Harness for wriggly rabbit

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This topic has 7sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 6 months ago by rustyrabbit.

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- 05/23/2018 at 4:42 AM
  rustyrabbit
  Participant
  5 posts
  I have a rescue rabbit, it was an escaped juvenile pet that ran into my garden. Its very affectionate but as its growing older it doesn’t like being picked up which I gather is normal. There’s not much grass where I am but I’m across from a golf course so I thought I could put it in a harness and let it graze there for short periods. I also need to take it with me when I drive to stay at my parents farm for a few weeks and as its such a potential escape artist (it can wriggle and bolt in a flash), would prefer if it were in a harness when I transfer it between its travel cage and portable outdoor cage. The only problem is it goes crazy if I try to put it in its mesh harness or attach a lead to the harness. Is there any way to harness a rabbit that goes a bit crazy, calmly and safely? She can be calm for periods on my lap if I’m holding and stroking her, but the harness is a bit fiddly and she loses patience and suddenly wants to bolt violently. I feed her bits of banana during the process to help with association, but am looking for more tips.
- 05/23/2018 at 5:56 AM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5813 posts
  If your rabbit is that unsettled, I would recommend not doing a harness at all and try setting up a more secure, closed area in the grass, like a large x pen or multiple linked together. Harnesses are dangerous because when rabbit bolt or suddenly change direction, they can actually break their spine and die in them. With such a jittery rabbit, that risk is very high.
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 05/23/2018 at 6:26 AM
  MountainBuns
  Participant
  513 posts
  Yeah I agree with Wick, but if your able to acclimate her and train her to use the harness, I think it might be fine. But the best thing is to use a X-pen.
- 05/23/2018 at 11:18 AM
  Taloan7
  Participant
  138 posts
  Not advice about the harness, but golf courses use a lot of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Even the parts that aren’t mowed are going to have a lot of contamination. I wouldn’t recommend letting your bunny graze there because it could make it sick or possibly kill it.
- 05/23/2018 at 3:23 PM
  MountainBuns
  Participant
  513 posts
  Yeah I agree with Taloan7 I wanted to mention that earlier, you have to make sure the golf course uses no chemicals
- 05/23/2018 at 6:27 PM
  rustyrabbit
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thanks for that advice, yes the greens do get a lot of chemical treatment. There are sections uphill of the course, quite high, that are grassy so that’s what she’s been getting as her green component, so it seems to be OK, but I wouldn’t put her on the course itself. I see what the green keepers do so I’m satisfied there’s no contamination.
  
  Posted By Taloan7 on 5/23/2018 11:18 AM
  
  Not advice about the harness, but golf courses use a lot of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Even the parts that aren’t mowed are going to have a lot of contamination. I wouldn’t recommend letting your bunny graze there because it could make it sick or possibly kill it.
- 05/24/2018 at 4:21 AM
  Daisy
  Participant
  199 posts
  Honestly, a bunny that will bolt in a flash and goes crazy when a harness is put on should not be wearing a harness. Bunnies can break bones (most importantly their back) when they freak out while inside a harness, they are very fragile. I would reserve harnesses for very laid back rabbits only (if one really wanted to use one). A pen sounds like a much better idea.
- 05/24/2018 at 6:02 AM
  rustyrabbit
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thanks everyone for your feedback. I’ll not use the harness as what I suspected seems to be that its not a suitable candidate. I suspect in the period it escaped before I adopted it that it may have been chased or attacked which makes it a bit skittish when held too long.
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