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Walking my rabbits - Yes or No?

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I have 2 rabbits and I am considering training them to walk on a harness for exersise, I have a non-treated green across the road and I live in a cul-de-sac, should I do it and what are the precautions?

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I put my rabbit in a harness to take her out in the back yard because we have lots of cats in our neighbourhood, and to stop her going under the house. I did it from a young age with a baby bunny harness so she is fine with having the harness on. Like others have said, you follow the bunny round while it explores. If my bunny tries to go under the house I give a coupe of gentle tugs (not pulls, just enough for her to notice) and she has learned that this means she cannot go that way. Sometimes she won't listen to me so I turn her around or pick her up and take her to another area. You don't have to walk your bunny though, they get good exercise running round inside, but I figure most animals need fresh air and sunlight, right?
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No, Because if your walking up a dog or something could attack your bunny and that's the same with a cat and it could stand on some glass so i would say Nope.
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i tried it when i was a young teen-ager--it was sumer time--when we were through i put him in his cage - went back half an hour later and he was dead
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Rabbits need at least 5 hours exercise,grazing a day. walking them on a lead is not enough exercise and you will still have to put the rabbit out to graze. Lack of exercise can cause muscle wastage and digestive problems.

Animal faeces may be a problem and could be dangerous to your pet. They could also contain intestinal parasites

You can train your rabbit to a harness but i would give a word of caution on cats and dogs that may spook your rabbit or even attack it. Also get a harness that fits well as your rabbit will escape. Also make sure the harness is chew proof. Some rabbits like to eat through their harness while getting use to it. Some rabbits do not like being harnessed at all as it is like being snared and they will scream out.

Another caution is that rabbits in the UK and Europe pick up myxomatosis from grassy areas so make sure you have your rabbit vacinated in these areas.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Never seen that done in my life. I don't think rabbits need as much exercise. A rabbit would be happy just roaming around the gardens in the backyard.
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yes tis a good idea for excersize but your the one thts gunna be taken for a walk and just in case you lose the rabbit get it microchipped and keep the harness tight (you shld be able to fit 3 finger in between the neck and harness =]
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Do it if you want to look stupid. Rabbits don't need to be taken for a walk for goodness sake. They get all the exercise they need in the garden. I've never heard of such a thing.
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You can try walking them there's many leashes made for rabbits in the local pet stores. But walking a rabbit is different than walking a dog. When walking a rabbit it's more like the rabbit leads you and you follow your rabbit around. This is a safe way to explore the outdoors. Keep in mind some rabbits will be nervous if you follow them since they're prey animals, they just need to get used to it. So this could be something to try.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Training them to walk on leashes is a great idea.  Rabbits need a lot of exercise, and they love exploring. There's a lot of different leashes in stores for rabbits, I suggest the harness kind (one that isn't like a collar).  I walk my rabbit on a harness too.  But, one think about it is that the rabbit leads, and you have to follow.  It's very hard to get a curious rabbit to go where you want.

Precautions are keeping them off the cement, it can be too hot on their paws in the sun, and make sure that there's no fertilizer on your lawn or anywhere else you walk your lil bun.  Also, don't pull on the leash, and if your bun runs you better run too, otherwise it will keep running until the leash ends, and it might hurt itself.
Report (0) (0) |   earlier
Rabbits like walking outside. Be sure they are on a leash with a harness that goes around the shoulders not the neck. The leash is to keep the rabbit from getting spooked and running into the street or under a fence.

Some rabbits like to run obstacle courses! Search yahoo for rabbit hopping agility jumping or check out the yahoo group

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rabbi...

Have a good day!
Report (0) (0) | earlier
hi there!! it is so easy for the rabbits to get off the harness been there!! nasty! try and make a run for them they would love it more than stuck on a lead we made an 8ft x8ft run and they all love it! we have 14 rabbits
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I have a rabbit but i dont bring him out of the house, i think its to dangerous they are animals they could run and i would never risk it! my rabbit is litter trained so i let him run around the house usually 2 hours a day is all the excersise he needs. If your rabbits are not litter trained i suggest you train them. It is so easy, just watch for the corner they go pee in the most and put a litter box there. They will get so used to using it that you can let them hop around the house and not worry about messes anywhere
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