How to Hold a Rabbit

Want your rabbit to love you? Try holding it the right way. Depending on its size, you may need to adjust the way you pick up and hold your rabbit.

Steps

1. Approach the rabbit so that it sees you coming to pick it up. Pet it a bit on the nose or do other things the bunny likes to create a calm feeling.
2. There are a few different ways to properly pick up a rabbit, but be gentle whatever you do.

Method 1

1. Put your writing hand just under the rabbit’s arms so your fingers are well cushioned under its armpits, holding its chest.
2. Place your other hand to scoop up its bum
3. Scoop the rabbit up, lifting with your writing hand and supporting the rabbit by the bum.
4. Lift the rabbit to your chest. If inexperienced, hold the rabbit to your chest with one arm and support it by its bum with your arm.

Method 2

1. Put both hands around the rabbit’s midsection between its front and back paws, gently but securely.

Holding the Rabbit

1. Hold the rabbit so that it is secure in your arms and well supported.
2. Pet the rabbit on the head while you hold it so that it is soothed.
3. Putting the rabbit down/ back in its cage
4. Shift the rabbit’s weight back into your hands, ensuring that it is secure in your hands

Tips

• If it struggles gently put it down trying not to hurt its back because they are fragile
• Refer to the House Rabbit Society webpage for more tips on rabbit handling, behavior and care.
• If the rabbit starts biting or digging, it probably wants to be let down/put back in its cage.
• Practice! The better you get, the more the rabbit will trust you and not fuss when you pick it up.

How to Hold an Audition

Holding auditions is relatively simple but without preperation can often go wrong. It is often unimportant what type of audition you are holding, but sometimes there are subtle differences, and different equipment is required. This is universal for most types of auditions

Steps

1. Find a place large enough to hold the audition. If you are only expecting 20 or 30 people for an audition, even your garage may do. If you need a larger space, try renting out hotels or venues function rooms. These often are quite cheap to rent during the day, which is the most likely time to hold your auditions.
2. Get the equipment you require.
   • If you’re auditioning people to become members of a band, you may need to supply amps, leads, microphones etc. If you need a drummer for a band, you will most certainly need to have a drum kit available. Not many drummers will cart their expensive kits to an audition. Other instruments won’t be necessary as most people will only play their own instruments
   • If you’re auditioning an actor or singer for a musical, you may need microphones also, and a stereo or PA to play music through. But more importantly you may need someone to play out parts with them. This should not be too difficult to organise if you are in charge of hiring people!
3. Decide whether you are going to hold ‘open’ or ‘set’ auditions.
   • Open Auditions are where you have a start time for auditions and anyone can turn up. This is done on a first come first serve basis.
   • Set Auditions are where you do not list the time or location of your auditions on your advertisements. You just put a contact number up, and when people ring you, you give them more information and a specific time and date for their audition. Though this sounds more complicated, this is often easier and seems better organised. Also, you know how many people are going to show up before they arrive.
   • Posters should follow this guide:
     • AUDITIONS
     • What type(s) of performer is required
     • Age and sex requirements
     • Time and Date (optional)
     • Length of audition
     • Contact number, website and email
4. Make your advertisements. If you’re not artistic/confident enough to make your own get them professionally done. Posters put up in venues, music shops, colleges and schools, drama clubs etc. are often the most effective. But there’s no harm in placing advertisements in local papers. Another way to guarantee auditions is to ring Talent Agencies and Agents which can be found in your Yellow Pages. Only good performers are picked up by these businesses
5. Set an exact time limit on a persons performance and make sure they know this before they come
6. Create forms for when people arrive. Also get them to bring passport style, photos so when you’re debating which to accept afterwards you will remember every person. This form should have:
   • • Name
     • Phone Number
     • Address
     • Email Address
     • Age
     • Sex
7. Try to accept every person that rings for an audition, even if they can’t make in on your assigned day. Often the most talented are the busiest! So try to accommodate them in a separate/private audition.
8. Get together a panel of interviewers, and a few people to organise queues etc, if holding a large audition. The panel should always consist of at least two people, at least one man and one woman, unless you are running an all male or all female band. This looks more professional and one on one auditions can be disconcerting.
9. Get the organisers to make a few refreshments for the people auditioning, this shows you care!
10. Make sure the place where the people are auditioning is separate from the people waiting to interview, this helps calm nerves and will make it more fair
11. Always give constructive criticism if you have any but don’t be mean. Don’t give away your decision either and tell every person auditioning that you’ll get back to them.
12. Once the auditions are over, make your decisions and inform the person you’ve accepted first, then ring/email each person saying that you’re sorry but that you’ll keep their form in case another opening becomes available.

Tips

• Always be nice!
• Try to get singers to perform with a microphone to see if they are used to using the equipment etc.
• Dismiss people who are clearly wasting your time, but don’t be rude to people who, ‘aren’t what you’re looking for.’ You should let them finish.