Taking my bunny out with me

[Latte&Coco]

Once I get my rabbit trained on a leash and harness (she is 5 months old) do you think I can bring her to the pet store with me or out the get coffee or lunch if I hold her in a blanket and leash and harness? Are they okay being out that long? Are they okay being held that long? 

[Mikey]

Rabbits often severely hurt or kill themselves from harness and leashes. Broken legs, neck snapping, dislocation, fractures, neck breaking, ect. See, when you harness train your rabbit, its to keep them in a closed in yard where the rabbit will lead you around. And even then, things can go severely wrong if your rabbit gets spooked. To go out to the store, you would want to hold your rabbit in your arms, harness or not, to ensure safety

Edit, I say this as someone with two harness trained rabbits. The risks outweigh the positives

[sarahthegemini]

Too many things can go wrong with putting a leash and harness on a rabbit (all ending badly for the bunny) and in my honest opinion rabbits aren’t suited for taking out on a lunch trip. They are prey animals, and will likely be terrified the entire time.

[Luna]

I agree with not using a harness/leash, as I have yet to hear any good experiences from its use. As for outdoor activities, there are plenty of fun things you and your bun can do where your bun feels safe: supervised walks around the yard (if its fenced in), lounging on the patio, digging (if you have a garden), or short walks around the quiet parts of your neighborhood if your bun is comfortable with it (not on a leash but I’ve seen pet strollers with mesh enclosures so your bun can just sit and tag along with you on your walk)

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[Paige]

I agree with the everyone above, unfortunately rabbits are not dogs
Also if you live in a populated area with lots of dogs, cats and raccoons there are lots of parasites and worms that rabbits can get through poop of those species and probably other animals as well
Worms and parasites are not super common but your bun can still be affected from eating grass off your lawn
So I don’t take my bun out or feed him things in my yard just in case
In the UK lots of rabbits are on leashes and have outdoor runs, so I wonder what parasites they have

[tobyluv]

I have heard too many horror stories about rabbits getting severely injured by a harness or the leash. I don’t think they are safe, and there are a lot of dangers outdoors. Most rabbits are homebodies and would not feel safe or comfortable out in public places with unfamiliar sights, smells and noises.

[Chelsea]

I think most rabbits would not be okay with this. It is clear to me that Silas would be terrified the whole time, and most likely his health would suffer as a result. That said, I do think there are occasional rare exceptions. I think our younger rabbit Jasper may be one of those since (at least so far) he really does not seem to mind traveling or being handled at all. I still can’t quite imagine taking him to get coffee or lunch or something. Unless he proves to be exceptionally unafraid of anything I would be way too worried about him suddenly bolting and getting hurt. The prey instinct to run as fast as possible in a zig-zag, unpredictable fashion is strong and makes leashes or being out of a carrier risky.

[Q8bunny]

I have successfully harnessed and taken my bun out on a leash since he was a baby. I do monitor him very closely though in terms of environment, situation, etc. He’s used to the park, the beach, the mall, the cinema, and even restaurants.

[BunnyFriends]

Chewie is a real explorer <3

Personally I would be too scared of the rabbit bolting and snapping its neck to do so. Only way my guys get out is an x pen in the yard when the weather is nice.

[Q8bunny]

And that’s totally reasonable Poor Chewie just got used to all this nonsense because we live on the 8th floor with a useless & sunless balcony. His harness, bungee type stretchy leash, and lightness have kept him safe so far *touch wood*. As soon as we move to a place with a grassy yard and garden, it’ll be an xpen in a netted gazebo for this intrepid little bun.

[vanessa]

There is a recent thread on this forum about a bunny who broke it’s leg while on a harness. While I do believe that there are a few (very few) successful stories, I wouldn’t choose it myself. Bunnies get spooked, they bolt, jump, twist, IF something goes wrong, it will go wrong very badly. It’s like the saying about motorcycle riders – there are those who have fallen, and those who have yet to fall. I’m a motorcycle rider… I choose to accept that risk. But I choose not to accept the risk for my bunny. I was definitely considering it at a time, but after some research, I decided not to.

[Author]

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