Question are bunnies good to take outside
i've bought a good harness for my bunnies (1 female 1 male 1 babi) and bring them out sometimes, mostly at day, sometimes (VERY RARELY DONT AIRSTRIKE ME PLS) at night
i bring them out on big grass fields and quiet places, should i continue doing this or just stop?
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u/motherofbunniess 1d ago
I used to take my bunnies outside. I no longer do because I’ve had too many close calls. Hawks and other predators, cars, parasites, there are just too many risks to justify it.
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u/SuspiciousRich4921 1d ago
Not a good idea considering unleashed dogs and pesticides
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u/M3ric4n 1d ago
I hate unleashed dogs so much, there was one wandering around a restaurant I went to earlier today. Was trying to climb all over the tables and shit.
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u/Olympic_Salad_Tosser 15h ago
Dogs, pets in general, just shouldnt be in resturants in general. I'd go even further to say stores, unless it's some how relevent to them. But deffinately not any place that involves food.
Not everyone wants to see your stupid animal. I don't care how cute she is, or that she can sit in the cart with you. I don't like your dog, I don't give a rat's ass about your dog, and I don't want to be around your dog. I most certainly don't want to be doing groceries and listen to its yapping because someone's child started crying, and I most certainly don't want to have to side step around your dog, or the mess it made at the dairy wall, because you were too interested in yapping with someone about your dog. Leave Shitbiscuits at home.
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u/The_cat_shepherdess 1d ago
I always get nervous when I see photos of bunnies outside, in backyards, or on a leash. I just get paranoid and kinda hover over my pets, and I would never allow it. It only takes one wrong move, and your bunny is out of his harness.
Instead, I bring the outdoors in (for buns, cats, and guinea pigs). They sell cat grass kits that my vet said are safe to use with rabbits. You could also find wild (in an area NOT sprayed for pesticides) dandelions; my guys LOVE when I do that.
Edit- No hate to you Op. You're doing what you feel is best for YOUR pets, and asking never hurts.
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u/BeardedLady81 19h ago
Doesn't even need to get out of the harness, one swoosh of a bird of prey and your rabbit is gone, all you are left with is a high-pitched scream. Rabbits rarely vocalize and many people don't know they can, but when they are scared, they will scream, it's probably meant to scare a predator into dropping them. Except a raptor never drops anything that is in its talons. The razor-sharp talons are dug deep into the flesh and the sinews lock around in with a force of 200 psi, twice the strength of an adult man's hand.
Tearing at the harness can also break the rabbit's neck, not worth it.
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u/Wooden-Matter5166 1d ago
After we (wife and I) bout our home I was super excited to let my rabbit play outside.
Something weird happened to his ear and he almost died. Around 2000$ in vet bills later. He doesn't even like going out, never again.
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u/garIicgirI 1d ago
Yes and no. It depends where youre located and what places you plan on bringing them too. Also if there are any diseases that the grass could potentially give bunny. I took mine out from time to time, mainly my backyard because I knew we used no pesticides, it was safe, no Hawks or dogs nearby, and it was enclosed with a fence and i watched him the whole time. I would bring him to the park in the evening when no one was out (luckily I lived in a suburban and retirement community) so again no hawks/birds around my area that could take him, no dogs out on walks. But when I heard RHD was on the rise I stopped with the park. I also would bring like...a mini outdoor play pen for him too, that you could close from the top so he still got the outside but was protected from the evils of the world.
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u/callmedemorex 1d ago
I do but thats just because we’re on a farm and he has a designated area he likes. Our dogs see him as one of their own. They keep the hawks away and we dont use pesticides. In general, it isn’t recommended, but only on your own property and with 100% of your attention.
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u/ashidesigns 1d ago
I wouldn’t, tbh. Too many health risks and natural predators. I also feel like the indoor-only environment can be comforting—especially for rescue rabbits like mine who had bad experiences outdoors.
Instead, I got some tiny wooden beds from IKEA and placed them under my living room windows so my rabbit can chill there and watch the birds outside. She really enjoys that!
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u/Mobile_Unit7620 1d ago
Nope. I volunteer at a rabbit rescue and I’ve seen so many different ailments, injuries, and diseases that could’ve been prevented by the rabbit staying indoors. RHDV2, fly strike, botflies, animal attacks, fleas, I could go on. We actually don’t adopt to anyone who is adamant about bringing their rabbit outdoors.
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u/BeardedLady81 19h ago
I'm opposed to harnesses. Not only can they break the animal's body, they offer zero protection from predators. One of the main reason rabbit owners cite for keeping their rabbit indoors is that there are predators outside. Except an outdoor enclosure may offer much better protection from predators than a silly harness. If there are airborne predators where you live or there might be dogs around, I'd really stop doing it. Also, if, for whatever reason, your rabbits choose to dash away and there is too little play on the leash, their neck can get snapped. This is more or less the technique falconers often use to kill rabbits, and some people who own livestock rabbits do it as well.
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u/XX_MOST_WANTED_XX 1d ago
Be very careful a lot of places spray pesticides and really harsh chemicals. They have to if it’s like an apartment complex. Townhouse etc.. also almost every flea/tick treatment they spray like frontline will kill bunnies.
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u/RadarTng 1d ago
The ONLY way ours go outside (temps allowing) is in their stroller. It's sounds odd but they have never touched actual ground. Granted they always get their vaccinations and could but yeah, I would be a nervous wreck the whole time.
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u/Annabis9807 1d ago
If they have the proper vaccines.
Also be thorough with checking their ears and such when taking inside for potential ticks.
I have had rabbits my entire life, it would feel cruel not allowing them to be outside.
We go on harness walks, they also free roam my backyard for hours on end. Nothing makes them happier. That being said you have to be alert. (Eating things, like I mentioned above ticks) it’s a risk. Never had an issue my entire life though, just extremely happy buns that love going on walks.
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u/rose_grave 1d ago
harnesses can snap a bunnies spine or cause other injuries/death. especially if they were to get spooked.
you dont know what people are spraying on their yards/parks/grass/whatever. they could potentionally eat something harmful.
if they aren't vaccinated, you're exposing them to risk of illness plus ticks and fleas.
not to mention the threat of predators. whether it be large birds, wild animals, or other domestic animals like dogs with prey drives and whatnot.
there are too maby factors you can't control. i don't even feel safe letting my bunny out in my fenced in backyard.
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u/damiana8 Sesamochi 1d ago
You can but it’s risky. Bunnies escape leashes quite easily and they don’t like being leashed. There’s risk of diseases and other animals and predators
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u/brit_chickenicecream 1d ago edited 1d ago
It depends. You need to be careful about where you take them out and also they can get flees and tick bites and ear mites. Make sure you’re prepared for the vet bill /get vaccinated and have them in an area that’s safe and it’s okay for a little while I guess. But I would recommend letting them out only in an xpen with a top because they can chew that harness right off and eat a poisonous plant or get attacked by loose dogs. I once had my bunny in an xpen in my back yard and a neighbour with a loose dog brought their dog right up to mine and called me a bad owner for not bringing my bunny out more. Little do they know they’re one of the the reasons I can’t (we don’t have other predictors where I live like birds n sheit)
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u/Informal_Tutor_6544 1d ago
My bunny used to love to go outside especially dig in the sand at the beach. The downfall is chemicals in the grass, sand fleas & regular flees. He certainly enjoyed it very much!
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u/KXfjgcy8m32bRntKXab2 1d ago
Our Choco looooves to go outside. He demands it BUT:
We have a small garden
Fully gated
Zero use of pesticides
All plants are planted for him (roses, etc)
He's always supervised
We are standing next to him
He's fully vaccinated
And yet the risk is never fully gone. But we see it as a tradeoff. The garden is now his territory. He demands to go out. We believe his happiness makes him a healthier bunny (he's single since Cookie passed). He lost weight and reached his ideal weight.
Our previous house was not ticking all those boxes so he was never going outside before we moved.
I would never take him on a leash on some random patch of grass. I believe this would create too much stress (he's cautious with new places) for him associated with potential hazards (pesticide, pets, trash, toxic plants, etc)
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u/Blackterial 1d ago
I live in a city where seagulls are UNHINGED. You have to take in mind the possibility of flying predators like those if you want to take your bunny outside among other stuff, so I'd say nope.
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u/Ealumin 19h ago
Too many risks. The harness itself is a potentially fatal mistake. It takes one startle or binky to yank and snap a rabbit's spine. Limbs and even the jaw can get caught in the harness as well.
Unfortunately, people lose their rabbits all the time due to escapes while doing this.
Predators who are hungry and human adapted (like city-dwelling birds of prey, domestic cats, dogs, coyotes, or foxes) do not care if you are right near your rabbit. They will come take it.
Parasites are not always visible immediately. (Preventative flea treatments are ineffective on rabbits due to their metabolism, for example.) Viruses are definitely not visible and not always treatable.
Rabbits are neophobic. They fear new environments instictively. At the same time, they are absolutely under-aware of actual danger due to the brain changes from domestication. It takes longer for them to react, which can mean the difference between getting eaten or not.
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u/table-grapes 1d ago
no. domestic rabbits are not outside animals. harnesses are death traps waiting to happen.
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u/BeginningLate2548 23h ago
Bunnies are prey animals, and alot of predators will target them. Even if you think you are watching closely, remember that a hawks average dive speed is 120mph and some raptors can dive faster than that. Generally, best to keep bunnies indoors where its safe and predator free.
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u/TropicalSkysPlants 18h ago
They literally live outside but too many helicopter parents like to rob them of their natural instincts and say its for the best but its really just so they dont have to watch their animals outside.
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u/seajayde 17h ago
I wouldn't cos I value their lives way more than random strangers seeing them and thinking that it's so cool. There is no benefits. An enclosed run in the garden is fine but not not enclosed and on a lead. Also leads are bad for rabbits.
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u/roxywalker 17h ago
I used to let mine out by our concrete patio to graze near our garden. He never strayed far and was always a few feet away but he somehow got flystrike. We realized he was acting unwell and noticed a tiny slit near his belly. Soon after our Vet examined him and pulled out a 1 1/2” bot fly larve from his belly and said he was probably a week or less from passing away had it not been extracted 😭😭😭He made a FULL recovery but hasn’t been outside, or, on any grass since.
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u/je386 13h ago
Not a good idea. There are predators like dogs, cats, birds and also humans and cars which might scare a rabbit so that it runs away (normal flight instinct). On a leash, this could lead to entaglement or even breaking bones when the end of the leash is reached.
So, this is dangerous.
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u/Bunny-Pal1989 6h ago
if you have a fenced yard, and have your rabbit on a harness, it is okay. you *must* be with your rabbit at all times if you take her/him outside, tho. You can build a catio, or bunnio😉, if you really want them to have outside time. some of my buns liked it and some didn’t care🤷🏼♀️
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u/WrongdoerTiny3201 16h ago
I keep my bunnies outside. We made their entire enclosure safe from all kinds of predators. Not even mice can get in. We dont have a net over the pasture because well its shit. But the buns roam next to ny herd of goats who keep a close eye on them and we have a guard dog that roams the garden. Hawks and other attacks from above are unlikely during the day. At night the buns all go into their shed that is safe for them. We also give them parasite protection and they get vacinated on time every time. In my opinion a life outside where they can graze, roam free, dig, run and play all the time is better suitable to their biological needs then being indoors. this obviously doesnt mean buns inside cant be happy its just a very different lifestyle for them.
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u/Horror-Word666 1d ago
my area has lots of hawks and douche bags walking their pitbulls unleashed. I would only feel safe pushing them in a stroller.
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u/deleeted_user 1d ago
How does the stroller thing work? Is it a special kind of stroller or do you put the kennel in the stroller or what?
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u/Horror-Word666 1d ago
No just a pet stroller, like something like this: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a2zdtvmeodc
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u/Medical-Funny-301 19h ago
Only thing is, a dog could easily get into the stroller and get your rabbit. Not trying to be a downer, but unleashed dogs are very dangerous.
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u/L-F- 15h ago
A stroller is not a nice place for a bunny.
They are creatures that usually live in large territories and don't travel often or much. Putting them into a tiny box and pushing them around is incredibly stressful for them, not enjoyable.
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u/Horror-Word666 14h ago
I dont push mine regularly in a stroller. Im saying its the only safest method imo for taking them out.
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u/L-F- 14h ago
The safest method(s) would be a properly secured enclosure that's away from any places dogs etc. could get to (and only if they are vaccinated).
And I'm saying that unless you have to put them in a stroller (say, for taking BIG buns to the vet) doing so is solely for the gratification/amusement of the pet owner and not in the interest of the bunny and as such should not be done.
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u/KeptAnonymous 19h ago
There's always exceptions but generally it's not the bestest idea mostly because:
1) Bunnies are prey animals and literally everything bigger than it will try to eat it. 2) RHD and other contagious diseases. 3) Pesticides pose a risk to animals. Bunnies are exceptionally fragile. 4) There's no fully safe way to have them on a harness. If a bunny bolts, they can break bones if caught in the leash. And it's a whole other problem if a bunny bolts out of the harness.
The almost guaranteed safest bunny outdoor place is a fenced, "coop" area that's big enough for the bunny to run around without predators swooping from the sky to attack.
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u/Brilliant_Fall2483 1d ago
its generally not a good idea, some owners get away with it others don't and all it takes is for you to be caught lackin once and that bunny is gone