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This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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Rabbits are curious animals that need toys to challenge and entertain themselves. You can buy toys from a store, but you can just as easily make toys at home for free. You'll want to be sure that the toys you give your rabbit satisfy the expressive needs he has, such as digging or chewing, but with a little creativity, you can provide your rabbit with everything he needs.
Steps
Make a burrow box. Rabbits are natural burrowers, and when kept in captivity they may need to exercise these hardwired instincts to dig. You can make a quick and easy box for your rabbit that lets him feel like he's digging and burrowing in the wild.- Find a large box. It can be a deep cardboard box if you don't have any other options, but an old dish bin, wicker basket, or litter box will last longer.[1]
- Fill the box with hay. If you don't have hay or don't want hay inside your house, you can shred newspaper or magazines instead.[2]
- If you're comfortable letting your rabbit get a little dirty, you can also use a flower pot or a litter box filled with clean topsoil. Just be careful where you leave this box, as your rabbit's digging may send soil flying all over the room.[3]
- Try giving your rabbit a litter box filled with clean, child-friendly sand. But just like the litter box filled with topsoil, this burrow box could get messy if you're having your rabbit play in a carpeted room.[4]
- If your rabbit tends to dig at the carpet in a certain spot in your home, you may want to cover that spot with the burrow box until your rabbit gets used to using the box as an outlet for his digging compulsions.[5]
Build a tunnel. In the wild, rabbits tend to dig tunnels underground. If you build an artificial tunnel for your rabbit, he will probably take a liking to it immediately.- Buy a cardboard concrete tube. You should be able to find one at most building supply stores, and it shouldn't cost much money. If you can't find a cardboard concrete tube, try using a long, narrow cardboard box instead.[6]
- Stuff one end of the tube (or box) with crumpled up newspapers. Your rabbit will either hide in the tube or shred and "dig" at the newspapers, making him feel like he is tunneling in the wild.[7]
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Lay out a scratching surface. If your rabbit tends to dig at the carpet, try laying out a grass mat on the floor. It will allow your rabbit to scratch and "dig," without damaging the rug or floors of your home.[8]- Lay out a pile of polar fleece blankets for your rabbit to dig and burrow in. He'll love being able to scratch at the plush blankets, and the fibers on polar fleece are short enough that they won't cause digestive issues in the event that your rabbit swallows some of the blanket fuzz.[9]
- You can also try laying out old magazines for your rabbit to scratch at. Just be sure that your rabbit doesn't eat any of the paper, and make sure there are no staples in the binding that could injure your pet.
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Give your rabbit pinecones. Untreated wood like a pinecone makes a great chew toy for rabbits. Rabbits need to chew on wooden objects to help wear their teeth down, and pinecones are a source of wood rabbits would easily find in the wild. You can find pinecones for free in the wild, or for a small price at most pet stores.[10] It might best to put pine cones you gather from the wild in the oven for a bit to get rid of any bugs that might have taken up residence.
Cut a tree branch for your rabbit. Rabbits love fresh, untreated wood. Applewood is a particular favorite for most rabbits. If you have access to an apple tree, try snapping off a branch for your bunny and let him chew to his heart's content.
Give your rabbit old toys. If you or someone you know have children who have outgrown their toys, some of those toys might be suitable for playful rabbits. A hard plastic teething ring would make an excellent, durable chew toy for a bunny, and would give him hours of entertainment.[11]- Make sure the toys do not have any small parts such as eyes or button noses that could be swallowed and cause bowel blockage.
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Give your rabbit an old hand towel. Some rabbits enjoy shredding fabric, while others simply enjoy bunching and "sorting" fabrics. An old hand towel or a couple of washcloths would allow your rabbit to bunch and tear as much as he likes. Just be sure that your rabbit doesn't eat the fabric, as it could make him sick or create a choking hazard.[12]
Let your rabbit tear up an old phone book. Once you've removed the front and back covers of a phone book, your rabbit can shred, bunch, and sort scraps of paper from the phone book. Rabbits should only play with phone books under close adult supervision, however, as you'll want to be sure your pet doesn't eat any of the adhesives along the spine of the phone book.[13]
Make a toy out of a cardboard tube. The tube inside a roll of paper towel or toilet paper can make an excellent toy for rabbits to shred. It's soft enough that it will be easy to tear, yet thick enough that it will provide some resistance. For even better results, stuff a cardboard tube with hay or shredded paper and hide treats in the middle. Your rabbit will shred and tear, and will eventually find a reward inside!
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Expert Q&A
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- QuestionWhat kind of toys do rabbits like to play with?
Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianOne of a rabbit's favorite activities is chewing. Therefore, look for toys that are designed to be chewed such as wooden items, rolled up paper, or the cardboard inner from paper towel rolls. - QuestionWhat is safe for rabbits to chew on?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianNatural substances such as wood are ideal. Alternatively, cardboard is fine, as this shouldn't cause a bowel blockage if swallowed. Avoid plastics and other substances that could get stuck in the gut. - QuestionCan I give my bunny toilet paper rolls?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianYes, the cardboard tubes from the middle of toilet or kitchen paper are ideal for rabbits to chew on. Make it even more fun by putting an edible treat at the centre of the roll and holding it in place with hay. This makes a great puzzle feeder that will keep the rabbit nicely entertained.
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Tips
- Use soft towels and blankets at the bottoms of any boxes.Thanks
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Warnings
- Be careful that the paper doesn't get swallowed, especially paper that has ink printed on it.Thanks
- Do not give your bunny toys with sharp edges.Thanks
- Be careful with the food you put in toys - look online or ask an expert for information on foods that are safe for rabbits.Thanks
- Don't let your bunny chew on wires of any kind.Thanks
- Do not use anything that your bunny can choke on.Thanks
- Don't give your bunny toys that would be harmful to him if it chewed them.Thanks
- Be cautions when giving rabbits twigs or sticks to chew on. Twigs and tree branches found from the outdoors may have spores, bacteria, or insects that might make your rabbit sick if chewed on.[14] You should research online or ask a veterinarian for advice before giving your rabbit tree stick.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/behaviour/enrichment/toys
- ↑ http://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/behaviour/enrichment/toys
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html
- ↑ http://www.ohiohouserabbitrescue.org/diy-bunny-toys/
About This Article
Veterinarian
This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. This article has been viewed 290,028 times.
Co-authors: 30
Updated: May 10, 2023
Views: 290,028
Categories: Rabbits
Article SummaryX
To make homemade rabbit toys, try giving your rabbit pine cones and tree branches to chew on. You can also fill a deep cardboard box with hay or a cat litter box with sand and let your rabbit burrow to its heart's content. Since rabbits love to shred things, try giving your bunny old towels, phone books, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard tubes that you already have around the house. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, like how to build a makeshift tunnel for your rabbit to play in, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 290,028 times.
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"As I am a rabbit expert from many years of experience, the rabbit should not be able to access fabric that may be very stringy in texture. But otherwise this article is very helpful and I will be sure to make my rabbit a new tunnel due to it's destroyed."..." more
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