Rabbits in collars

Your views?

My friend had a black rabbit and has real trouble catching her after it gets dark in her garden. We came up with the idea of her wearing a collar when she's out (but taking it off when she's in) so that they could see her and catch her. It's pink and has an elastic bit so if she does get caught it will stretch. She doesn't seem to mind wearing it.

What do you think?

TBH I wouldn't have my two loose in the garden after dark in the first place - way too scary!

I guess if the rabbit doesn't seem bothered by the collar maybe it's okay...

I personally wouldn't put a collar on a rabbit, not even a safety one. A rabbit is much more likely to panic if the collar does get caught. Theres also a risk of the bunny getting a back leg caught when scratching.

Can the bunny be tempted back in with food? I also wouldn't let a bunny free range in the dark... which I know is unavoidable for some people at this time of year!

Julie wore one of those safety collars with a bell on it for years. She is free ranges in the kitchen and loves to get under foot and trips us. We thought the collar was best for her own safety especially as she never minded wearing it. A little less than a year ago she decided that she didn't want to wear it. It was very easy for her remove it herself and she did when she decided she didn't want it on anymore. We have to be extra careful though as she sneaks up on us and trips us from time to time still. She can be sound asleep one second and I swear under foot the next.

She has a secure back yard with little risk of anything getting in so it's ideal for her bun. And by after dark I mean about half four in the afternoon! :lol:

I was wondering how high the risks were as I would think that with a loose elasticated collar it wouldn't be much. I've never had a rabbit wear one though. And never had trouble catching rabbits in the dark, mine have all been fairly light colours and come when their called. (Or rather when food is expected)

Licks is a little free spirit though.

Julie's collar wasn't elastic though. Could the elastic get twisted or caught on something and twist and tighten if she struggled? I am not sure how that one works. Julie's was a cat break away collar with a bell. It doesn't take much pulling on it at all for the snap part to come undone. So if she scratched with her foot or pulled on it it would come off......very safe. The bunny can easily remove if desired or if caught it pops off.

tbh, I dont like collars on rabbits when unsupervised (I dont even like harnesess on rabbits when unsupervised).
If caught, the rabbit could panic and is in risk of doing some real damage, especially as it is round the neck.
can she not use a torch to see the rabbit?

Sayrah82 said:

TBH I wouldn't have my two loose in the garden after dark in the first place -

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Definately this ^^^^

and collars on rabbits are unnecessary and a danger to their well being if they got it snagged whilst running.

BB Mommy said:

Definately this ^^^^

and collars on rabbits are unnecessary and a danger to their well being if they got it snagged whilst running.

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But couldn't you say that about say.. Dogs and cats too? The part about being a danger to them if they get snagged?
My rabbits don't wear collars, but then again neither do my dogs.

Prey species are far flightier and more unpredictable than predator species and can bolt/spook out of the blue, the risk is therefore much higher. They also have a much more fragile and lighter skeleton than a cat or dog which can therefore fracture much more easily.

I too would not advise a collar on a rabbit. Collar or harness.

However, my buns do go out in the dark for a run around the garden - we live in a very central city location with a 15t wall and 7ft fences around a small safe enclosed garden, no foxes for miles. The back garden is fully lit by a floodlight and the buns are supervised at all times. They LOVE being out after dark, it's natural for a bunny.
However, when staying on hols in the countryside near farmland I would never have them out free run beyond dusk - too risky. It really does depend on where you live and the associated risks.

Hate collars on rabbits and harnesses, I hate collars left on dogs and cats all the time aswell, a rabbit doesn't compare to a cat or dog as it is a prey animal.:wave:

I prefer harnesses for dogs when going for a walk - nothing on them round the house/garden. Cats should only have a safety collar (ie one that won't break it's neck or strangle it if caught) put on them when going out with their little address tag on it and preferably flourescent so cars can see them.

I put a collar with a bell on Bunski for a while so we knew where he was - he hated it so we took it off

VickiP said:

Hate collars on rabbits and harnesses, I hate collars left on dogs and cats all the time aswell, a rabbit doesn't compare to a cat or dog as it is a prey animal.:wave:

I prefer harnesses for dogs when going for a walk - nothing on them round the house/garden. Cats should only have a safety collar (ie one that won't break it's neck or strangle it if caught) put on them when going out with their little address tag on it and preferably flourescent so cars can see them.

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This (btw nice to see you Vicki! :wave I never understand why people leave collars on dogs all the time :lol:

My first bunny used to wear a harness to explore the garden but she was the most laid back rabbit I think I've ever met and it was always her walking me, not me walking her :lol: I'd never put a collar on a rabbit just because I would be worried about it getting tangled in branches. Oggie wouldn't like neither harness or collar on though.

I don't know why's necessary?? I don't like the idea of elastic as if bun were to pull on it too tightly, it could dig into its neck, or it could trap its foot in it or something and get in a tangle. And what if it goes foraging and gets caught on twig or something and gets into a panic? :shock:

Mine were always out in the dark because they'd free range when my parents got in from work. We had an 'intruder' light in the garden that we used when we needed to see them, and we also had some of those little solar power lights around the garden that helped. And a torch for emergencies!!!

No, I think collars on bunnies are a bad idea.

:wave:

:wave:Mine are out in the dark as that's the only time they get to free range during the week early morning & when I get in from work. Totally secure garden with hidey holes and hutch and run open, and supervision every 30 seconds!
I'm not clear on why the collar is needed - is it just to find the bunny? Surely not to have something to get hold it with? :shock:
Would it not be better/easier/safer to train the bunny to come when called?
My 2 are black and very hard to see but they are often tripping me up before I've seen them coming as they know their routines :lol:

MopsyMops =] said:

This (btw nice to see you Vicki! :wave I never understand why people leave collars on dogs all the time :lol:

My first bunny used to wear a harness to explore the garden but she was the most laid back rabbit I think I've ever met and it was always her walking me, not me walking her :lol: I'd never put a collar on a rabbit just because I would be worried about it getting tangled in branches. Oggie wouldn't like neither harness or collar on though.

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:wave: Awwww fanks

prettylupin said:

Prey species are far flightier and more unpredictable than predator species and can bolt/spook out of the blue, the risk is therefore much higher. They also have a much more fragile and lighter skeleton than a cat or dog which can therefore fracture much more easily.

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This...plus collars are designed for cats which are heavier, therefore the force needed to break them open if they get stuck on something is a cat-weight force and not an average bunny-weight.

I wouldn't have a bun out after dark either, it only takes a second for a fox to jump over a fence (and yes they can scale 6+ feet easily) and if the rabbit can't be caught easily at the best of times, what hope do you have if a fox suddenly appears. I know from painful past experience that you can't ever say "we don't have foxes round here" because the first time you know there's a new fox in the area is the last time you see your bunnies alive...

I would definitely recommend training the rabbit to come home when called. Regardless of the circumstances it's a good thing to do anyway, a rabbit being chased to be caught by its owner is a stressed rabbit, so it's far better to teach it to come. It's usually pretty easily done by getting it to associate coming home with food. I would make sure that a few pellets are only fed at a time so the bun learns that the rattle of the food tub=food. If there is a big bowlful always there it won't work. Rattle the food tub and then put the food into the bun's house while constantly rattling the tub (assuming the bun can go there itself) and wait for the bun to go home. Every time the bun is fed, whether it is out or not, the food tub should be rattled so that it gets to associate the sound with delicious treats. Shouldn't be long before bun will take itself home whenever you shake the tub

Good idea about the food.