Bunny Harness: How To Keep Bunnies Safe?

The Need Of The Bunny Harness

If you have a rabbit as your pet you just can’t limit or force your bunny to stay in a cage. Rabbits need to play a lot and they require clean air, comfort and warm winds. If you are providing enough space to your rabbit you are definitely in need of bunny harness.

Usually a pet rabbit doesn’t do walks as a dog does. They enjoy running a lot in a safe area and that could be pointed out as their best exercise. If you can’t provide such area to your small pet you might be considering taking your rabbit outside to play. In such situations rabbit harness is very important and pet owners are highly advised to use it according to the requirement.

Even if you are not living in a city area, the outside environment is not always safe for small pets such as rabbits. A cute, innocent bunny cannot protect itself against its predators in any given chance.

Bunny harness is one of the safest ways to keep your bunny safe in outside environments. With the harness you can gain great control over your bunny and you don’t have to worry about your bunny getting away from you.

Advantages Of Bunny Harnesses

• Safety

When you take your rabbit outside and if you are not using a harness, there is a higher possibility that your rabbit would run away to dangerous places. If you use a harness, you will have the control of your bunny and it will prevent your bunny running into dangerous places.

• Exercise

Exercise is very important to a small rabbit and exercise will keep a rabbit healthy and happy. With a good harness you can guide your rabbit to fun and new exciting places.

• Provides mental stimulation

Most rabbits spend most of their lifetime in their owners’ gardens, backyards or cages. But if you can get him or her out for a walk with a leash and harness your small pet could explore the new environments.

• Stops hopping off

When you take your rabbit out, it could be an exciting experience to it and could be running away with very fast. A good and harness and leash will make certain that your rabbit can’t escape from you. This will secure your bunny from unexpected threats.

Harness On A Bunny, Is It Really Safe?

It’s safe if you are using a harness which is designed for bunny or other small pet. The ones which are designed for cats or dogs are not suitable at all as bunnies have a very fragile neck.

Follow these safety precautions to keep your bunny comfortable and injury free.

• Use a harness which is specifically designed for rabbits.

• Do not use a leash and collar combo because this could cause injuries to your rabbit.

• Make sure that the harness allows your small pet to breathe properly and does not restrict the movements.

• When you go out with your bunny don’t pull the rabbit leash hard, just let them lead you at their pace.

• Keep an eye on the surrounding to make sure that there are no predators or any hazards.

Choosing The Suitable Harness For Your Bunny

As a bunny owner you need to be aware of the different types of harnesses available in the market. Most bunny owners do not have a proper idea when they purchase one. The most common types are h style harness, mesh and shoulder version harnesses.

H Style Harness

Many pet owners use h style harness for their rabbits. When you lay this harness on a table, you can see the shape of H letter and that’s why it is called h style harness.

There are nylon straps which go over bunny’s belly and back with snaps. It normally has two buckles for rabbit’s neck and waist. This snap buckle can be adjusted according to the rabbit’s body.

This harness mainly applies pressure on waist area of the rabbit. This harness can be easily fit for rabbit but it is usually connected with strain.

Important: you need to connect the lead to the waist buckle and not to the one on neck. Connecting lead to the neck buckle can cause severe injuries and your pet won’t be able to breathe easily with the leash on.

Mesh Harness

This can be mentioned as the most popular harness and this harness is also known as vest harness. Mesh harness can be fitted around the body of the rabbit as a vest or jacket and it fits nicely. The materials used for mesh harness are very comfortable and breathable.

Mesh harnesses support easy movements and the main advantage of mesh harness is it covers a bigger area of bunny, so it provides great weight distribution.

Shoulder Harness

This harness is similar to h strap but the straps are different and they are in a T pattern. Straps are designed to go over the chest and the belly of the rabbit. This structure reduces the pressure on the neck and distributes it to the shoulders when leash is connected.

These kinds of harnesses are not available commercially and you need to place a custom order. It’s a good alternative for the bunny owners who don’t wish to have a mesh or H style harness.

Consider These When Purchasing A Bunny Harness

As a pet owner you would have a lot of selections of rabbit harness in the market. There are good quality ones and you need to have a proper idea to choose the best one for your pet.

• Durability

Durability is very important for rabbit harness. If your chosen one is not durable you will have to keep changing the harness so it’s very important that your harness is tough and long lasting.

Choose a good quality pet harness that fits well to your bunny even after you adjust it to rabbit’s size. Choosing the best harness will benefit you in many ways and it will make sure to get the value for your money.

• Size

Do not choose a smaller harness for your pet. Harness shouldn’t be very tight when you fit it to your bunny. A better harness will never restrict the motions and gives you full control over your animal to keep him out of the harm.

• Flexibility

The harness you buy should be adjustable and it should fit nicely and easily to your bunny. When your bunny moves around it is very important that the harness also stretches accordingly. It helps your bunny to gain some control and prevents your rabbit from unexpected hazards.

• Comfort

The harness you choose should give enough comfort to your bunny. If your pet shows any sign of discomfort that means it’s not comfortable for your pet. So make sure to purchase a harness which is made from high quality material and it will provide the best comfort for your bunny.

Usually a harness should not hurt to bunny’s body in any means. After wearing rabbit should feel the comfort and harness should not stress the rabbit. Try a harness with soft padding which fits around bunny’s neck and the belly.

• Protection

Make sure the harness is free from all sorts of danger and safe to wear for your bunny. Check all the connecting points and make certain that it is made from non toxic material.

• Ease of accessory

As rabbits don’t like to stay in one position, select the buckles which can be clipped and unclipped quickly so your rabbit won’t be frightened when putting on a harness.

• Harness with leash

Most of the harnesses are sold with a matching leash. When you are purchasing, check these qualities such as whether there is a stretchy leash or not, the length of the leash and where it connects to the harness. Many rabbit owners like to have an elastic leash as it gives freedom to pet and it doesn’t lay too much pressure on rabbit’s body.

Some prefer having other conventional leashes as they can have a good control over pet’s movements.

• Harness material (comfort harness)

The fabric which is used on harness should affect the bunny’s sensitive skin. Materials such as cotton and silk are mainly recommended and nylon and polyester mesh are also not bad as they are breathable.

Important Tips To Follow When Taking Your Pet With Harness

Some rabbit would not mind wearing a harness but some may not like it. As the pet owner you need to have patience and if your bunny is refusing the harness you should not force your pet to wear one.

• Earn your pet’ trust by spending a lot of time together and build up a closer bond.

• First let your bunny to sniff and play with the harness before putting on.

• Slowly try to put on the harness and when it is done let your bunny walk around without the leash. If the rabbit tries to shake the harness off, try again after some time.

• Once your rabbit accept the harness you can attach the leash to it. First follow your rabbit with the leash on.

• Continue the same practice for few times and when you and your pet are ready to take it to the next level take your bunny outside and your pet would gradually listen to your command.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Do I Measure My Rabbit For A Harness?

It is very important to measure your rabbit’s size to make sure the harness you purchase fits well and doesn’t slip off. You can use a tape measure to get the correct measurements.

When measuring, first measure your rabbit’s back. Measure it from the base of the pet’s neck to mid back. Then you can measure the waist of your rabbit. When you measure around the body do it from the behind of your bunny’s front legs. To conclude you can measure around the neck and shoulder. When you measure let the tape fit firmly but not too tight.

How Tight Should The Harness Be?

Choosing the suitable tightness can be very tricky because you don’t want the harness to be too loose as the bunny could escape from it. If the harness is too tight your pet won’t be able to breathe properly and won’t be able to walk around.

Place two fingers in between neck strap and waist strap. If it is too loose your bunny would escape easily and if it is too tight, the harness could harm your rabbit and this would be an unpleasant experience to your bunny.

Where Do I Find Bunny Harness?

You can easily purchase them in your nearest pet store and you also can get them in online stores such as Ebay, Amazon, Petsmart, Walmart or Petco.

Can Bunny Wear Collars?

Never use a neck collar on a rabbit with the leash attached. Unlike a dog or a cat, rabbit has a very fragile neck. When pulling a leash which is attached to the collar may apply enormous pressure on rabbit’s neck which could be very harmful. Always use a soft harness if you want to take your bunny for an outing.

Harnesses which are specifically designed for rabbits are the best but other harnesses which are designed for small animals would fulfill your requirement.

Can I Use A Small Dog Or Puppy Harness For A Large Rabbit?

When you do leash training indoors you can use a small dog or puppy harness. Usually it is not recommended because a dog leash can hurt the rabbit and build up muscle strain with rhythmic use.