Homemade toys for rabbits
Along with each other's company, your rabbits need plenty of toys to prevent boredom.
Boredom in bunnies can be stressful, and stress can lead to illness or unwanted behaviours. Luckily, there are plenty of low-cost toys you can make to battle bunny boredom.
Food forage trays
Rabbits love to dig around and forage for their food. You can make them a forage tray by getting a shallow tray or planter. Fill it with a bit of hay or shredded paper, some healthy rabbit treats like fresh herbs (mint, sage or parsley are good bets) or a couple of small slices of apple or carrot and a bit of fresh pulled grass (not cut as this can cause serious tummy issues!). Remember to refresh the veg daily.
Digging trays
A little different to forage trays, digging trays are there simply for rabbits to express their natural need to dig. Imagine how much time wild rabbits must spend digging to create their elaborate burrows! Giving your pet rabbits a digging tray will stop them digging up your garden or carpets. Fill a large tray, sandpit or planter with some soil or child-friendly sand and let your bunnies have fun.
Gnawing branches
Rabbits need to almost constantly chew to keep their teeth a healthy length. You can give them small branches to gnaw at. Either take some from trees in your garden or purchase them online. Remember some types of tree are harmful to bunnies. Avoid branches from the side of roads and give them a rinse before giving them to your rabbits to wash away any bugs or pesticides. Stick to untreated branches of safe wood like apple, aspen, birch, maple and willow.
Boxes
Like other pets, rabbits love boxes large and small. You can cut two holes in either side of a cardboard box for your bunny to run through and hide in. a tissue box filled with hay is great for curious rabbits. Or you can give them an empty tissue box or small bits of scrunched up cardboard to throw around.
Toilet/kitchen rolls
Rabbits love to play with toilet or kitchen rolls. You can make holes in them and put hay inside, and put them in with your rabbits - they'll love pulling it out of the container and it's safe for them if they have a munch on a bit of cardboard too. To make things more interesting you can also tie them up with a piece of string.
Lookout spots
Rabbits have excellent vision and love to explore, both high and low. You can try to make your rabbits a lookout post or provide perches on different levels so they can keep watch. You can buy special perching shelves or make your own and incorporate them into their home area. Perches and lookout spots will also help to exercise them as they have to leap up and down to explore.
