10 Rabbit Toys You Can Borrow From the Dog, Cat Or Baby
I’m a big fan of homemade, particularly when it comes to creating rabbit toys. But sometimes, whether it’s because you don’t have time or need a bit of inspiration before you can make your own, it *is* nice to buy something from a store. Unfortunately there often isn’t a huge range when it comes to toys for rabbits. What there is, chew toys etc, is pretty predictable.
But, don’t let that stop you. Many toys designed for other pets (dogs, cats) as well as ones made for babies are fantastic for your rabbit.
Here are our top 10 picks for store bought toys for your bun that weren’t necessarily designed with her in mind:
1. Hard plastic baby teething keys
Rabbits just seem to love these. They seem to like trying to chew them but also love throwing them about and hearing them clatter back down. Make sure you get the hard plastic ones not anything that can be chewed into pieces.
2. Large (5-8″) rubber ball
Buns love to nudge these around the floor. Don’t buy one that is too large (about bunny shoulder height is good) or too heavy. It needs to be light enough to be able to be rolled around easily.
3. Dog’s ‘Feeding Ball’
These are the balls that you stuff with kibble (or pellets, pieces of carrot etc in your bun’s case) and they roll around and drop a pellet every now and then.
The only thing I would say is to take care when adding raw food to them. You need to be able to get it out or it will go rotten in there and that’s not nice for you or your bun. While I’m not a big fan of feeding a diet of pellets (preferring a natural diet) they are probably the best thing to add to this toy.
4. Plastic Skittles
Line these up to knock over, create a pathway for your bun to run through or just let him roll them around.
5. Stackable cups
Rabbit’s love to tip things up! Stack these up and watch her knock them over and toss them around.
6. Small ‘cage’ ball with a bell inside it
Cats love these and so will your bun. They love the rolling motion as well as the quiet tinkling of the bell as it moves.
7. Weeble Toy
Most of us remember the saying… “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down”! For those of you too young to remember (!) Weebles are a toy which is weighted at the bottom. You can knock them over and they spring back up. Be gentle when introducing these to your bun. Gently rock it to show her how it works then let her figure out that it moves as some may get upset with the sudden rocking.
NB: Hasbro still make these toys so you should be able to find one at a toy store or online. Just don’t use your childhood one as they are collectors’ pieces now!
8. Child’s ‘O’ or Heart-Shaped Rattle
What we mean here are the hard see through plastic ones that have beads inside. Rabbits love the soft shaking sound they make plus the shape makes it easy to drag and throw.
9. Small Bell (like a parrot’s bell)
Tie one on the side of your cage and let your rabbit explore how it works. You never know, she may be able to train you to come running when she rings it!
10. Catnip toys on a stick
Rabbits don’t swoon over catnip the way your cats do, but they will still appreciate the shape and movement of a ‘fishing pole’ type toy. Some like to have it dangled over head while others love it when you drag it along the floor so they can chase it. Maybe it brings out the hidden predator in your bun!
So there you go, 10 toys for rabbits that you might not have thought of buying. As with any toys, please supervise your bunny while playing with any of these and remove immediately if it looks like she is starting to chew them.
Happy bunny shopping >’.'<
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Abbey Mitchell and is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. Visit her site RabbitsForPets.com for a complimentary copy of her Pet Rabbit Secrets mini course. You’ll learn rabbit secrets that you won’t find anywhere else on the web!
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