By Emma Purnell, RVN Cert Nut.
Rabbits are clever and inquisitive creatures and need plenty of mental stimulation.
Without this the destructive behaviours that often become a problem can be more pronounced. Toys are a great way to keep them entertained and there are plenty to choose from! Regularly switching them can make sure things stay fresh and keep their interest.
Homemade toys
Homemade toys are often cheap and cheerful, but can provide hours of fun. A toilet roll tube can be any number of fun games! Simply stuffing it with hay gives them a challenge, adding in some dried forage of a few of their daily pellet ration can ensure they take an interest. It is often small and light enough for them to throw around, another thing they love. The tubes can also be cut down and mounted on a cardboard base to give different small containers to add small treats to – always ensure these sections of toilet roll are tall enough to provide a challenge but short enough that they can reach them otherwise they will become frustrated. Cardboard can also be used to make shelters (even castles!) to allow for hiding places, but always ensure there are two exits, being cornered can make them anxious. One of the simplest toys can be the use of a piece of string and some pegs to peg greens up along a line. This gives the rabbit the ability to work for the food rather than just picking it up and keeps their attention longer. Digging trays are a great idea and help to satisfy the natural urge to dig. Soil can be used if sourced from a clean, safe area – but children’s play sand can work just as well and avoids the risk of contamination.
The best form of homemade toy is also one of the easiest – scatter feeding of pellets. Scattering the pellets around their environment or through their hay can provide lots of entertainment as they search them out and it helps to keep them active.
If the budget for toys is a bit higher then there are even more options available. Cheaper toys can include wooden or willow balls, sometimes containing forage, which allow for activity through chasing as well as chewing behaviours. Some balls and similar contain bells which some rabbits seem to love but others can be frightened of so take care when first introducing them. Small wooden or plastic throw toys can be popular, and children’s stacking cups seem to be a favourite! Initially putting a pellet or two between the cups can help encourage them to start playing. Frames with several toys dangling from them can also help to keep them interested either through chewing or movement. Do make sure any gap or space in the toy is not big enough for them to fit their head through as this risks injury.
Puzzle games
Puzzle games can be purchased fairly cheaply and can be a great way to get their mind active. They often involve sliding, moving or lifting out tabs to find treats hidden underneath. Feed balls are similar, they have a single opening and need the rabbit to push or throw them around to get to the pellets inside. Material mats are also available which you can scatter their daily feed onto, giving them more of an opportunity to search for their food.
For higher budgets, there are a number of wooden shelters and play spaces that can be bought to give areas to hide as well as for them to jump on top of and explore. Increasing their space and the number of levels can give them more to explore and scatter feeding in these areas will encourage exercise. Always take care that they cannot slip and fall from anything high and risk injury.
As you can see, there are many things that we can do to make our rabbits lives more fun and, whatever your budget, enjoy watching them play – but always take care that treats and pellets are from their daily food allowance and that they are supervised with anything they could chew, removing toys that have been damaged.
Emma qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2008 and works for Nutravet (UK) Ltd. She has a BSc in Zoology with Animal Ecology and an MSc in Ecology, helping to fuel her interest in the most exotic species. She has a particular love of small furries and has a grade A distinction in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition (CertNut).
