Reptiles can be injured if handled too roughly. Aggressive reptiles can scratch or bite the handler. Grasp small lizards with the thumb and forefinger at the shoulder and place the other three fingers around the body.

Large lizards should be restrained behind the head and at the hips. Using gloves will help prevent bites. Some lizards will “drop” their tail or use it like a whip. Use a towel to minimize the amount they can move their tail.

Turtles: Grasp the sides of the shell close to the back. For snapping turtles, grasp the tail and support the body under the shell near the back of the animal.

Birds: for small birds, grasp firmly around the neck and use a towel to control the body. For larger birds, use a towel over the head and then grasp behind the head. Then grasp the body to prevent the bird from flying forward. Hands and fingers should not encircle the chest, this will prevent the bird from breathing.