A rabbit that is left alone all day in a hutch or cage is unlikely to have a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. As a responsible owner there are a number of things that you can do to help to keep your rabbits healthy and we would love to share some of our tips with you…

Enrichment could be anything that helps to encourage your rabbit’s natural behaviour in the wild. You can make a number of toys at home that are inexpensive but can provide your bunnies with hours of fun.

Paper Bags

Rabbits love to dig and chew old paper bags. Try stuffing a brown paper bag with hay, sprinkle some healthy rabbit snacks inside the hay and let your bunny enjoy some good old foraging time. You will find your rabbit has a whale of a time digging and throwing the bag around in search of the tasty treats.

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard boxes also offer lots of fun. Some rabbits love a good old gnaw on the cardboard (just make sure it is not laminated or has any colour printing on it). Try cutting a hole in the side of a large cardboard box and then filling it with hay. Your bunny will enjoy using this as a bolt hole whilst eating his way through the hay. If you are really creative you could even try making an obstacle course out of cardboard boxes and plastic tubing.

Cardboard Tubes

The tubes from inside kitchen or toilet rolls can also be used. Try filling a tube with hay or vegetables and watch your bunny throw the tube around for hours. You can also hang them up so your rabbit needs to reach up to nibble on the hay.

Plastic Tubes

Plastic tubing can also be great fun. You may find you can get hold of some unwanted tubes from a local builder or building supplies store. Plastic tubes make super tunnels that your rabbits can hide in and explore. You need to make sure though that the tunnels are clean and free from sharp edges.

Strong Cardboard

If you find your house rabbit likes to gnaw on your furniture then you should try and get hold of some strong cardboard tubing, like the kind you get in the middle of a role of carpet. Your local carpet store may be happy to give you a tube for free. You can place this in the area your rabbit likes to chew, such as behind your sofa and allow him to chew on the tube instead, plus he will enjoy running through the tube and popping out the other end!

Digging Area

All rabbits love to dig, so why not try providing yours with a dedicated digging area. Fill a planter with soil and hide tasty treats or rabbit food under the surface.

There are lots of other things that you can do that will enrich your pet’s life so improvise. As long as the enrichment is safe and promotes the rabbit’s natural behaviour it will help to improve your rabbit’s quality of life. If you have any other suggestions please do share them with us…

A willow ball stuffed with Excel Fresh Forage is tasty and fun!