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Toys and games

Revision as of 13:24, 19 August 2015 by Teefanief (talk | contribs) (→‎Digging toys)

Rabbit toys come in many varieties, and different rabbits prefer different types depending on their individual personalities. Many rabbits enjoy purchased toys, but they can also prefer simple things around the house like paper towel tubes or cardboard boxes. The lists below can help you find a nice surprise gift for your rabbit to celebrate a special occasion.

NOTE: When purchasing toys for your rabbit make sure they are safe! This is Monica stuck in her hidy house bought from 'Pets at Home' in the UK. She had to be extracted at the vets office. Picture © and used with direct permission from Camp Nibble.

Chewing toys

These toys also have the benefit of wearing down your rabbit's teeth. These toys can also be thrown. Chew toys should also be edible toys to prevent poisoning.

 
Rabbit playing on top of a Cottontail Cottage with ramp.
  • Toilet paper rolls with all the toilet paper and glue removed. You can also stuff the tube with hay, pellets, and vegetables to make it a puzzle feeder.
  • Cardboard boxes - You can combine multiple boxes with doors and holes cut out to make massive forts for endless fun. Remember to remove all tape, staples, and labels.
  • Paper bags filled with hay and treats.
  • Untreated willow and wicker objects - sticks, balls, rings, huts, tunnels, baskets, hampers, etc. Varnish and bleach are a concern because most rabbits will also eat willow.
  • Fresh or dried untreated lumber and branches.
     
    A French Lop rabbit munching on fresh apple tree branches.
    • Make sure to avoid sticks from cherry, peach, apricot, plum, redwood, and other single-seeded fruit trees which are all poisonous. Cedar is also dangerous due to its aromatic oils. However, the House Rabbit Society notes that toxic branches such peach and apricot branches are safe after a month or more of drying after cutting.[1]
    • Try to collect branches from plants that are not near road pollution and have not been treated with pesticides. You may wish to freeze branches before giving them to your rabbits to kill any bugs or wash them in the shower.
    • Safe options are the following: [2][3][4][5]
  • Alder (Alnus spp.)
  • Apple (Malus domestica)
  • Ash (Fraxinus spp.)
  • Aspen (Populus adenopoda, Populus grandidentata, Populus sieboldii, Populus tremula, Populus tremuloides)
  • Beech (Fagus spp.)
  • Berries (Rubus spp.)
  • Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum)
  • Black elder (Sambucus nigra)
  • Birch (Betula spp.)
    • European white birch (Betula pendula)
  • Common oak (Qercus robur)
  • European larch (Larix decidua)
  • Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa, Ribes grossularia)
  • Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
  • Hazel (Corylus spp.)
  • Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
  • Little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata)
  • Lemon (Citrus × limon)
  • Maple (Acer spp.)
  • Orange (Citrus × ​sinensis)
  • Pear (Pyrus spp.)
  • Pine (Pinus)
  • Poplar (Populus spp.)
    • Black poplar (Populus nigra)
  • Redcurrant (Ribes rubrum)
  • Rose (Rosa)
  • Rowan (Sorbus spp.)
  • Spruce (Picea spp.)
    • Norway spruce (Picea abies)
  • White buckeye (Aesculus hippocastanum)
  • White locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
  • White mulberry (Morus alba)
  • Willow (Salix spp.)
    • Goat willow / Pussy willow (Salix caprea)
    • White willow (Salix alba)

Here are some links with information about the rabbit behavior of chewing:

Digging toys

Female rabbits tend to love digging as they are usually the ones to do the tunneling for burrows in the wild.[6] Digging also wears out a bunny's nails.

 
Rabbit digging on a seagrass mat.

Hoppy Trails Picnic Mat from [http://www.napoleonbunnyparte.com/ Napoleon Bunnyparte

  • Carpet scraps - Be careful if you already have carpet in your place. This may end up backfiring as your rabbits may not be able to understand that only certain locations of carpet are appropriate to dig in.
  • Grass objects - mats and beds
  • Straw mats.
  • Sisal mats.
  • Jeans, towels, or blankets held under a heavy object to prevent motion when digging.
  • Cardboard boxes - You can combine multiple boxes with doors and holes cut out to make massive forts for endless fun. Remember to remove all tape, staples, and labels.
  • Paper bag, plastic hamper or tub, litter box, or cardboard box filled with hay, soil, litter, or ripped newspaper.
  • Phone books with the plastic outer cover removed.
  • Bobby's Bunny Boutique, Carrot Play Patch
  • Napoleon Bunnyparte, Hoppy Trails Picnic Mat
  • BunnyRabbitToys

Below are resources to DIY instructions for digging toys.

Some links to read for more information on the digging behavior of bunnies have been listed below.

Throwing toys

 
A black lionhead rabbit with some baby stack-up cups on her back.
File:NapoleonToy.gif
Yucca Wood Medley Toy from [http://www.napoleonbunnyparte.com/ Napoleon Bunnyparte

Some rabbits like throwing and tossing objects with their mouths. Others like the noise that they can make. Many of the chewing toys listed above can also be thrown if they are a small enough size.

Climbing toys

 
A white lionhead rabbit on the top level of an Armarkat cat tree.

Some rabbits like hopping on top of objects to get a higher point of view of their territory.

Burrowing toys

 
Rabbit sleeping in a cat condo.

Rabbits are natural burrowers that dig to create underground warrens. You can also stuff paper into these tunnels to make them for fun for a rabbit to dig out.

Puzzles

The following toys can provide mental stimulation for your rabbit and teach them problem-solving skills. Also look into clicker training for more ideas.

Interactive games

See the links below for more information about games you can play with your pet. Also consider clicker training and luring to teach interesting tricks to your rabbit!

Homemade projects

See the links below for some homemade rabbit toy projects.

Monthly subscription boxes

 
Dora reviews her new Bunny's Furr and Feathers Funpacks Box. Photo © Scott Inman, used with direct permission.
 
Furr and Feathers Funpacks Box. Photo © Diane Pinkerton, used with direct permission.
 
Bunny's Furr and Feathers subscription box review by Kelli & Sharon, February 2014

Subscription services geared towards pets are not very common yet, but here is a list of some rabbit-based monthly subscription boxes you can sign up for! Some of them will ship internationally.

Online rabbit toy stores

Below are reputable online bunny toy stores where you can find many unique rabbit-safe toys that might not be available in your local area. Be aware that these stores may be located in various countries, so check to make sure they ship internationally.

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ↑ House Rabbit Society, FAQ: Chewing > Aren't some woods toxic?
  2. ↑ kanin.org, Rabbit-safe branches and twigs
  3. ↑ MediRabbit, Camilla Bergstrøm, Feeding the house rabbit: twigs and branches
  4. ↑ Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue, Sari Kanfer, DVM and Alexandra Logsdon, Rabbits Need Dental Care Too
  5. ↑ Z. Princz et al, Application of Gnawing Sticks in Rabbit Housing
  6. ↑ Wildpro, The Mammal Society, THE RABBIT Oryctolagus cuniculus
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