Can you hold your rabbit lying on its back?

People often talk about "hypnotizing" their rabbit by laying it on its back. It's true that many rabbits do become still and dazed when they're laid on their backs, and this can be useful when grooming the rabbit or giving it an at-home physical exam, but it can also be dangerous and stressful for the rabbit.

Some people say that becoming hypnotized like this is a rabbit's defence mechanism to prey, so you shouldn't do it at all because it's actually frightening for the bunny.

Other people say that if you lay a rabbit on its back, the blood will flow towards the head, adding pressure to the top part of the body, and causing damage there (even breaking its spine).

Other people say there's nothing wrong with it and it's fun.

BUT: Some rabbits just don't hypnotize well and these rabbits should never be laid on their backs. With these rabbits, you'll lay them down, and then they'll become a little hypnotized but then they'll snap out of it and panic -- when the rabbit does this it can seriously injure itself.

If you do put your rabbit on its back, make sure to support the hind legs -- don't leave them loose in the air because rabbits have such strong hind legs, but such weak bones generally, that a rabbit kicking into thin air can actually break its own back.