Do you think bell collars are bad for a bun?

[PixieMillyMommy]

[align=center]I wantto get my bun a cute little collar with a bell on it and attatch a nametag to it. Is this ok to do?
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[FlopsnWills]

No, it's not okay. I've heard horror stories of buns freaking out and breaking their own backs trying to get them off.

 

[kathryn303]

I saw these at the petstore and I was wonderingabout this too. I'm guessing that the bunny wouldn't like itvery much at all though, and I don't know if it's exactly neccesary.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea.Unless you want to get your bun used to it in the house and see how hedoes. Otherwise, I have to advise against it.

 

[m.e.]

I'm too much of aworrywart to leave a collar on a rabbit, and since I can't think of asingle reason why they would need to wear one, they don't

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Even if your rabbit seems ok with it on, neverput a collar on a rabbit unless you are with them ALL the time. It's soeasy for them to snag on something and rabbits are flight not fightanimals meaning they run away if feeling threatened. This also meansthat if a rabbit gets a collar snagged, they will not sit still andwait, they will try to run and this is when most break their necks.

Personally I'd never use one, even if I am with them all the time. It'stoo easy for them to struggle before you could come to their aid.

 

[PixieMillyMommy]

[align=center]Ithought they would look very cute with a collar on. They dont need it,I thought it was cute.
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[Raspberry82]

I have a collar on my bun, BUT- itdid take time for him to get used to it.In the beginning hewore it ocassionallyonlyindoors and only whilesupervised in a safe room.He started wearingitregularlyaround 16/18 monthsonce he'dbecomelaid back (he's used to being around abunchof different people/locations, settings). This is alsopartlybecause he and I move aroundpretty oftenand itkeeps things easier for me.. with taking him for his daily outside"romps/walks" via leash,putting his leash on and off almostevery day and not losingthem, getting him used to new indoorsurrounding via leash first, etc.

With the colllar -Itmade me feel morecomfortable that in the veryunlikely event that he gotoutside without his mom (me)or withouthisleash& got lost, that it would be obvious who hebelonged to (have my phone number on hislittlecollar).Max _hated_ theharness'sand only liked the ones connecting to his collar..go figure . Buti'm thinking abouttrying theharness againjustbecause itsmuch safer ingeneral.

I picked the most lightweight tiny/basic collar icould with the"break away/quick release" feature.. Hasplastic clip closurethat willunclip thecollarif it istugged, etc.. ibelieve it is made for kittens and he's never had any problemswhatsoever with it. The bell idea sounds reallynot so goodbecause yeah, i'm betting it'll drive 'em nutso. (it'd drive me nutsotoo, haha) especiallyconsidering they have such excellenthearing!

I think it really depends on your bunny/bunny's livingarea.. the higher they're wound up and skittish the more acollar could be dangerous. Max is a lotlike acatthese days (+ bunny cheeky tricksterish fun ) and alsomainly indoors in his own safe"room". (yeah, he's spoiled)

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Raspberry82 wrote:

I picked the most lightweight tiny/basic collar i could withthe"break away/quick release" feature.. Has plasticclip closurethat willunclip the collarifit istugged, etc..

Unfortunately even those are not good, the rabbits neck is more fragilethan the collars and the collars will most likely not break before theyseriously injure themselves. I'm against collars for any reason, evenharnesses I don't like unless supervised the whole time. I've heard waytoo many stories of serious injuries caused by them. There are otherways to identify your rabbit -- a tatoo in the ear or a microchip aremuch safer alternatives.

 

[Raspberry82]

I've been thinking about microchipping himactually. Does is require surgery to be impanted though? Or is it afairly minor ordeal for the bunny?

 

[Raspberry82]

 

[missyscove]

I often help out while we microchip dogs catsand rabbits at my shelter. The microchip is about the size ofa grain of rice. It is implanted under the skin, usually between theshoulder blades with a large, hollow needle. It looks scary,but it's over quickly. Sometimes, if they hit a vein, they'llbleed a bit, but not usually. It's not all that much worsethan an animal getting a vaccine.

My Timmy has one. Our shelter does them for the public for$25. His came with him when I adopted him. Thereare 2 different types of chips that are common. Ask yourlocal shelters what kind of chip their readers can read. Someread both, some don't.

The way it works is they scan the animal. A number comes upon the scanner. They call the microchip company the chip ismade by and ask them for your information and then call you.It is a permanent form of ID.

The only problem is, you don't know if the animal has a chip until youscan. Sometimes people will find an animal, and keep it foryears before they learn it has a chip- and a family.

I would definately reccomend that every dog and cat is chipped, bunstoo, but I feel like it's a little less likely that they will be caughtand brought in.

Our shelter scans every animal when it comes in and before it leaves or gets PTS, just to double check.

 

[naturestee]

When they implant a microchip, the just do itwith a large syringe. Also, keep recent pictures of him foruse in "lost pet" posters.

I agree with MBB, those break away collars are not meant for fragilerabbit bones. Cats have a much higher bone density.The collars my cats wore when they were babies are much too strong totrust on one of my rabbits.

 

[Raspberry82]

Good to know about themicrochips.Collar's going byebye. Safety for my baby faroutweights convenience when we're moving around. :/

 

[Fashy]

Toby wears a kitten collar when we travel. Butnot one with a bell on because that would probably annoy him .Rabbits go missing as well so I don’t think collars are a problem.

 

[Flashy]

I would never risk putting a collar on my buns having seen the mess they got themselves into with a harness.

Nibbles Mommy, it might look cute, but a rabbit can look cute by itselfwithout a collar. Putting something on it to make it look cute, butthat could potentially kill it is probably not the most sensible thing.Most rabbits don't look cute when they are dead :/

(not to be blunt or anything)

 

[mezeta]

I did have a collar for Jess and she was finewith it but I read another post with the dangers of them so I took itstraight off as Jess looks just as cute without the collar and Iwouldn't want to risk her health over it

 

[~Tracey~]

I would be worrying about the bun trying to getit off and getting his paw caught in it or even back leg, it's notworth the risk, even my cat when she wore one got it caught on a rosebush branch and nearly choked herself to death so i have never usedthem on my pets.

 

[bluebird]

No,rabbits do have fragile bones.or just put it on too take a picture.bluebird

 

[MicksMom]

I used to put a cat collar on the rabbit I hadbefore Shaker, but only when I let him out to play. When hewas in his cage, the collar was off. Shaker fussed at it whenI tried to do the same thing with him, so I don't.

I've been thinking about microchipping him actually. Does isrequire surgery to be impanted though? Or is it a fairly minor ordealfor the bunny?

Microchipping is no big deal. It's just like gettinga vaccincation. I had my previous rabbit chipped because Itook him "out & about" with me (shopping at pet supplie store,photo ops, etc).