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Harnesses?

Coggit

Young Bun
Hey,

I'm just wondering what everyone's opinions on harnesses are? I've found a lot of conflicting information out there. We bought Harry a harness yesterday and he doesn't mind it at all. He lets us put it on him and he'll happily wear it and he certainly isn't agitated by it. Harry is a house rabbit and as the garden is shared with other people in the flat we wouldn't feel happy letting him out unsupervised. We also have a lot of safe grassy areas around the building where we are able to take him with it on.

I took him out today in the little grassy area behind the building with it on (it's in the shade, away from the sun which he doesn't seem to like at all) and he was great. Hopping around like there is no tomorrow, eating grass.

I'm just wondering what everyone's opinions on harnesses are? Even if the rabbit doesn't mind them in the slightest?


Cheers :)
 
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I personally don't think they're safe enough, especially in an open area like a field or park. Sebastian freaked out in his once because he heard a bird and was almost out of the harness faster than I could blink despite it being as tight as recommended. They're also easy to get caught on things or wrapped around stuff and cats/dogs/foxes run much quicker than I can
 
I personally don't think they're safe enough, especially in an open area like a field or park. Sebastian freaked out in his once because he heard a bird and was almost out of the harness faster than I could blink despite it being as tight as recommended. They're also easy to get caught on things or wrapped around stuff and cats/dogs/foxes run much quicker than I can

Sorry, I should of made it more clear, the fields aren't like... proper fields. Perhaps fields is the wrong word, but I don't know another word for what it is - enclosed grassy areas, perhaps? (enclosed with fences/houses, not woods or anything) and they aren't huge, either. There certainly are no foxes or any danger to him! They're small enough so that people don't take dogs there or anything, in fact, the one he'd be going to is behind the flat and enclosed, so no one ever goes there - it's practically a garden to the building (I don't think I've actually seen anyone there in the 4 years I've lived here. It's sort of a pointless piece of land!).
 
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I use a harness with my bunny all the time and she has never got out of it. I have found that it was the safest way to let my bunny roam our garden without getting hurt :wave:

Before you take her outside with it just make sure you use it inside and that it isnt too big for your bunny as then your buny could slip out of it :wave:
 
I used a harness once on Mischa and once on Mini, both times they were fine indoors but once outside they managed to wriggle out within a few minutes.

The other issue is that rabbits tend to bolt if something scares them and if they do that while on a harness they could seriously injure themselves.
 
I used a harness once on Mischa and once on Mini, both times they were fine indoors but once outside they managed to wriggle out within a few minutes.

The other issue is that rabbits tend to bolt if something scares them and if they do that while on a harness they could seriously injure themselves.

The leash on the harness doesn't allow that. It's elastic, so if the rabbit runs away, the lead stretches to avoid harm!
 
The leash on the harness doesn't allow that. It's elastic, so if the rabbit runs away, the lead stretches to avoid harm!

They can only stretch so far though which is why you're supposed to follow bunny not the other way around.
 
Hey,

I'm just wondering what everyone's opinions on harnesses are? I've found a lot of conflicting information out there. We bought Harry a harness yesterday and he doesn't mind it at all. He lets us put it on him and he'll happily wear it and he certainly isn't agitated by it. Harry is a house rabbit and as the garden is shared with other people in the flat we wouldn't feel happy letting him out unsupervised. We also have a lot of safe grassy areas around the building where we are able to take him with it on.

I took him out today in the little grassy area behind the building with it on (it's in the shade, away from the sun which he doesn't seem to like at all) and he was great. Hopping around like there is no tomorrow, eating grass.

I'm just wondering what everyone's opinions on harnesses are? Even if the rabbit doesn't mind them in the slightest?


Cheers :)

I use a harness with my bunny all the time and she has never got out of it. I have found that it was the safest way to let my bunny roam our garden without getting hurt :wave:

Before you take her outside with it just make sure you use it inside and that it isnt too big for your bunny as then your buny could slip out of it :wave:

Where did you both get your harnesses from? Is it easy to put on your bunnies? I may need to get one soon, however my rabbit doesn't like being handled at all so trying to get a harness on him may be impossible unless they are easy to put on!
 
They can only stretch so far though which is why you're supposed to follow bunny not the other way around.


Yes, but because it's elastic they are able to run a fair distance before feeling any sort of pressure. Because they can run that far, you'd notice they were walking before anything happened, and if you didn't, well then you just aren't paying enough attention and that is a different issue.

Where did you both get your harnesses from? Is it easy to put on your bunnies? I may need to get one soon, however my rabbit doesn't like being handled at all so trying to get a harness on him may be impossible unless they are easy to put on!

I bought it from my local pet store, but I bought this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/WALK-VEST-E...F8&qid=1374838756&sr=8-5&keywords=cat+harness

There is a rabbit-specific version, but I bought the cat version as I didn't want him to feel trapped. Harry lets me put the harness on with no issues at all, although I imagine every single bunny will be different.
 
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