Walking a bunny Yes or No?

[Princess_Lynda]

I’ve seen people take their bunny out for walks. I know there are some precautions to put into consideration because they can get frightened easily from noises and possibly jerk too hard and break their spines. But I know people just bring their bunnies outside in their backyard with an Xpen or something, wouldn’t they be exposed to the same types of noises just playing outside in general? So i want to know some honest opinions about taking them out for walks.

[LongLiveLoyalBuns]

Lots of bunnies are anti-harness/ anti-leash i personally dont see a reason to walk you bunny. Maybe because you dont have a yard.. or cant let them run around in you house.. But if you cant let them run around in your house and or you dont have a yard then why do you have a bunny? One of the most important needs before you get a bunny is an exercise area.. I would say no on walking your bunny… There are also more dangers, wild dogs/cats, like you said them jerking and accidentally killing themselves, etc…

[Stickerbunny]

Being outside in an x-pen, if they spook from a noise they will run around – but they won’t be confined by a leash/harness, so the chance of breaking their spines is very low. A leg, maybe, if it gets caught on something (proper setup should not allow it though). Mainly, they would just be stressed.

On a leash, they spook and take off at top speed and the snap of the leash pulling them to a stop is much more likely to break something.

In an x-pen setup you can control what plants, animal matter, fertilizer etc they are around.

On a leash, they are more out in the open, you can’t clear the area first, etc.

In a x-pen you can predator proof the area with buried wire mesh, a cover, etc.

On a leash, a dog or cat or hawk can speed in and snap up the bun before you can react.

Some people do walk their rabbits. Just be aware of the risks when you do it. Even those who do agility etc with well trained rabbits that are socially used to being out and about have had rabbits die from a leash accident. There is no guarantee of safety, just safety measures you can take to reduce the risk. Whether it is worth it is up to you.

[Tessie]

I agree with the others.
I’m assuming you’re talking about putting your bunny on a harness because you say ‘walking’.

It’s not really recommended, there are lots of dangers outside, and harnesses can be really dangerous for bunnies.

Also, I used to do it when I was younger and I didn’t know any better, and it’s not fun. You can’t walk a bunny like a dog, they just hop over there and you follow and then they sit still for a while and you stand there. Then they hop off again and you follow…. it’s not very entertaining, honestly! haha

[KytKattin]

Tessie is completely right. I too did it when I was younger, and it was just like the worst idea ever. No one had any fun with it. A much more rewarding thing would be to train the rabbit to follow a stick (or other wand like object) in order to “walk” him or her. Obviously this would need to be done within the safety of a yard or other enclosed area. I personally like to set my girl up in an ex-pen and sit and watch her. She is able to engage in natural behaviors, such as digging, eating grass, and pushing the grass down, as well as binky freely. It is like watching a little nature documentary! Minus anything trying to eat her I guess… So maybe not a nature documentary. Something really relaxing though, but exciting because, well, binkying.

Just like indoor only vs indoor/outdoor cats, you will have some people against rabbits going outside at all, others who think pens are the way to go (that’s me!), and some who like to walk their rabbits in a harness. I don’t think there is one right answer, you just have to evaluate the risks vs the benefits and decide what is best for you and your rabbit(s). I remember when I was younger reading like the third edition (I think) of the House Rabbit Handbook, and one of the stories in it talks about walking rabbits on a leash in a strange location because they actually traveled with their rabbits! I think… It has been like 13 years. I have no idea if that is in the more recent editions, but it was actually what first convinced me to try walking my rabbit at the time in a harness!

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