Toys are very important for your rabbit. Toys help to keep your bunnies mentally stimulated, as well as physically active, which both prevent boredom that can lead to depression and behavioral difficulties.
Rabbit toys also help to satisfy your bun’s natural instincts because they allow your furry friend to chew, dig, jump and forage — all of which are activities they would be doing in the wild.
There are lots and lots of toys out there on the market. Let’s have a look at why toys are important for your bun and the types available for them to play with.
Why Does My Rabbit Need Toys?
There are two main reasons why your rabbit needs toys — mental stimulation and exercise.
Mental Stimulation
Rabbits can get bored very easily, so it is important that they have activities to occupy themselves with, especially when you are not at home and able to give them attention.
Toys are a great way to challenge your bun mentally, entertaining them and preventing boredom. Boredom can lead to depression and other behavioral problems within your rabbit, which can actually contribute a shorter lifespan.
Exercise
Rabbits need a lot of exercise. In the wild, they can run up to five miles a day! If your rabbit is overweight, their skeletal systems can be under a lot of stress. This leads to pain and a shorter life.
While your bun certainly needs time outside of their hutch to hop around and explore, toys can be another way to keep them active. Your bunny will need toys they can dig in, hop onto, crawl under, hide behind and chew. Providing these will keep them happy and healthy.
Other Reasons
Another good reason to supply your rabbit with plenty of toys is to save your home from being destroyed!
Rabbits have chewing, digging and foraging hard wired into them, so if you don’t give them toys and activities as an outlet for these behaviors, they won’t be afraid to scratch at your couch or dig a hole in your carpet.
These behaviors can also be made worse when your rabbit is bored or not given attention, so toys will help to distract them.
Types Of Toys For Rabbits
There are many different types of toys for rabbits. Let’s take a look at the most popular ones.
Chew Toys
Chew toys include wooden and other natural toys such as hay based toys. These are great for wearing down your rabbit’s ever-growing teeth, and will satisfy their chewing needs.
Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys require your bun to work a little hard. These toys usually include a space for you to hide a treat, so your rabbit has to figure out the puzzle to get the treat out. This helps with their mental stimulation and mimics their foraging behaviors.
Tunnels
Rabbits are prey animals, so will appreciate toys such as tunnels to hide in. These areas can also help to keep them calm if they feel they are in danger.
Platform Toys
Your bun will love to see the world from a different view! Providing them with some platforms to hop onto, hide under or explore the room from will keep them active and make their space a lot more interesting.
Digging Toys
Digging toys are excellent for preventing your bun from scratching at your carpet or couch. They come in the form of mats and boxes, and you won’t need to be worried about your rabbit damaging anything important.
Tossing Toys
You may find your rabbit likes to throw things with their teeth. Give them some small plastic toys, such as baby toys, that they can toss around and entertain themselves with.
Cardboard Toys
Cardboard toys can come in many different shapes and forms, but the best thing about them is they don’t cost anything and you can make them at home! Use old cereal boxes or empty toilet rolls. You can stuff them with hay and treats and watch your bun try to get them out.
