Wearing a Harness for Walkies

[HoneyBunny]

Hi all,

I desperately want to take my bun outdoors for exercise and adventures. She’s a very inquisitive and energetic bun so I know she will benefit from walkies greatly! She’s 7 months old and is getting better at being handled but definitely does not like it. She loves lap and floor cuddles and petting though. She’s very loveable. However, she downright refuses to let me put on her harness. I’ve tried numerous times while she’s at her most comfortable and distracted (when she’s eating) to gently hoop the head piece over her head but she just won’t have it. About 2 weeks ago I did get the head piece over without a fuss but when I attempted to gently push the tummy strap under her tum she lost it and thumped off in a right huff. It took more than a handful of treats to get the harness back off without fuss. I’ve always left the harness around for her to sniff at and get used to but this doesn’t seem to make a difference so far….

I so desperately want to take her out, I know she’ll love it so if there’s some secret magic way of calmly getting a harness on without fuss please let me know. I don’t want to traumatise her but I do want her to enjoy the garden, countryside and local parks! 

Thank you,

Heulwen and Honey 

[Azerane]

The feeling of a harness wrapped around her will be feeling like a predator that has taken hold. It’s not a natural or safe feeling for a rabbit. My advice would be to get her used to the feeling of things touching her belly. Most rabbits don’t like it so you’ll need to work with her with treats etc to just gently pet her tummy etc. The other thing I did was when Bandit was just lounging around, I would drape the harness over his back. I didn’t try to do it up at all, I just draped it over him to help him get used to it. The problem is, that if you’re rabbit is terrified putting it on and getting used to it, she may not feel comfortable running around in it or may freak out easily while wearing it. Bandit took to the harness quite easily, but any rabbit that is too scared risks severe injury, so you may just be better off with her running around inside (much safer too!)

[Deleted User]

I heard that harnesses are dangerous for rabbits because they have delicate spines.

[tobyluv]

It’s usually recommended that rabbits should not be put in harnesses. If they get startled, which can be easy to do outside with unfamiliar sights and sounds, they can be injured in a harness. There are predators outside that can come out of nowhere. A rabbit is not safe from them even in a fenced in yard and even if you are near. There are also parasites that can be picked up outdoors, as well as plants that might be toxic if eaten. It’s a lot safer for a rabbit to stay indoors.

[BinkyBunny]

My very first bunny really seemed to love exploring outside on a harness, but after something startled him, and then one day, after many many successful adventures, I realized how dangerous the harness could become, I never did it again. He was not hurt, but could have been. When he got startled, he booked it and when the harness became taught, it freaked the heck out of him – he felt caught and started freaking out to shake free – doing flips and flailing like a maniac.  It was frightening. He could have seriously injured himself. We have also had members who have had experiences where something did startle their bunny and their bunny did get seriously hurt on the harness. I know many people have chill rabbits who can testify all is fine for them and their rabbit. I just know that for me personally, after what has happened first hand and what I have heard in the forum over the years, that I would not go that route.

I have taken my bunnies outside to a secured SMALL area that was enclosed by a fence or xpen. I then am right there next to them. I have had some bunnies love it and they take in the sights and sounds and others that just want to hide in the box that I put there for them. So each bunny is different.

[Mikey]

I personally think its about 50/50 that a rabbit will be ok in a harness. Our Mini Rex is my ESA so he had to be trained form early on how to be in a harness. Hes fine wearing it, and is fine on a leash. We havent had him outside on a leash yet (he usually stays in his carry crate with me, or in my lap/next to me on the seat), but he is trained inside on a leash. While in the harness, if he gets nervous or scared, he was trained to run to me instead of just freaking out so i can pick him up. Our other two rabbits were not trained to wear a harness so neither of them like wearing one and both get nervous on a leash. Needless to say, they arnt put in a harness any more

Ive seen a rabbit that got scared while being on a leash. My friend was babysitting a Giant Flemish and they were told hes great outside on a leash, but the first day they took him out in his harness and leash, he freaked out and screamed. Everyone in the general area came out of their homes to make sure everything was ok. He was cuddled, had the harness removed, and spent the rest of the day [inside] easily spooked

As others have mentioned, you can get a pen to put outside so they can play safely. Youll want to watch them though so make sure they cant move the pen around or get out from underneath it. Well be doing this soon for our two buns who arnt harness and leash trained

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