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harness training?

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shadow05

Mama Doe
hi everyone,

i was just wondering if anybody could help with scooter because ive decided that i want to try and harness training him to make it a bit more easier on me and so that he can get the most out of it. But im having problems ive tried putting the harness on and i think ive gone the wrong way about it cause he just freaked out and seemed really distressed by it so i took it off straight away.

could some one tell me how i should go around doing this like if i should just leave the harness on the bedroom floor so he can become more use to its smell or something like that.

he did use to willing let me put it on for a sort time when he was little but i think hes forgotten about it.
 
or do u think i should just put it on him and keep it on even if he struggles and take it off when he calms down:?
 
If he won't let you, he doesn't like it.
It feels unnatural for a prey animal to have something confining them.

I'd just not bother tbh, not worth the stress on him trying to get him used to it if he already freaks out,
 
I've no idea what your bun's personality is like, but I know ben was a bit difficult when I was first getting him used to a harness. I suggest you buy a couple of spares as they can get chewed up a bit during training!

Not sure if this will work for you, but worked for me, and Ben's now happy in a harness or collar. He doesnt chew them so much!

I've got both h-shaped and figure 8 harnesses, but for starters I used a H harness. Taking bunny into my lap I woudl fasten the harness loosely round his neck, and then his tummy and give him a stroke and a treat to take his mind off it, and realise that wearing it brought something nice. Then I'd take it off.
I'd then give the bunny a few moments on my lap whilst I adjusted the harness to be a more snug fit (remember 2 fingers round neck!). The bun may freak out a bit having the tighter harness put back on. Ben would grunt and try to grab the harnes as I put it on him, but this can calm down in time. (Ben still grumbles when its put on, bbut then forgets about it once he's let loose). Give the rabbit a stroke, cuddle, treat and a well done, then put in a small but comfortable/common area to let them run about in. They might kick, complain, chew, fret etc, but try to distract them from it, toys treats, stroking, something to take their mind away from the fact thye have a harness on. Maybe take them in your arms (with the lead attached) to stand outside. (Ben liked that).

Not sure about you bun, but Ben began to settle down pretty quickly. But for him the reward of having his collar or harness put on, was being allowed into different rooms, taken for a run in the garden etc. Make wearing the harness something that brings a reward and the bun will realise its not sich a bad thing.
You could be a little mean, but keep bun confined to hutch (if big one) or smaller then normal space, when not wearing their harness, but when you put the harness on they can go other places/out of their hutch?

Still not got Ben to walk along or follow me on a lead. I have to go where he wants to go! But we're working on that.

Just my experiance for harness training.
 
i dont get why though he use to have it on when he was a little and if i could get him to wear it again then i could walk him around the garden instead of having to put the pen up which normally isnt a problem but its getting harder for me to carry outside now and i feel that if i have him harness trained it would be alot more benefical for him than me because hes getting stimulated more because his sorroundins would be different were as id hes in a pen it would be in the same place all the time.
 
i dont get why though he use to have it on when he was a little and if i could get him to wear it again then i could walk him around the garden instead of having to put the pen up which normally isnt a problem but its getting harder for me to carry outside now and i feel that if i have him harness trained it would be alot more benefical for him than me because hes getting stimulated more because his sorroundins would be different were as id hes in a pen it would be in the same place all the time.

Babies tend to be more placid. He doesn't remember the harness now.

If he freaks out and you keep doing it, he could break his back from the paniced attempts to get out of it.
 
I've no idea what your bun's personality is like, but I know ben was a bit difficult when I was first getting him used to a harness. I suggest you buy a couple of spares as they can get chewed up a bit during training!

Not sure if this will work for you, but worked for me, and Ben's now happy in a harness or collar. He doesnt chew them so much!

I've got both h-shaped and figure 8 harnesses, but for starters I used a H harness. Taking bunny into my lap I woudl fasten the harness loosely round his neck, and then his tummy and give him a stroke and a treat to take his mind off it, and realise that wearing it brought something nice. Then I'd take it off.
I'd then give the bunny a few moments on my lap whilst I adjusted the harness to be a more snug fit (remember 2 fingers round neck!). The bun may freak out a bit having the tighter harness put back on. Ben would grunt and try to grab the harnes as I put it on him, but this can calm down in time. (Ben still grumbles when its put on, bbut then forgets about it once he's let loose). Give the rabbit a stroke, cuddle, treat and a well done, then put in a small but comfortable/common area to let them run about in. They might kick, complain, chew, fret etc, but try to distract them from it, toys treats, stroking, something to take their mind away from the fact thye have a harness on. Maybe take them in your arms (with the lead attached) to stand outside. (Ben liked that).

Not sure about you bun, but Ben began to settle down pretty quickly. But for him the reward of having his collar or harness put on, was being allowed into different rooms, taken for a run in the garden etc. Make wearing the harness something that brings a reward and the bun will realise its not sich a bad thing.
You could be a little mean, but keep bun confined to hutch (if big one) or smaller then normal space, when not wearing their harness, but when you put the harness on they can go other places/out of their hutch?

Still not got Ben to walk along or follow me on a lead. I have to go where he wants to go! But we're working on that.

Just my experiance for harness training.

it might work but scooter is quite difficult hes very stubborn and doesnt like to be handled much but every so often i pick him up and put him on my lap even though he may not like it i keep doing it so that when i have to its not that much of a shock and hes gotten slighty better he doesnt struggle as bad anymore. he can be destructive as well so i probs will need to buy more than one harness.

would putting a collar on him first be better? i think he would accept that better but i could be wrong but im willing to give it a go.
 
Some rabbits just won't like harnesses, even if they didn't mind them before, so it would just stress them putting them on so best to just have him in his pen.
 
im not going to force it on him if say like in a couple of of days of trying it doesnt work well then ill give it up. i dont wanna force him to much but i think at least trying it properly and seeing if he will accept would be more benefical for him.

he seemed to really enjoy it when he was little because he rarely got out the cage then because i didnt know that they needed time outside there cage(obviously i know different now).
 
i think you should give up tbh


the only reason i use one on snowball is because he isn't bothered about it at all.

is there no way that you can put the run up outside and leave it there? you could chain it to the fence?

this is what i am planning to do when 2 foster bunnies arrive. if you chain it to the fence, no-one can steal it :)
 
i think you should give up tbh


the only reason i use one on snowball is because he isn't bothered about it at all.

is there no way that you can put the run up outside and leave it there? you could chain it to the fence?

this is what i am planning to do when 2 foster bunnies arrive. if you chain it to the fence, no-one can steal it :)

lol i would do but around my end they always dont seem to be able to leave anything alone in anyones garden. recently someone nicked a baby rabbit out of someones garden. thankful the owner managed to get it back but someone had taken it and left it out on someones garden all night. they foudn it next day hoping around and stuff they havent got a clue how it got there and how it didnt get out the garden but they very relieved they got it back it was only 5 weeks old.
 
i think if i put it on him very calmy left it loosely and gave him some of his favourite treats and made him sit on my lap he should be fine the last time i did it the harness was quite tight and i let him go straight away last time which was a big mistake. i should have held onto him until he calmed down and distracted him as best as i could and then given him the chance to walk around with it on.

i think trying him with a collar and getting him use to that would be a better idea. a friend of mine use to have a rabbit with a collar on it she also had a bell on it as well. i think she used a cat collar for hers. the rabbit never minded it and he was quite like scooter in personalty apart from he didnt mind getting picked up he just sort of tolerated it.
 
lol i would do but around my end they always dont seem to be able to leave anything alone in anyones garden. recently someone nicked a baby rabbit out of someones garden. thankful the owner managed to get it back but someone had taken it and left it out on someones garden all night. they foudn it next day hoping around and stuff they havent got a clue how it got there and how it didnt get out the garden but they very relieved they got it back it was only 5 weeks old.

:( that's awful. Hope the bun was ok.

Can't give any advice on the harness training I'm afraid, as I've never tried it with any of bunnies.
 
oh ive got another question do u know when i put it on him do u think i should keep in his pen so that he cant go to far and so that he feels more comfortable about it?
 
oh ive got another question do u know when i put it on him do u think i should keep in his pen so that he cant go to far and so that he feels more comfortable about it?

i think you should listen to the majority and stop trying to put a harness on when he doesn't like it. it isn't fair to scooter.
there are plenty of ways to get him exercise than trying to make him do something he doesn't want to do

i would never force snowball to get used to something he didn't like (unless for his own safety)

there are plenty of ways to exercise him, without trying to make him use the harness. it seems clear he doesn't like it, i wouldn't push the issue
 
it might work but scooter is quite difficult hes very stubborn and doesnt like to be handled much but every so often i pick him up and put him on my lap even though he may not like it i keep doing it so that when i have to its not that much of a shock and hes gotten slighty better he doesnt struggle as bad anymore. he can be destructive as well so i probs will need to buy more than one harness.

would putting a collar on him first be better? i think he would accept that better but i could be wrong but im willing to give it a go.

Ben wears fully elasticate kitten or cat collars I bought from several pet stores online. I've got about 10 of them! He chewed three, not completely through, but a fair bit. Only chews them when I have my eyes off him, such as hiding behind the sofa. A collar might work. As I said Ben grumbles a little, but knows he gets both a tasty treat AND to go further afield. Ben is similar in that he only likes to be stroked or picked up when he says so, but is getting better at being held for cuddles. Just freaks when in midair, but fine once nestled against me.
A fully elasticated collar is much better than a leather one, as the rabbit can get it off should they get stuck or not like it. Also make sure any collar used has a quick release catch. Sadly can't attached leads as any sharp tug releases the clasp. But might be something to start with.
Does Scooter freak out and roll abotu when you put the harness on him or just jump about/chew it/claw at it? Different reactions mean different possible results.
Every rabbit I've had, has worn a collar and harness, even the stubborn one, and eventually not minded (usually just a week or so of daily use was all it took), they're like puppies or kittens getting their first collar on, some really hate it, but they ned them for safety
 
i am listening to wat everyone is saying but if i dont at least try to do it properly then i would never know if he would accept it. the last time i tried him it was about 3 or 4 month ago and i did want to put a comment on here to find out but id forgotten and ive only just recently wondered about it again.

i would never force scooter to do it if i tried again and found out that it really wasnt for him. id just leave it after that and not try again. when i tried him last time he wasnt neautered so i think that he might just allow it if i get him to think that its a good thing and that he gets a lot of treats and praise and that good things happen.
 
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