• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Advice on harness'

amiiegee

Young Bun
Good evening fellow bunny lovers [emoji178]

As a few of you know I own Luna a 6 month Netherland Dwarf:)

The flat I'm in doesn't have a garden that I could put a run in as its shared but I don't want her to miss out on outdoor fun!

I was wondering if anybody has experience with using a harness?

I've read that a full coverage one is better (I'll post a photo) than just straps to avoid injury if she was to make a sudden bolt.

I'm just a bit cautious as when she was 3 months she broke her front leg and I don't want anything like that to happen again! Especially since the vet said that leg will probably be a lot more at risk to injury in the future due to the nature of the break.
5af4e9d81aa85dacbe63d53c758a544b.jpg
05a3fc58fb02fe220e685419e8878d63.jpg


Also with her being a dwarf would I choose the smallest size?[emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have no experience in using a harness and tbh I would never use one. It depends to an extent I suppose where you are thinking of taking her, but in my view the "outside world" can be a very scary place for a rabbit. Unpreventable things can happen in an instant and a scared rabbit would be very unpredictable and injuries could easily occur. I have heard from others on here also that not many rabbits are actually very happy in a harness.

If I were you I would accept the fact that she has no garden and just make sure that she has plenty of exercise indoors.

Also take into consideration Luna's past injury which adds another dimension to this.
 
Last edited:
Many years ago my Sister and me had harnesses for our rabbits and they were both fine with them.

However, I used one on a rabbit we had later on and she spooked one day and got the lead wrapped around her leg. I had never heard a rabbit scream before then :(

I never used a harness and lead again.
 
I'd advise the same as everyone else so far. There's too much risk of injury to a rabbit in a harness and it's not worth finding out the hard way if your bunny would take to one. Would a collapsible run maybe be an option and then you could use it when you're able to supervise bunny outside but would also allow the run to be stored easily?
 
I'd advise the same as everyone else so far. There's too much risk of injury to a rabbit in a harness and it's not worth finding out the hard way if your bunny would take to one. Would a collapsible run maybe be an option and then you could use it when you're able to supervise bunny outside but would also allow the run to be stored easily?

Good idea! as the rabbit would be supervised then a puppy pen would be fine and they fold up very small.
 
A run would be a much better idea, as mentioned a collapsible one for easy transportation. Does your flat have a shared garden or was you planning on using the harness to just take her round the flat? As my flat doesn't have a garden but there is space around it which is supposed to be our outside space but I would never take the rabbits out as there's too much risk of dogs going past, cars etc which may spook them which I wouldn't want even I a run. Plus I don't trust its very clean as many people walk over it. I do feel bad they don't get outdoors but they will once I move somewhere with a garden :)
 
You will always get loads of conflicting advice about the use harnesses on here :wave:

Have a search through previous threads ... I have used a harness where necessary (for example it's a requirement if a rabbit is used as a 'therapy rabbit') and with the right rabbit it can be fine.

However, I would say that it's the exceptional rabbit that will be happy on a harness and who has a very vigilant and experienced owner. Try the harness many times indoors and see how your rabbit reacts, and take it from there :thumb:
 
Yeah it's a shared garden! I live on a very quiet and secluded patch of land with only about 5 other flats and grass surrounded with no near by roads etc.

I think I'll just let her continue having free roam of the flat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah it's a shared garden! I live on a very quiet and secluded patch of land with only about 5 other flats and grass surrounded with no near by roads etc.

I think I'll just let her continue having free roam of the flat!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:thumb: Best idea x
 
I'd get her a fold down run for the shared garden but the bottom flat which has doors onto the garden has about 3 young kids which are all really load and I wouldn't want them to maybe run out and scare her :eek: she's very shy and doesn't like new people at all [emoji85]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Id keep her with the run of indoors. Maybe try planting grass seeds in a big flat tray so she can experience grass indoors too?
 
H shaped harnesses are the best in my opinion. :) They don't go around the rabbits neck, it goes around their shoulders instead so they are much safer. I've had 5 rabbits out of my 10 who have been fine in harnesses and we've never had a problem. Some rabbits however would not tolerate it. Only you know your bunny though, hope you find a solution. :)
 
Personally I wouldn't use one. If bun has free range of your flat then she has enough exercise and you can enrich this area with toys for her :)
 
Yeah I don't think I'm going to get one! Especially considering her previous leg injury. She will be fine! She owns the flat more than me [emoji23][emoji23]. Also the idea of creating a grass tray was fab!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top