Taking bunny to park

[Standard_Procedure]

Do you think it’s okay to take your bun to the park for some exploring time at 5.30-7am when everyone’s still asleep? My rabbit wakes up at 5.20am or slightly before that. Usually it’s around 7-8am, more often after 8am when people take their dogs out for a walk. My rabbit comes to me when asked to, and I could use a H-Type harness with lead+shock absorber as a precaution. Alternative to a lead I could use a 8-panel metal playpen that has a net at the top: 78″w x 70″d 30″h over 6ft x 6ft the access door is 12″ x 12″.

[Roberta]

My personal opinion is that any time you take them into an uncontrolled environment you are putting them at risk… You might have an Xpen but that won’t stop a determined large breed of dog from knocking it over to get to your rabbit… You cannot know what diseases or chemicals may be present on the grass and in the surrounds. Being on a harness is no protection if someones german shepherd decides your bunny will make a good snack and is happy to go through you to get to him. Add to this the stress of a strange environment as well. If he panics and bolts from the Xpen can you catch him before someones dog can… If he panics and thrashes in the harness can you restrain him before he breaks his back… This is just my opinion but if you have a yard and plenty of indoor space I can see no reason to put them at risk unless you are hoping to look good by having a bunny in the park.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

I would avoid parks I just think lots of dog pee, poop, fleas…and dogs! If you want to take her outside, your yard early morning before a lot of activity starts up is good. I like to take mine outside in my fenced in backyard. It’s pretty secluded but even then I wait until a good time when all seems quiet. Like during school hours. Avoid when kids are all walking home from school or playing in the neighborhood after school because they may see her and want to play. But they’re also noisy and they echo through the neighborhood. And rabbits just don’t care that strongly about strangers. Kids are so noisy. I also avoid garbage days because those trucks are LOUD. And even though it’s the back hard, they hear all the rustle and bustle of the neighborhood and can get scared. But a nice, quiet morning is good to set the xpen out there and sit in it with her or sit out and just watch her. Make sure your grass doesn’t get sprayed with pesticide. A lot of places spray. If you do decide to take your bunny outside please be aware they can get fleas too so always pay attention to your rabbit for signs they’ve contracted fleas or even ticks :/

[Standard_Procedure]

My back garden is fulled of slugs and all sorts of insects. I don’t feel like hunting for insects but the snails and slugs are all over the place. Then there’s a fox living nearby… I find the park actually cleaner. Dogs shouldn’t be a problem this early in the morning. I’ve lived over a year near this public park and have noticed nobody ever goes there before 7am. Around 7am it’s quite quiet unless there’s construction workers. Nobody ever walks their dog at this time, but bacteria in the grass is something I’m worried about.

I live in a shared house where the back garden connects to 4 other back gardens. Trying to keep it clean is very difficult. My housemate’s already tried getting rid of the slugs in the past and failed.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Ok then I’d think it best she stay indoors. Bunnies are nothing like dogs and won’t thoroughly enjoy a walk in the walk. It may be scary and we see members frequently with bunnies who have seriously injured themselves when going outside. Just not worth the risk IMHO.

[Elrohwen]

I wouldn’t do it. I don’t see an issue with a safe enclosed pen in a private yard, but a public park has a lot of people and animals moving through that could bring diseases.

I wouldn’t use a leash either – they really aren’t safe if the rabbit panics.

Do you know if your rabbit would even like being outside? Both of mine find it overwhelming and don’t enjoy it at all, so I don’t bother.

[Linette]

Even if you’ve never seen someone walking their dog at that time, there are stray dogs that could show up in a second and a dog seeing a rabbit…for some of them there is no human on earth that could stop them going for it.

Sadly I’ve had that happen in my own yard. While I was with my rabbits in a pen. Two of the neighbors dogs had gotten loose and there was NOTHING I could do, in my own yard, to protect by rabbit. It was horrible, simply horrible, and the owners response? It was just a rabbit, and dogs will be dogs….

[HECA]

I say if you want to take your bun to the park… Then take your bun to the park.  Yes, there are risks… But if you know those risks… And take precautions… Then take your bun to the park. 

All buns are different.  Mine enjoyed to explore outside, although some may not.  You’ll have to give it a try and see what happens. 

 Good luck to you. 

[BunnyLady1989]

Linette I am so sorry that something like that happend to you an your babies I truly cannot imagine seeing that.
I will take Lulu out when the weather is nice but only for a short time and in the front yard, where any of our neighbors dogs can’t see her. And she is always harnessed and leashed no more than two feet from me. I personally wouldn’t take any bunny to a park because of the chemicals used on the grass, aside from the obvious dog risk. That’s my opinion. Like Heca said also, if you want to and know the risks then it’s up to you. If they have never been outside though I probably wouldn’t try it.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Of course she’s going to take her bun to the park if she truly wants to in the end. We are just stating our opinions on the matter. But in the end the decision is hers

[Standard_Procedure]

It’s just my bun keeps staring at the window as if she wants to go outside. Seems a bit horrible of me to keep her indoors all the time.

[Roberta]

Mine love staring out the window, they have floating shelves up to the sill expressly for that purpose…. They do not however fancy the idea of going out there or outdoors coming in for that matter… A native rodent had the audacity to sit on the potting table outside the window one morning… You would have thought it was a pack of wild hyena’s trying to bust the window in the way my buns behaved …. When I went to investigate the thumping, grunting and scuffling they were all back up against the back wall staring at the open window and the tiny 4″ high cup eared kangaroo rat on the other side as if it was demon spawned (despite the fact that the native rodent was absolutely terrified as it had gotten on the table to eat daddy longleg spiders and couldn’t get itself down when these insane long eared things started setting up a ruckuss).

Nope, they just enjoy the view.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I would totally agree with Roberta. Mine did not enjoy outside (Rupert sort of did but not so much that I’d go to any risk to take him out, and now in his old age he would not enjoy it) however they LOVE looking outside. In my new house (Ok not new, we moved in two years ago) I put their pen in front of the patio doors in the basement and they are always laying in front of it looking out. I think they like the view, but they would not enjoy the outdoors.

I think it’s a romantic notion to take your rabbit outside, and the thought is they would enjoy the fresh air and feel the way we do when we get to be outdoors. But the outdoors is scary and risky and not worth it they are domesticated and much prefer a bed to a lawn.

[Deleted User]

My boy Henry adores looking outside ‘through a window’! ha ha ha ha…. We have 2 doggy doors and Henry has never ever tried to work out how to get outside even though he watches my dog’s go in and out 20x’s + a day….. and if I quickly duck outside to grab something and leave the door open, Henry sits on the ‘inside’ of the door frame. The outside world is toooo scary for him! We do put Henry outside in his outdoor hutch once a year while the house gets sprayed for pests and he hates it so much, he snubs us for days! I don’t feel bad at all – my dog’s only go outside to wee and poop (why the doggy door) and if I cleaned up after them the way we do Henry, I’m sure they would be happy to never see outside of my bed or house too! Lol…. I know our bun’s look adoringly outside, but it doesn’t mean they actually want to do it. Well my boy doesn’t! ha hah! A bit like me – I’d love to parasail! Would I actually do it? NO chance! LOL! Take care with your decision Standard_Procedure. No one is going crook at you, just that most of us ‘think’ the risk isn’t worth it….

PS – I had a toy poodle (not Molly who lived to be 15yo – a previous one, she died from the attack) and she was attacked by a large dog walking free in a park and it wasn’t just horrible as Linette ‘tried’ to describe with her experience – it was horrendous! I live with that memory most nights while trying to go to sleep. (Thinking of you Linette and your precious bunny – I am so sorry you had to experience that). I don’t even walk my dog’s anymore. Their exercise is running to the front door to see ‘who’s there’? and jumping onto the bed. Basically the same as Henry! LOL! Cheers Standard_Procedure.

[Sophie, Lola, and Bailey]

I’ve brought Bailey out in my own yard. She LOVED it! She was binkying the whole time! Personally, I would never take her to the park. The parks near my house are where the local high school students go to drink and get high at night. There’s broken glass and litter everywhere. Plus there are foxes and coyotes that live in my neighbourhood, in addition to the outdoor cats and the people who let their dogs run free. However, you are the best judge of your situation. You could also possibly take your bun to the park in a carrier just to see how she reacts to the new environment before making a final decision.

[~*LovelyAshley*~]

Do you think its bad for a bunny to eat fresh grass?….I took my bunny outside and she ate a pile of fresh grass then fell asleep. Its been awhile since shes been out because of the cold but she liked it.

[LongEaredLions]

Mine looking out the window, and they like when I open the window. But they hate going outside. In my option, the risks outweigh the benefits. But in the end, it is your decision, so do what you will.

[Roberta]

Grass is fine as long as it hasn’t been treated with pesticide or chemicals… Mine love it in Spring when I pick big handfuls for them, just be sure to rinse it well to remove any bugs, bug poo or pollutants.

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