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Large rabbit harness?

kitty11

New Kit
Hi, I'm new to the site! Was just wondering if anyone knows of a good harness for a rabbit of about 4kg. Jojo is a French lop but I can't find a harness big enough to go around her middle! Any suggestions? Thanks:wave:
 
Welcome to the site.

I am afraid that you won't get many people on here that will agree with the use of a harness. How come bunster needs it?
 
Not something I'd use myself, but Viovet have several rabbit harnesses. Have you looked there?
 
What about a small dog harness? They seem to be a lot more comfortable as they don't go round the neck. Some buns are great on a lead, especially giant buns but all mine have got very stressed out on one.
 
I used a cat harness for my 3.5kg bunny, but I dont use it anymore because of the following...

Be aware though that you should not walk a bunny like a dog, if you walk them it must be within the house or a secure garden. If you meet a dog or a prey-driven cat it would be dangerous for both you and the rabbit, dogs have been known to push humans to the floor or even attack them in their excitement to get to a rabbit. Also if the rabbit gets scared by another animal, a noise, or seemingly for no reason, they may bolt, and when the lead pulls tight when they bolt they have been known to break their own backs or necks :( this can also happen if they struggle in the harness, their bones are so lightweight to make them fast to avoid predators that they also break so easily.

Rabbits are also prey animals and so are naturally very nervous of new surroundings, it is very stressful for them, even if they dont show it (they are designed not to show weakness).

Also, quite frankly, rabbits are rubbish on the lead! :lol: they dont follow you around like a dog, they just dont understand the concept! Again it is because they are prey.

If you want to give your rabbit some exercise outside, you could get a big run for her, so she can run about as she likes in it :)
 
I made the mistake of putting a harness on my bun when I was younger...

I used to take my bun, Rosie (who has since passed away) out a lot when I lived with my mum and a few times, she was hit by a ball due to some rowdy boys thinking it was funny. Other times, cats became too curious of her and passers by had to hold back their excitable dogs. Every time, I ended up having to carry her back and it was a wasted trip.

I personally wouldn't recommend them, although I have tried one with our French Lop (whose 4.6kg). This was only in my back garden though (which is very small), where there are no predators able to get in and no other people. It is also extremely quiet. It wasn't too great though and now, my garden is just bun proofed.
 
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i used to use them before our garden was a bit more secure.

our bun woozle had a run...and for extra interaction had his lead n harness and would go for a walk across to my mums most days....

then oscar..but he only had the harness in the garden...and his run the rest of the time.

however i had a hoooge frenchie doe a few years back...i got her a harness off the website shop thats part of ross rabbits.

i dont know if they still do them.

some buns do not like wide open garden..or being in a run...so running amok with them on a harness helps them get exercise without getting agorophobia.

lots of pros and cons to harnesses.....depends on bunny..situation.....environmental restrictions etc.

but beware,,dont take a bun anywhere that dogs have access to..like a green...grass verges....park.....etc etc
our bun woozle went the same route daily...a very short walk....but so many arrogant dog owners even let their dogs defecate on paths and pavements...which is what happened to woozle. he ran through dog diaorhea and had to have two baths and a rinse with the shower....and dried..within 48hrs he was dead....

oscar only went round the garden in his....he loved it..it was like having a little puppy..he got a real kick out of it..used to wear me out! he also went in the run we had which was too small....so we bought the big metal playpen panels one and he had a wife by this stage and theyd play n that....she hated the harness..never tried it again...he used to go see where his was..we had to hide it....he never forgot..odd bunny.

years ago in southsea..there was a news report of a gent who lived there who had a flemish giant called mr thumper. He took him out on a harness every day...would take him 2 hrs to do the 20min walk to corner shop.....he accompanied him to the pub too...where hed get some veggies and was very well known and sociable. In the afternoons he would take mr thumper for a run on southsea common on an extending lead...he would chase and play with dogs.....others ran away terrified of this strange creature.

not what id have done but it worked for him and mr thumper!
 
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I bought harnesses when I first got my two buns, and whilst the harnesses were useful during the dating/bonding process, I haven't used them since. I had the idea that it would be 'cute' to take them out, but the more I learned about rabbits, the more inapproriate I realised that idea was. My buns are now happy running around out on the terrace, and the harnesses have been put away. :)
 
:wave: Welcome to the forum :) This is a brilliant site http://www.rabb-it.se/eng/index.html

They are quite expensive but amazing quality, soft so don't hurt the bunnies and they make them to fit them. :) They are shoulder harnesses from Sweden and in my opinion are the best kind because they don't go around the rabbits neck.

Some buns hate harnesses but others don't mind them at all. I have one bun who is very happy in a harness and one who hates them so doesn't wear them. I don't recommend putting a harness onto a timid bun but if they're quite confident and comfortable around you then they might be ok. :)
 
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