Play should be a part of your rabbit’s life, in addition to exercise and social interaction. Toys provide an outlet for natural behaviors, and play gives a sense of accomplishment and intellectual stimulation. Toys also help protect your valuable belongings by providing acceptable outlets for chewing, digging, burrowing, and shredding.
Providing toys is providing emotional and intellectual enrichment. Toys do not have to be expensive or fancy (although some are). Homemade toys can be a huge hit too. Some homemade options include cardboard box forts, a straw broom, oven-dried pine cones, or a cardboard paper towel roll stuffed with hay.
Try a digging box filled with paper, play sand, or hay. Try a cardboard tunnel or willow tent. Offer a yard of fleece for pushing and digging. Plastic baby toss toys and stacking cups are beloved by rabbits.
Emotional, intellectual, and social dimensions can have a greater impact on wellness than purely physical dimensions. Good health isn’t only about food and shelter—rabbit health can decline from emotional impoverishment. Like providing high-quality food and shelter, playing contributes to a long and happy life.
Offer new toys monthly and rotate them regularly. Rabbits have a sense of humor and will exceed people’s expectations when given the opportunity!
Further Reading
Playthings — How Bunnies Use Them
