Leash question

[Nicoleondynomite]

I was going to put this on my already surged topic since it’s such a short and simple question, but due to the odd and unexpected conversational turn it was locked. Anyway I am going to get harnesses (harness not collar) for our bunnies. Are there specific bunny harnesses or do the cat/dog ones work??

[Monkeybun]

there are specific ones for bunnies, but I honestly would not suggest it. Most bunnies HATE them. And bunnies startle very easily usually, so taking themout on a leash would be a bad idea, as they can seriously injure themselves while on one.

[Sarita]

It is good to start a new topic for a new question in any event as you may get more responses :~)

I totally do not recommend using a harness or a leash – we recently had one member post about her bunny that got frightened while in a harness and she was in panic mode because she could not get the harness off her.

Rabbits, even Flemmies have very delicate bones and are very susceptible to having them broke so you don’t want to take any chances of injury.

[LoveChaCha]

I don’t recommend harnesses. Bunnies will go where they want, and not all will like being restrained by a harness.

[LBJ10]

It really depends on the rabbit. Some rabbits totally freak out and others don’t. Leopold has a harness and he could really care less that it is there. I wouldn’t use it to take him outside though, too many variables that are outside my control. What were you wanting to use the harness for? If you want your bunny to have outside time, an exercise pen would probably work better. Your rabbit would be free to hop about and you wouldn’t have to worry about a sudden freak out where the poor little bun is trying to fight the harness to get away.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

I wanted to do a leash too, but I read about one who was normally fine but startled and it broke its neck :'(
Was there a specific reason you wanted one? For outside time, if your yard is untreated you can set up a xpen, but even then you have to watch or cover it so birds don’t swoop in :/

[Elrohwen]

I’m on the side of not recommending a harness or leash. It’s just too easy for a rabbit to get seriously injured (or even die) if it freaks out while on a leash. If you really want to take them outside, setting up a safe pen area is the best bet.

[Beka27]

I also recommend alternatives to a leash/harness. If you are taking your rabbit outside to play, a pen is best. If you are taking your rabbit “out on the town” to the vet, a plastic carrier is the safest route. Inherent dangers of a harness aside (i.e broken bones, general “freak-out”), a leash/harness will not protect a rabbit from predators, whether outside or in a vet’s office.

[RabbitPam]

As you can see, it’s not popular to use a harness with bunnies. I agree, but I want to add that you may be making the decision to use one when it will prove to be unnecessary. Part of the fun of having bunnies is learning how smart and trainable they are. They are interested in bunny things – running, chewing, digging, exploring – but really can be trained as well. They will often learn behavior you want with positive reinforcement, like clicker training.
As a House Rabbit site, we encourage everyone to have an indoor life with their bunnies that keeps them involved and interacting daily. Contrary to the notion that they may be missing something by not being let outside, they actually become visibly happier when they feel completely safe. That describes the condition you create for them inside your home. So they can learn where their limits are inside (or will tell you, as my Samantha taught me that she will not set foot onto tiles, so some rooms are off limits by HER choice, much to my surprise). The risks to a bunny outdoors is first, pesticides used on lawn care, or blown over from a neighbor’s yard, and preditors. Birds can swoop down on a bunny in a yard, with our without a leash, in a flash. A covered run is often the solution for that, and in that case, a harness is still not necessary.
Your bunnies will learn their names, words and commands, and set up routines that they want you to follow, like supper time promptly each day!

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