Safe Rabbit Harness?

[Prizm]

Hi!

It's Spring and I'd like to take the bunny outside but I'm worried hewill wriggle out of the rabbit harnesses. The rabbit harnesses I seefor sale look similar to cat harnesses, which were ineffective on mycats who could simply dart backwards to escape. It looks like Dusty therabbit could escape in the same fashion, and would likely do so due tohis scardy bunny nature.

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice or knows of a safer harness,perhaps a sort of jacket with holes for the hind feet as well as thefront?



Thanks!

~Prizm

 

[cirrustwi]

I know Super Pet makes the kind that are kind oflike a jacket and have holes for the front feet and stop before thehind legs...I think Peter's/Marshall's might make these too, but theymight just be Marshall's for ferrets. This kind wouldprobably work well.

If you want something else, you should get one of the "H" shaped, notthe "figure 8" for cats. I know several companies make theseand if your bunny is larger, you can find them for cats or smalldogs. The "figure 8" kind can cause strangulation problems.

Jen

 

[Kricket]

I just started training my buns on theirharnesses. I've been putting them on in the house and walkingthem around the house. I've been doing that for a littlewhile every night. We haven't gone outside yet.I'll let you know. I haven't had them escape yet.Mine is the figure eight-looking harness.

 

[Prizm]

Cirrustwi, I think this is the jacket harness? If only it covered theanimal's behind as well, then there would be no chance of escape.Doesn't anyone make a harness like that? I know my cat could get out ofthis by jerking backwards--Just like a person can take off a T-Shirt.Footed PJ's are more difficult. Does anyone make a whole bodiedharness? I'd hate to think of Dusty running off, for I don't have afully fenced in yard.

Thanks for your input Kricket, but I've had cats escape the figure 8harnesses (as well as the H kind, which I'd actually create myselfusing rope.) Maybe the bone structure of a rabbit is different? Oryours are less spookable Mine runs like a scarred rabbitfor no apparent reason--even when I'm holding him! (Leaving mescratches to remember it by. Ah the love I receive from him. Maybe heis psycho? ) Thanks for offering your sucsess story so far though!

 

[dajeti2]

The main rule of thumb is this. When youput the harness on you have got to tighten it up. Tighten it until onlya finger slips between the harness and the rabbit. I use the H-Styleand now the Roman-Style. I take Apollo everywhere all the time and havenever had him even remotely slip out of one.

Tina

 

[cirrustwi]

That's the jacket harness by Super Pet.I really think that would work for you. No companies that Iknow of make a "full bodied" harness. I manage a pet store,so I'm usually up on what is out there and who makes what (it actuallya little scary sometimes how I can recommend things bymanufacturer LOL). I don't think a rabbit can getout of a harness like a cat would. I would start them on itin the house until they are used to it, plus you wouldn't have to worryabout them escaping in the house.

Jen

 

[Kricket]

Prizm wrote:

Cirrustwi, I think this is the jacket harness? If only it covered theanimal's behind as well, then there would be no chance of escape.Doesn't anyone make a harness like that? I know my cat could get out ofthis by jerking backwards--Just like a person can take off a T-Shirt.Footed PJ's are more difficult. Does anyone make a whole bodiedharness? I'd hate to think of Dusty running off, for I don't have afully fenced in yard.

Thanks for your input Kricket, but I've had cats escape the figure 8harnesses (as well as the H kind, which I'd actually create myselfusing rope.) Maybe the bone structure of a rabbit is different? Oryours are less spookable Mine runs like a scarred rabbitfor no apparent reason--even when I'm holding him! (Leaving mescratches to remember it by. Ah the love I receive from him. Maybe heis psycho? ) Thanks for offering your sucsess story so far though!

This woman I know that breeds says my bunnies are so calm. Ididn't realize that, UNTIL I was at PetCo and wanted to pet and love abunny for sale and he freaked out!! I feel so proud that thisbunny-lady said my buns are so well behaved. Maybe that iswhy they don't try to get out of the harness...? Thatshirt-looking harness is a bit more pricey than the cheap ($3.99)harness I got. I am saving for two of those shirt-harnesses($9.99). I'd LOVE to be able to walk them, but they are sopokey, I think they just like to sniff around in circles.Maybe when they mature we can all go for walks like a happy littlefamily

 

[Prizm]

Kricket:I know what you mean--The Petcorabbits don't seem very tame/handleable do they? You're lucky to have asnuggly one My Dusty won't bite me, but he grunts when I go to pickhim up, and often after pretending to be relaxed on my chest for longperiods of time, he suddenly springs away. I got him as an adult fromthe pound, so he is still learning to trust me--mainly learning thatbeing picked up is not a horrible thing. The funny thing is, he took tothe cat immediately. They cuddle and groom eachother, and he tries tojoin in the games when I play with the cat. As I tease the catwitha feather, Dusty hops over to be part of it, though hedoesn't quite "get it" he knows something interesting is happening.Heh, so I whirl a paper tube about and he chases, grunts, and chews itup/plays tug-o-war.

Dajeti2: Thanks for the tip! I'll keep that in mind when I strap him into a harness!

Cirrustwi: Awesome! You have inside knowlege! I work atT-Mobile and, I'm the same way when it comes to cell phones. If someoneis walking about with a T-Mobile phone, I can't resist naming it. "Oh!That's theNokia 6800!"Are there any bad brands for the jacketharnesses? Walmart might not have Superpet, which I'm going to stop bytomorrow for more timothy hay anyway.

 

[erin]

I wonder if my petco has them????? ramona is verysmall she is a dwarf hotot sport.....I wonder if I can get her a smallone????

 

[CorkysMom]

cirrustwi- what size would yourecommend for mini-lops? Is the lg gonna be sufficient? I'd like to getthe same jacket looking one for my 2, they aren't full grown, but wouldlike to start getting them used to it soon.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Do they generally take to the harnesses fairly easy? My sonthinks people around the neighborhood are gonna look at us like we'renuts if we're walking bunnies! LOL! He also thinks it'll be aSLOW walk...I gotta agree with that one!

 

[CorkysMom]

Bump

 

[cirrustwi]

PuterGeekGirl wrote:

cirrustwi- what size would you recommendfor mini-lops? Is the lg gonna be sufficient? I'd like to get the samejacket looking one for my 2, they aren't full grown, but would like tostart getting them used to it soon.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Do they generally take to the harnesses fairly easy? My sonthinks people around the neighborhood are gonna look at us like we'renuts if we're walking bunnies! LOL! He also thinks it'll be aSLOW walk...I gotta agree with that one!

I'm thinking the large would be fine. I have a mini lop, buthe is pretty big for the breed. We don't carry them at mystore, but I'll look in the catalog tomorrow and see what size would begood. You might need the smaller one to start depending onhow small they are, but I think that would be pretty hard for a bunnyto wiggle out of.

As for them taking to it, I would start them in the house to get themused to it. Then take them into the yard and so on.They won't walk like a dog, it's more like you follow them where theywant to go, but with some treats, you could probably coax themaround. I'm getting a flemish and I want him to go on aharness. My other bunnies will have a run at my new house.

Jen