Bunny leash

[Sabine]

My new baby bunny, Smokey, is coping surprizingly well with harness and leash which gives him an awful lot of freedom as he is the only bun that doesn't have a large run for exercise. (He has one but it is rather small) We took a good few trips through the garden together and he didn't seem too bothered by the restrictions of the harness.
I was wondering if one of those retractable god leads could be attached to the harness too as it would give him even more freedom to run around and not jerk if he decided to jump unexpectedly. Has anyone experience with those and are they suitable for rabbits?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I use a retractable when I take Sweets outside.
You do need to watch carefully as it can get wrapped around things like trees. It is best to not lock it as that causes it to drag and can warp around the rabbits legs and can be nasty if you unlock it quickly. Watch for things that can spook a rabbit. They can run fast and the leash can come out of your hands.

What you could also do is use a short leash (about 4 feet) and let him drag it around while you supervise. He would still get some freedom but you won't have to be holding the leash the whole time.

Is there any way you can just let him run around the garden? Is it securely fenced? If it is, you could put the harness on so he is a bit easier to catch, but he can run around as much as he wants.

 

[Sabine]

Unfortunately my garden is totally open and rather large. It is impossible to bunny proof it. I wouldn't dream of letting him go for even a second as there are loose dogs all over the place. I may keep practicind with him on the short leash for a bit longer before I get a retractable one. I'd just be terrified that they break into too much of a run and then the sudden stop with freak them out. At least with the short one he knows excactly how far it stretches.

 

[Jenson]

I would avoid a retractable lead to be honest, they can be dangerous even for large dogs! I have seen dogs literally flung through the air if they bolt towards something, and a neighbour of mine had his dog crack some vertibre in his neck because of the force of stopping suddenly. I dread to think of the possible injuries that could cause to a bunny. A safer option might be a running rope/chain if you'd like him to have more space, this isa horizontal rope or chain tied a few feet off the ground to two posts, you put the lead onto to the rope/chain so the bunny can move up and down it and have the full run of the garden and plenty of space to grazewhile still being on a safe, short lead that can't get tangled around anything. Obviously you will still need to supervise, but I did that for my Giant and she loved it!