A harness?

[Ang]

what do you all think of a harness? i got moreland one cannot get it on him and am hearing bad news about them.

[Beka27]

they can be dangerous if the rabbit gets spooked and tries to get out of it. what do you need a harness for, are you taking Moreland outside?

[ScooterandAnnette]

We’ve put them on our buns. They put up a bit of a fuss (but then again they do any time we want them to do something) but they love being able to hop around outside. On a leash of course. So I think for them the joy they get from streaking around outside outweighs the humiliation of being in a harness.
– Annette

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Same with Fern, if she is in her rabbit room she trys to chew the harness, but if she is outside she seems to forget all about it.

[Ang]

I would be taking him to work with me? is that a bad idea? i will have an x pen set up by my computer area suggestions?

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Aww that sounds so cute! Just make sure that he can not jump out of the pen, or chew anything bad. That sounds like a really cute Idea. I don’t see any problems with the idea.

[Rachel]

Hi evey one, Benny didn’t like the over the head type harnises either, but he loves his jacket one.Benny will quietly sit and let me put it on him. The Jacket one is made by the company abseton. the ‘straps’ are joined together bu velcro. One goes around the neck, the other around the belly. The Jacket can be used with eithe the dennim side up or the patterneed side up.

Quite possibly one could make their own jacket harnes along this stile

Some pics:

Benny’s jacket harnes denim side up.

Bennys jacket pattern side up

Acloser look at the lead link and stiching.

The jacket harness withe the straps joined

Benny with the jacket harness on.

 

 

[KatnipCrzy]

I have read mixed reviews on harnesses (sp?)- so I think it depends on your rabbit and your living situation.  If your rabbit handles the harness well and would enjoy the outdoor trip but you live in an apartment or condo or house that does not have a fenced in/enclosed yard, or your bunny could go to some events (like Cinnamon on Disapproving Rabbits)…then harnesses can be a positive thing.

I would most likely not ever take my bunnies anywere else outside, we certainly have no awesome events here in Michigan that house rabbits can attend.  Our yard is fenced in, but we live in a subdivision and am hesitant to take my bunnies out there because I worry about what the neighbors may have treated their yard with (we use nothing in the back yard where we let out dogs out…but I am sure at least 1 of our neighbors uses tons of chemicals on their lawn).  Wind and rain can transfer chemicals between yards.  So I have never felt it was worth the risk of taking them outside.  I would probably be more tense than the bunny the first time out there, because even with chain link fencing I would still use a harness or other type of containment (wire pen) in the fenced in area.

My second bunny I just adopted about 2 weeks ago…her supplies included a harness, but I have never bothered to try it on her, so I will probably never use it.  I am so afraid the bunnies will freak out, get loose, be poisoned, etc (even though I am RIGHT THERE) that I am too leary to try it.  Plus in Michigan- at least 4 months or so is not even pleasant bunny weather.

I think though that harness should have velcro and plastic clips so there is no possible way the velcro can come undone and you have a loose bunny.  And stretchy leashes are recommended so there is no leash drag or sudden stop in case of a panic.  I have seen some super cute videos on here of members with their bunnies enjoying time on leash, seeing snow for first time, etc…but I am still too much of a chicken to try it.

[Beka27]

for taking a bunny anywhere by car, you need a carrier. this is necessary for a car trip because if he got loose, it could be very dangerous.

if you’re allowed to have him at work, you can take him. there might be some territorial markings since it’s a new place, so if you can bring a hand vac with you…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I may be very lucky but all my buns I tried harnesses on didn’t even care they were on! And as you all have seen Kahlua can even wear a goofy chihuahua shirt and not care!!

I’ll ditto what most have said, you can use them but you need to be extremely careful and always suprvise!!

[bunnytowne]

I like those jacket harnesses the best.  I bought one but it was too small for 3lb Cotton believe that.  So I have to take him to size it on him.  But I have 2 soft little dog collars that fit him and a stretchy leash. He does well in it.  The other harness I liked but the leash was attached and wasn’t stretchy,.  So… For now.

OH yes I had made one for Laith once too.   It worked well he outgrew it and I made another one. It had that material with the little holes in it I dont’ know what it is called.  It was like the jackets at the store for buns.  I put velcro on it.  Was neat.  I can’t find them now though.

Ruby didn’t mind hers at all either.  Haven’t tried HB yet tho.  He probably won’t care.  The walls could fall in he wouldn’t notice.

[Erbear]

The trick is to put the harness on without a lead and let them get used to the idea of wearing it. Just have it sit on them and feed them some snacks. Do this for a supervised time a few days in a row or until they get used to wearing it. The cloth ones pictured above work best, they don’t pull on the neck if they get caught on anything. The figure 8 style can damage their necks, so an “H” style is the best.

As you’re with them don’t pull or correct them as you would a dog… you need to hold the lead directly above them and “be a tree” just stay above them and if they start running use a cue like “sit” as you tighten the lead and then when they ‘sit’ then you can release. Do it slowly so that they don’t get yanked. It is important to know how to stop them from running if they’re on the harness though, and a really handy trick for picking them up. Just say “sit” and they do it… unless they don’t feel like it. (we all know how that goes) Practice inside until you get the hang of it and then you move outside or to another area where it’s less controlled (like your office)

Most buns don’t like the harness at first but after a while they’re cool with it. It’s kind of like everything, if you’re panicking about it then so are they. You have to remember that you don’t walk a bunny, they walk you.

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