Harnesses

[Deleted User]

Does anyone take they’r bunny out on a harness?

 

I really want to be able to walk my bunny down to the massive garden i have conveyed with the block of flats i live in and would much rather let him walk down there at his own pace than having to be put in a box and carried down and getting confused and stressed. Sadly tho he’s a grumpy git my bunny and doesnt let me pick him up let alone get a harness on him.

 

Anyone had the same problem and overcome it? Or do any of you have any advice on harnesses ie the best and safest types to use or the easiest to get on a grumpy bunny who thinks he’s the boss???

[FuegaNetsah]

Well, over here the only bunny harness were made of this horrid looking material with netting. Not that the rabbits are fashion conscious, but I might be. I have used a cat harness on Oren, which he chewed straight through. Joy! I also have used a small dog harness which works ok and he doesn’t seem to get too bothered by it. I had to use the bunny blanket method to get his harness on him.

Donna

[CowieCow]

I actually got one of those horrid looking tye-dyed netted harnesses from petsmart or petco or some place like that. But I had the same problem with my bunny as Bear. She will not allow any touching of the feet or underside, and by no means will you attempt to pick her up, for if you do, you shall suffer the rath. I have got some serious scratches, she just flips. I know its not good for either one of us so I kind of stopped trying. If she doesn’t like it, I’m not gonna force her, you know. But I would love to walk her, but whatever, she was having none of that harness, she started biting and chewing and pulling, there was no way she was gonna focus on walking. So sorry I really have no suggestion for ya, just a story….

[Faye Perry]

I’m not sure if this is any help but my previous bun Missy, hated being picked up (as do all my buns) but i had the kind of harness for cats/small dogs, and she tolerated it.  These tend to do up ontop of the bun, so easier to get on, but have the facility to alter the size and therfore can be worked loose. It took a while of her getting used to it before I took her outside, but eventually she learnt that the semi-trauma of having it put on meant that she got to go outside in the fresh air in the garden and eat lots of yummy grass . 

HOWEVER, if she got spooked and pulled away from the lead, the harness sometimes came loose.  (not such a big problem in a garden where you can round them up)  In the end we made sure there were no gaps under the fence and let her out without the harness.

My current pair WILL NOT even entertain the idea of wearing a harness but for different reasons.  I couldn’t trust either in the above kind of harness so got one of those mesh things…. problem is they do up under the belly….Mable will claw you to death if you even try to fasten something up under her belly, i’ve only ever got as far as fastening the neck part before she bolts, running round the lounge like superman in his cape! I thought that it was just too stressful for her and kind of gave up….and Booboo, well got it fastened AND the lead on but we were just on our way outside when she decided she didn’t want it on anymore and promptly removed herself from it!!!!!!  We’ve moved house and no longer have the secure garden so until we either make it secure or they learn to tolerate them i’m afraid visits to the garden are out

[Gravehearted]

my bunnies declared harnesses the worst THING ever too. If he has a big attitude, he’s likely to really pitch a fit over it. Taking your bun outside does have some risks – including potential predators (cats, dogs, bird), fleas and such. I gave up on leashes and prefer using a little front pet pack. I bought the smallest doggie size.

Do you have an x-pen? it might work better to set up the pen over a small part of the garden and give him a few minutes of supervised play time.

[poopy]

Is the grass outside ok to eat? I want to take Pookers out but I don’t want him to get ticks or eat worms or something…or catch some disease that the wild rabbits have left behind.

[skunklionshow]

We tried to harness our pet therapy bunnies and they revolted/rebelled!!!!  They totally hated them. 

I’ve harnessed my cats before to take them outside on a sunny day and they tend to become paralyzed once harnessed.  My kitty Wolfgang actually got the harness of and headed for the real world.  (I live in Philly and our yard has a stone wall that leads to the next set of houses—those houses are about 8 feet higher than our yard).

When I was younger….we let our hutch bunnies roam freely in the fenced in yard.  We never had any problems w/ this and they really enjoyed the great outdoors during the spring and summer.  Some of my fondest memories are of Cottontail sleeping amongst the rose bushes.  We actually buried her under the rose bushes when she died.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your stories guys.

 

Im glad im not the only one with a bun who is having none of it with a harness lol… Teddy Bear will just have to stay indoors for now. Im in the UK and dont think they do those xpens here so.. im in talks with my dad to build our own makeshift run that i can sit in with him and play on a regular basis, i feel so mean not letting him feel the grass beneath his feet again like he probably once did. I think i may have to get him in a carry box to take down to the garden once my dad has built the pen for us, although he’l probably fight about that until he realises it means fun time in the garden lol! Fortunately the grass should be ok for him to eat, the only thing that comes in our garden is a few cats and birds. Theres no dogs. But sadly its an open gated garden and huge so i wouldnt be able to let him run free as i would lose him staright away hence why a pen or lead is necessary.

 

x

[Faye Perry]

I’m from the UK and got a pen from ‘Pets @ home’ its not the biggest thing in the world..there are 4 panels each 90cm long and about 80cm high… not the cheapest place to get them tho, you could try ebay….

we use 3 sides of our pen as a kind of ‘extension’ for which ever bunny has to be in (mine don’t love each other at the mo, well not enough to be out together unsupervised) so it means that when they are ‘in’ they are not so cooped up xxxx

[Deleted User]

I am a fan of harnesses … however, saying that I have never tried to use on …. Lily never went outside at all … she was scared to death being inside sometimes … hiding most of the day! So I did not even contemplate trying her outside.

My other bun Sprinkles is great outside and does not require a harness … she will sit with me outside and I have no problems with her running off. My backyard is fully fenced so no problems there (I live in Australia … we all have dividing fences from our neighbours). The front yard is open of course … she loves doing her own thing out there but never runs off and if she wanders a little I just call her back. Generally, she will sit or investigate only a few feet away from me. She is my own bunny garden gnome!

Dawn
xx

[Deleted User]

OMG… I cant believe your bun is so well trained…. Teddy is far too inquisitive to stay put and there are far too many places to venture and hide in my garden so i really couldnt take the risk… he’s already very interested in whats behind the front door to my flat now lol! I dunno… u give them an inch and they want a mile lol!

[Deleted User]

Hi Bear

Oh  what a cute name your bunny has … Teddy.  So sweet.  Sprinkles is generally pretty good outside and I have never had any problems with her, plus she enjoys being outside too which is good.  I can remember one time last year it was pouring with rain and there she was out in the garden just sitting there getting soaked.  Did not care less.

She follows me around everywhere and sometimes can be a pain as I have fallen over her so many times.  She will dart out from nowhere and often gives me a fright.

I think she is pretty well much one in a million … can I say that!  She is definitely my world and I adore her to bits

Dawn   ….    xx

[Author]

Messages