# Rat Harness



## Vamp176 (Nov 26, 2009)

Ok so what do you guys think of Rat Harnesses as in do they work... are they cruel. Or great to take your lil rattie for a walk. I personally dont know and i think it be cruel as i no my Rats would hate the fact of some material wrapped around them.,


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

I've never used one TBH & don't know anyone who has


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

I know some people do use them but i wouldn't. If your rat escapes, catching him/her is going to be difficult.


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

I personally don't use them. Its a lot more fun and easier to train your rats to come to you and stay with you.

If you spend a lot of time handling and playing with your rats they will see you as their leader and you shouldn't need a harness.


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

I dunno why you;d want to use one... to take them outside? Where anything could easiuly scare them so they escape? or indeed catch and kill them? If it;s for indoors, why not just rat proof an area and let them free roam? The one time I tried to use one, the rat in question escaped within seconds and under the neighbours fence (luckily we got her back) and since then I have never wanted to use one as it's much more fun playing with your rat without a harness 

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## mzdolittle (Nov 5, 2009)

I use harnesses on my rats. Not when they are in the house, but when they are outside. I've never had an escapee in all the years I have been using them. My rats are not easily scared or in danger of being caught or eaten. I take them to schools, daycares and nursing homes without a harness. But I also take them to parks. They enjoy being outside and playing in the sand and meeting new people. I use a combo leash/harness and it will actually fit anything from a hamster to a cat. I have several of them and I use the same on my ferrets and rabbit. My rats act as if they aren't even wearing it. They go about their business as usual...playing, exploring and making friends. Of course, my rats are well socialized and many of them are agility trained. They will perform their tricks with or without the harness provided they are in the mood. :biggrin:

Archie on the bench.









Archie taking a bath.









Norman at the park









*Alica*


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## Yahtzee (Jan 15, 2012)

What brand of combo leash and harness is Archie wearing? I've seen similar to that, but they were for iguanas...is it the same thing?


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

You may not get answer as this thread is over 2 years old


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

Yahtzee said:


> What brand of combo leash and harness is Archie wearing? I've seen similar to that, but they were for iguanas...is it the same thing?


You can get them here

To be honest, they're not really worth it. If it's for inside exercise then it's better to free range, and I wouldn't take any rodent outside if it's not in a secure carrier as there are so many things that could injure them, including other animals and people who don't like rodents. They're not exactly escape proof either as they're easily chewed.


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

There are also some different styes of harness here, but if you've got female rats or hamsters then the only ones that'll fit are the string ones as the other styles aren't adjustable enough for them.


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## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

I got a rat harness for one of my boys who is both blind and deaf. (bred irresponsibly by some 'have a go' breeders) I couldn't train him to come to me when called, so I couldn't easily free range him, and I think he was probably a little bored sitting on my desk/shoulder every day!
He hates the harness, and always manages to wiggle out of it within a few seconds. If it's too tight, the velcro just comes undone (there are a couple of clips as well as backup, but they cannot be adjusted and are way too big to prevent an escape), and if it's too loose then he escapes by squeezing through the harness like a tunnel. It's a very comfortable feeling harness but he just wasn't used to it at a young age, so I suppose that was it. If you're going to use a harness on your rats, I'd advise you to try and get them used to it when they're very small.


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

elmthesofties said:


> I got a rat harness for one of my boys who is both blind and deaf. (bred irresponsibly by some 'have a go' breeders) I couldn't train him to come to me when called, so I couldn't easily free range him, and I think he was probably a little bored sitting on my desk/shoulder every day!
> He hates the harness, and always manages to wiggle out of it within a few seconds. If it's too tight, the velcro just comes undone (there are a couple of clips as well as backup, but they cannot be adjusted and are way too big to prevent an escape), and if it's too loose then he escapes by squeezing through the harness like a tunnel. It's a very comfortable feeling harness but he just wasn't used to it at a young age, so I suppose that was it. If you're going to use a harness on your rats, I'd advise you to try and get them used to it when they're very small.


He's probably do well if he was free ranged in a play pen. You can make these fairly cheaply out of correx, and it would mean he was able to explore more then he could if he was on a lead, and he couldn't escape to anywhere where he could harm himself.


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