A Bored Bunny is a Naughty Bunny   Make Toys out of Everyday Household Items

Without interesting activities, your rabbit can become bored, depressed or excessively destructive. It is important to set up an environment for your rabbit which centers on toys.

“Rabbits are intelligent, sensitive critters who, like most mammals, have a need for play,” says Lana Lehr, founder of RabbitWise, a local rabbit rescue and advocacy group. “They literally jump for joy (binkies) when they feel happy and playful. My bunch likes to kick around balls with bells inside of them. I think they believe they are soccer players.”

 “Toys are the key to three fundamental aspects of life with a house rabbit,” writes Margo DeMello, PhD. “Mental stimulation, physical exercise, and bunny proofing your home.”

Rabbits like to dig, shred, throw, chew and bunch (push items together with their feet). Prevent destruction by keeping your rabbit’s focus off inappropriate objects like your furniture and on toys, thereby allowing your rabbit to behave naturally in a constructive way.

Choosing Toys Rabbit toys can be extremely simple and can cost nothing to make.

Rabbit toys can be extremely simple and cost nothing to make. By providing safe, non-destructive opportunities to satisfy natural behaviors, you ensure that the rabbit will not be forced to improvise. Here are some ideas based on types of activity. Try one out! Remember, when it comes to toys, always give too much, not too little.

#1 Digging

Take a cardboard box, wicker basket, large litter-box or dishpan and fill it with hay, shredded newspapers, old magazines or junk mail. Put it in a place where your rabbit likes to hang out. When he or she gets the urge, they will dig and shred.

#2 Shredding

Three words: The Yellow Pages.

#3 Throwing

Give your rabbit a baby toy, plastic keys, batta ball or a Slinky. Make sure the toys are made of hard plastic or metal and have no edible parts. Some rabbits will even play toss with you, if you start the game.

#4 Chewing

Chewing is important for both physical and psychological reasons. Wicker baskets, non-poisonous logs and sticks, cardboard, paper, straw, and pine cones are all good choices. Try giving your rabbit a closed cardboard box filled with paper or straw, with a small hole in it to start. Let your rabbit finish the job. Be imaginative!

#5 Bunching

Place a few towels and/or pillows on the floor and let your rabbit push, bunch, pull and bite to “organize” them. Make sure that your rabbit is not actually eating the towel. That could be dangerous.

#6 Rolling, Nudging

Purchase a large rubber ball from a drug/discount store. Watch your rabbit in action!

#7 Mental Stimulation

written by Ashley Owen

Resources:

RabbitWise
Email: rabbitwise@verizon.net
www.rabbitwise.org

“More Than Just a Chew Stick,” Margo DeMello, PhD: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html