Taking rabbits out in public

[JetFalcon]

Just wondering has anyone tried taking their bunnies out in public? I started realizing you get tons of attention if you go to anywhere touristy. So now when I take my bunnies out, I have to ask myself if I want to swarmed and talking to people all day or not.

I taken them to the beach, you get to talk to alot of girls this way. I got a guy to comment, "you're going to talk to so many girls". Kids really like them, alot of kids remember me and the bunnies in my neighborhood since I take them to the park. People just get so amazed when they see a bunny out in public. Like in most outdoor shopping centers where people take their dog, my bunnies will get way more attention than most dogs.

I have yet to see another person take a bunny out in public in the 1 year I owned my bunnies. The closest was just a little girl taking her guinea pig to the park at the same time I took my bunnies to the park.

 

[Hermelin]

You get really much attention taking a bunny out.

I’ve done that with my buns, everyone stare and follows, even just walking one bun in harness and not leaving the yard. I will have people staring, start talking about bunnies and asking.

Even had a couple kids think my french lop bun was a dog, so I’ve had people coming up asking if my bunny really is a bunny.

So bunnies truly know how to attract attention from people.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We took our 20 pound Checkered Giant to Petsmart--nobody had ever seen such a big bunny before.

 

[FloppyHoppy]

There are too many diseases where I am to take my buns out on walks you are so lucky! Do the buns like it? Mine only ever get to go to the vet when they leave the house haha.

I would get annoyed if everyone approached me too - I do when people interrupt my mum to comment on her cute dog. It does deter me from wanting to go out with them.

 

[Hermelin]

There are too many diseases where I am to take my buns out on walks you are so lucky! Do the buns like it? Mine only ever get to go to the vet when they leave the house haha.

I would get annoyed if everyone approached me too - I do when people interrupt my mum to comment on her cute dog. It does deter me from wanting to go out with them.

My bunnies love it specially 2 out of 3, because they love the attention and when people pet them. But myself don’t like being around people that much [emoji23]

 

[thelaurelcrowned]

I take my English Lop out all of the time and he has an absolute bLAST. He loves all of the attention and loves his carrier [emoji23][emoji1319]. He’s a huge ham and SUPER confident in any environment...he’ll even try to jump up and check out a circular saw when my fiancé is using it [emoji849]

 

[A & B]

My male is super happy around people and just being out of the house, but his girlfriend isn't. I think I am going to get a bunny stroller for them because they do enjoy being outside. They went to Petsmart this weekend and they didn't appreciate all the barking dogs and chirping birds.

Beautiful bunnies!

 

[Preitler]

Was at the vet today, Herr Hase has sore spots on his feet due to running too much on asphalt. He sure was the attraction there, he didn't mind being petted and fed by small kids, or the cats and the dog in the room. Only thing he didn't like was being confined to a cardboard box, which he started to turn into flakes during the 30 minutes we had to wait.

Anyway, I don't take him out normally, diseases are one thing, and he isn't used to a harness. If we met a dog that has a hunting instinct and starts to move accordingly he would bolt. He doesn't mind dogs at all, but he does mind animals moving like predators.

Main thing is, I would feel like abusing him to get attention, he has no interest in it, dragging him around to amuse people - no, not me. If I ever get him used to the harness I would take strolls to the meadow with him, he sure would like it. The girls can go there without a leash, they are much more alert about their surroundings, and they don't go out alone.

About noisy tools, poor buck got a bloody toe once when he sneaked up on me (actually clambered over a pallet I put up to block the door of the shed) while I was working with the chainsaw...

 

[Blue eyes]

I prefer to use an enclosed stroller if I take them out in public. I feel it's safest for them. I've not been lucky enough to have a rabbit that I could trust to not dart off if something scared them.

 

[April LD]

I am scared of disease with my buns too. I would love to take my dog corrals to a park, set them up and let the buns run a bit, try to get them out there, used to noises, people other than myself and my kids, as I am trying to adopt some out (about 20) but I am SUPER picky about who. But I'm worried about disease, pesticides, etc. from the park, most of my buns do not like the halter (we call it the purple hug), we tried when they were younger and also as they got older - most don't care of it - wish they did.

I will fence off my front yard and people stop their cars and come check them out, neighborhood kids and adults come and pet them, any one walking/riding/driving by will stop. I live on a private lane but we get a good amount of traffic with the homes down in there. Or people biking/walking, we live near a botanical garden.
Some of my rabbits are more friendly than others. I let people know which are out and if they can "come in" to our space. Sometime I will just pick one up if they want to pet them, and the bunnies are cooperating LOL - a little easier since they can get spooked or sometimes they get under foot and I would hate for them to get stepped on and broken...

We just put up a fence in the back yard to keep them away from a rickety wood fence and trees/bushes they can't eat/munch on. They got their first run over this past weekend and they LOVE it! I am so excited....and they get to meet the ducks that like to come swim in the pool...little buggers (the ducks of course)!

We have taken some to the pet store, some on car rides (some of my buns like the car - others don't, so we bring those who are ok) with us sometimes for a trip to Starbucks, pet store, feed store, and they get lots of attention too. People are like "that's made my day", "SO CUTE!!" "Can I pet your bunny". "I used to have bunnies when I was a kid", and SOOO many other things...

But it's so much fun to see the faces of people when you bring a bunny some place. It's just not usual

 

[Liv's Hollands]

I bring my rabbits to the library where I volunteer for storytime and the bank. My rabbits have been to nursing homes and all sorts of events. I have a large airy purse that I put them in because carriers are so bulky

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

My first bun, Baby, adapted well to the harness and liked to go for walks, but it’s like other people said, you get mobbed with people. Everyone is curious. I’m not a people person so I stopped taking her for walks.

Now we live away from people, but we have Harvey and she hates the harness. I’ve thought about an enclosed stroller but she can get so frightened, particularly by planes and dogs. She has major freak outs about them, so I don’t stress her by now asking her out.

 

[bigdaddyyonko]

I have my bun in a enclosed breathable backpack carrier with a small solar fan that keeps her cool. I tend to go to the parks early in the morning before a ton of people and the HOT sun are out. I don't mind them, but i'm horrible with small talk and I tend to sway the conversation to my bun bun so I don't have to talk about myself. I love it when people want to know where I got my carrier and if my bun likes it. (She doesn't mind being in her carrier)

 

[Imbrium]

I've taken bunns out in a pet stroller before. The one I have, you can have them covered or uncovered depending on whether or not you want attention, lol. Even though it's CLEARLY not a baby stroller, no one has ever asked questions about what's in it in places like the grocery store. Until a semi-recent policy change to where pets are no longer allowed in Walmart (serious BOOO to that!), we used to occasionally grab one of our rabbits to take with us to Walmart. They'd just sit in the "child" part of the shopping cart and chill while we did our shopping... always very well behaved about it.

In the last couple weeks, we've been taking not one but *four* rabbits to various pet stores! They get a lot of attention, which they seem to like (Nala, especially) and pushing them around in a shopping cart (plus having them loose in the backseat with hubby's supervision) has been a great way to do bonding sessions for our quad in the making. Neutral territory, potential stressors, etc. We always encounter at least one leashed dog but it never seems to bother the bunns (granted, they live in a house with four cats and three of them spent time in a noisy animal shelter before finding their 'forever home' with us).

We get to show off our four awesome bunnies, make some peoples' day (both kids and grownups), disseminate some educational tidbits (like how everyone is spayed/neutered) and do a bonding session all at once. Fun times .

 

[Velveteen Lop]

Hahaha, yes! All the responses, from "Is that real?" to "I used to have a rabbit as a kid." That one I internally roll my eyes to, because, yes, back in the days when rabbits gave you pink eye, and they only ate lettuce. Iceberg, no least.

But people do love seeing my buns. I take them to the beach, or park, or local hardware store in our rabbit backpacks. Some of them love it, and some hate it. (Don't worry, we don't take the ones that hate it) I do bring my litters to our scripture class, and pass out the babies to hold. They've told me its very therapeutic, and its kind of funny as a teen to see grown adults 'fighting' over the bunnies, or 'stealing' them from their neighbor.

Some of my buns love the harness, and people will do a double take, then quietly whisper and walk by, lol! I have a back pack with a clear shell, so my buns can look out, and people have asked if the rabbit is real, or stuffed. I then wonder why they'd think I'd take a stuffed rabbit anywhere....

It is fun to see the reactions from people, and my buns love the attention! A win win over here.

 

[Niomi]

I have two rabbits that are leash trained. I don't take them outside because I am afraid of running into dogs. I do take rabbits to visit the elderly in assisted living. So many of the elderly had to leave their pets behind when they had to move, and they really appreciate the opportunity to hold a live pet.

 

[Mommy-of-Tenoch]

We take Tenoch my rabbit on vacation He has been to many places in Florida, Georgia and the Smokey Mountains twice. We have a carrier for him and a harness.

One hotel stated he was the first rabbit they had to check-in.

When we stop at rest areas or to let him out he is harnessed and the area is searched for dogs or other animals

He is not sure about the car for the first half hour or so. But we do not trust anyone to watch him and he is my son.

 

[Dominus]

Way too many dog owners. Especially 'pittbull' breeds. And while Pitts are some of the sweetest I've seen, I would hate to see one, or any large dog forget their size difference and accidentally hurt my mini rex trying to play. Plus unlike dogs, my idiot would constantly be grazing and nibbling on all that yummy pest spray applied grass they have down here.

 

[JetFalcon]

Way too many dog owners. Especially 'pittbull' breeds. And while Pitts are some of the sweetest I've seen, I would hate to see one, or any large dog forget their size difference and accidentally hurt my mini rex trying to play. Plus unlike dogs, my idiot would constantly be grazing and nibbling on all that yummy pest spray applied grass they have down here.

My friends pitbull type dog killed their bunny because the sister opened the door to grab a broom from the bunny room, and the dog went after it and killed it. I met the dog before and its a nice dog to humans.

And there is a neighbor who has a german shepard. He trained the dog very well and is very firm with it. Thinking it was trained, I showed the dog the bunny, and it reacted by trying to bite. Thankfully I was holding the bunny and pulled him away, but I will never do that again, even trained dogs may not be able to resist a bunny.

If I see a dog, I will pick up my bunny. And usually I try find a raised surface like a table, curb, bench if I wanna let them roam around.

 

[Imbrium]

But we do not trust anyone to watch him and he is my son.

I laughed out loud when I read this! Our beloved Layne (aka Lambers or "Son") passed away last January, but hubby and I always referred to him as our son - it's nice to know we're not the only weirdos whose kids all have tails! I still miss him so much, even though we're up to FOUR freaking bunnies now. He would've loved to meet the two newbie bunns .