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Harness Training??

LionheadLuver

Warren Veteran
Hi
Milly and Molly are quite nervous rabbits and difficult to handle and get hold of, so I thought a harness would work wonders. The harness would be on only when they are taken outside their hutch, for example, in the run, or in their pet carrier. I think it'll help me to be less stressed about if I'm going to get them in their hutch tonight. Do you think this is a good idea? Is so, where can I find a rabbit harness and how do I train them to harness? Thanks.
 
I've found that a harness has only been any use for my really laid back bunny. I tried it on a nervous bunny years ago and he hated it.
 
If your rabbits are already very stressed and nervous being picked up then I doubt you will get a harness on without making it worse. I went and met my cousins rabbits while I was away and she uses a harness on them so they can have a play on the grass and they just sat on my lap without being held while I put the harnesses on, but they have been used to this since they were babies and obviously know their harness means playing on the grass :D I would get one on mine if I tried though.

I think a pet carrier might be a little less stressful for just moving them. I move Beau about in a big basket and just have to tell him to get in and then cover the top with a blanket, its much less stressfull for him than picking him up :D
 
Every morning, I have to pick them up from their hutch to change food, hay, water etc, and I put them into their pet carrier. This is ok. But when we went into the run today, I couldn't get Milly back for ages. It was very stressed for her. If she had a harness, and I just picked her up from the harness, she'll be caught quicker and less stressfully. The harness would be put on whilst they were in the pet carrier.
 
Ah, I see what you mean.

What about teaching her a phrase that means she has to go into the carrier? When I want Joey to go back to his cage I say 'go home' and he hops in. Takes a lot of consistent training though.
 
I say 'Come on' when I'm trying to catch her. Molly is patiently waiting in the pet carrier because she's easier to pick up, so she is done first. It worked well this morning because I just sat in the front of the hutch until Milly was ready to be picked up. She started to relax and I stroked her to calm her down, and when I picked her up, no struggles whatsoever. It was a different story in the run though. I need the control in the run.
 
Personally I would not use a harness on any Rabbit but certainly not on an already nervous one.

As Buns are by nature 'prey animals' they can go into fright and flight mode if very affraid and a panicking Rabbit on a harness could hurt themself very seriously.

I would persevere with using the Pet carrier and over time the Buns will begin to learn a routine of being moved from run to hutch. Routine is very important for building up a Buns trust

Janex :)
 
How old are the bunnies?
Rabbits shouldn't wear harnesses before they are at least 3 months since their skeleton is still soft before this.
I tend to give the more nervous rabbits a snack when I take on the harness, as soon as its there they don't even noticeit:lol: Certainly, I have experienced a few times rabbits refuse to move while wearing a harness. Two adult does I tried it on were just lying flat to the ground, refusing to bulge. :roll:
 
I can see it would be easier to catch her with a harness on her but you actually have to get the harness on in the first place which means holding her still and getting the harness on and through her front legs then doing it up underneath. I wouldnt leave a bunny just playing in a run with a harness on either, its so easy for them to hurt themselves and get tangled up so you would have to sit and watch them :D

This is what I move Beau around in

DSC02028.jpg


Its a laundry basket I got for a few pounds at B&Q and once he is in I just cover it with a towel or blanket and move him that way :D I dont even lift him into it. I taught him to jump in when I tell him so I just say in your basket and he jumps in then when I take the cover off he will jump out again. I taught him to get in and out of the basket in about an hour with a clicker and it was really easy. I just read your other thread and I think most bunnies would run away when your trying to corner them and catch them :D I know Beau would, its just so much easier using the basket. And I trained Buu to get in and out of her hutch or run when she is told, with the clicker again. I think it took a few hours for her to get the idea but now I just need to tell her its time to get back in and she is in :D
 
right. ok. How do I pick up Milly better? Today, I was crawling under the run roof, catching her, and holding her down till i got the pet carrier. She is confident enough to bite my boots though, she's just nervous of hands and being picked up. They are both 9 weeks old.
 
Every morning, I have to pick them up from their hutch to change food, hay, water etc, and I put them into their pet carrier. This is ok. But when we went into the run today, I couldn't get Milly back for ages. It was very stressed for her. If she had a harness, and I just picked her up from the harness, she'll be caught quicker and less stressfully. The harness would be put on whilst they were in the pet carrier.

Why do you have to take them out of the hutch for changing food and water? And you don't have to change the hay that often, if they use their litter tray. Just take out the litter tray and replace it. I have several litter trays and usually prepare one and put it in when I get the other one out. They also have litter trays in the run below. Mine don't want any hay outside their litter trays, but one of my foster bunnies likes a bed of hay. He has never used it as a toilet, so I only changed the bed about once a week, because of the fur that got mixed into the hay.
I would just work around them and get them used to it. And use the pet carrier to get them to their run. Do they allow you to give them noserubs? With nervous bunnies it often helps to stroke them for a while and then gently pick them up. My Sunnie always wiggled a lot when I tried to pick her up, until her former owner told me that she used to pick her up when she was facing her. And that really made a difference.
 
right. ok. How do I pick up Milly better? Today, I was crawling under the run roof, catching her, and holding her down till i got the pet carrier. She is confident enough to bite my boots though, she's just nervous of hands and being picked up. They are both 9 weeks old.

Sorry I thought you were talking about adult rabbits :oops: I assume you havent had them long as they are only 9 weeks old, they are probably a bit nervous and still settling in and will need time to learn to trust you :D When Scarlett was a baby I just lay on the floor with her and let her climb about on me until she got used to me. I didnt really start lifting her until she was comfortable sitting on me :D
 
I bought a harness for my rabbit who is not timid in anyway and is fine being picked up and handled. We wanted him to have some run around time in our big garden which is not bunny proof in any way becasue of hedged boundries and a neighbour who took down the fence :(

I introduced it slowly as recomended however, once I actually tried it out on him properly I used it 3 times then put it away. The reason being that he found it very stressful to put on (it can take a minute or two of considerable handling) and he of course wanted to go and investigate all sorts of poisonous plants and the harness is not designed for you leading your rabbit around - they lead you.

I really recomend you try something else. I carry the buns to their outdoor run in their carrier. They go into the carrier easily becuase its always in their room or run so they feel it is their place of safety. I just simply have to pop some pellets in and in they go (one rabbit at a time most of the time so you have to make 2 trips)
 
thanks. How do I give a noserub? I put them into the pet carrier cos I'm scared they'll jump out of the hutch while I'm working around them. And how do I stop Milly biting my boot? I gave her a tap and a sharp no. Is this the right way to go about it?
 
thanks. How do I give a noserub? I put them into the pet carrier cos I'm scared they'll jump out of the hutch while I'm working around them. And how do I stop Milly biting my boot? I gave her a tap and a sharp no. Is this the right way to go about it?

No you dont need to give her a tap I dont think you should tap any animal, just say no and move your boot away and she will get the idea soon enough :D When you say biting your boot do you mean she is just nibbling it? Could you not just sort out the hutch while they are in their run? :D
 
No you dont need to give her a tap I dont think you should tap any animal, just say no and move your boot away and she will get the idea soon enough :D When you say biting your boot do you mean she is just nibbling it? Could you not just sort out the hutch while they are in their run? :D

Nibbling, but if it was skin, it would blooming hurt. I could sort out the hutch whilst they are in the run but that defeats the object.
 
Nose rubs are easy, when your buns trusts you and wants to be stroked. With your finger or thumb stroke softly upwards. I usually rest my hand on sooty's head and stroke with the thumb. He'll then settle on the ground and poke his head forward as his way of saying groom me. I don't usually have the heart to pick him up when he does that :lol:

Building trust is one of the most important things if you want to pick up and handle your bunny. I didn't pick up my new rescue bun for 3 weeks because ofthis (she's very timid). I waited till she was happy to take food from me, put her paws on me and will run towards me when she sees me, rather than runs away. She still doesn't like being stroked much but because she's quite fluffy I feel the need for regular bottom checks.

When I started to pick her up this week I've done it when shes been distracted by something (like hay) and she is in a corner (her litter tray is boxed in). I haven't stroked her first becuase I know her instinct will still be to run. Instead I kneel, quickly scoop her up, right hand under belly, left under bottom. Bring to my chest, supporting well. She is very submissive when held so I hold her for a little then realease and praise and give pellets as reward. If your bun is a struggler then you'd probably only want to start by holding for a very short time & gradually increase it. Don't move around to begin with either. If your bun gets away from you the first time I generally wouldn't chase them around. Maybe try twice then come back another time. Chasing will make them fear you.
 
Nibbling, but if it was skin, it would blooming hurt. I could sort out the hutch whilst they are in the run but that defeats the object.

Not really sure how it defeats the object, im probably just being stupid I just thought rather than put them in the carrier while you sort the hutch, put them back and then have to get them back into the carrier to let them play in the run it would be easier to just sort the hutch while they are having their play time in the run when the hutch would be empty anyway :? Scarlett nibbles me and it doesnt hurt, my vet says its a sign of affection ;)
 
thanks. I'll try and put them into the run now cos I have to do lunchtime feed and stuff. Shall I sit in the run with them? I don't want them to be out there too long because they are not used to vegetables, so they may get a runny bottom from too much grass. Is this the case?
 
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