DIY Rabbit Toys: Homemade Ideas From Cardboard And Hay

Rabbits can play with cardboard boxes, cardboard tubes stuffed with hay, paper bags, shredded newspaper, and a deep box of hay or earth to dig in. The RSPCA, the PDSA, the House Rabbit Society, and the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) between them list each of these. Two of the simplest are a box with a hole cut at each end and a tube stuffed with hay.

Why Rabbits Need Toys

Rabbits can make good pets, and the RSPCA says toys are important to a rabbit's health and happiness because they encourage “natural behaviours such as digging, jumping, chewing and chin rubbing.”

The House Rabbit Society publishes a chapter on playthings from the House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman. It says “gymnastic toys” keep bunnies physically fit, and that smaller toys, “those that spring, swing, bounce, roll, or make noise,” keep rabbits mentally engaged.

The PDSA says a rabbit kept in a small hutch and run, with little space and nothing to do, will get bored. Over time, it says, boredom affects their mental health, makes them very unhappy, and puts them at risk of some serious health problems.

Another problem with bored rabbits is that they tend to fill their time by eating and put on weight, according to the PDSA. It says obesity “can cause heart problems, arthritis, liver disease, flystrike and skin problems.” The PDSA also says bored rabbits tend to groom themselves too much and get hairballs, and that hairballs can cause life-threatening gut blockages.

The RWAF says wild rabbits would spend 80% of their waking time foraging, so most enrichment for pet rabbits revolves around hay and grass.

Cardboard And Paper Toys

Cardboard box hideout

The RSPCA says boxes with holes cut into them make great hiding places. The House Rabbit Society describes a box with cut-outs on the sides and top as a hiding place and a chewing project, and says “it usually takes a few weeks for a rabbit to destroy a box.” The RWAF says cardboard boxes can be cut up in different ways for hiding places and thrown away when soiled.

Cardboard box tunnel

The RWAF's tunnel idea is a cardboard box with a hole cut in each end. It explains that rabbits are prey animals, so they need both an entrance and an exit to feel safe going in, and adds that without a hole at each end they will stay away. The PDSA suggests cutting two holes in either side of a cardboard box for a bunny to run through.

The RSPCA also lists tunnels made from cardboard boxes or tubes, and from large ceramic pipes with a wide diameter. The House Rabbit Society says cardboard concrete forms, sold in building supply stores, make good tunnels, and that packed with paper they can become digging projects.

Tubes stuffed with hay

The PDSA, the RSPCA, the RWAF, and the House Rabbit Society all list cardboard tubes. The PDSA names the tube from a toilet roll or kitchen roll and says to stuff it with hay so your adorable bunny pet can pull the hay out, and that it is safe if the rabbit chews a bit of the cardboard. The RSPCA says “tubes can be stuffed with hay and healthy treats as part of their daily ration.”

The House Rabbit Society says a stuffed spool turns into a chew toy and soon disappears, which means you replace it often. The PDSA adds that you can tie the tube with a piece of string and hang it from the walls of the enclosure, so a rabbit may need to stand up to reach it.

Tissue box

The PDSA suggests a tissue box filled with hay or scrunched-up bits of cardboard, which a rabbit can pull out.

Paper bags and shredded paper

The RSPCA lists shredded newspaper and paper bags with the handles removed. It also lists telephone directories, with the glossy covers removed. It suggests wrapping a rabbit's favorite food in brown paper to unwrap. The RWAF says to stuff paper bags with hay and herbs, and that rabbits will wrestle their way in.

The House Rabbit Society says newsprint is popular with rabbits and that the main attraction is shredding, though some of it may be chewed and swallowed. It says paper bags can be hidden in or chewed and shredded.

Towel to scoot around

The House Rabbit Society says a towel on a slick floor gives a bunny something to scoot around, bunch up, spread out, pat, and roll up.

Dig And Forage Toys

Digging box

For digging, the RSPCA names large plant pots or litter trays filled with earth, sandpits filled with child-friendly sand, and cardboard boxes packed with shredded paper. The PDSA says to fill a planter or two with potting compost.

For rabbits that live indoors or in enclosures with wire floors, the RWAF describes a digging box made from a high-sided large litter tray, a child's sandpit, or a deep box filled with hay, and says the box should be at least twice the size of the rabbit so it can move. It says to avoid litter tray substrates because some of them cause respiratory problems in rabbits. The House Rabbit Society describes a hay tub that is deep enough for a rabbit to dig around in, and says the exercise comes from jumping in and out of it rather than from eating the hay.

The RWAF says an indoor rabbit that digs again and again at carpet, flooring, or curtains is showing stress and frustration, which it says is frequently caused by inadequate enrichment, lack of companionship, or ill-health.

Forage tray

The PDSA's forage tray is a shallow tray or planter holding hay or shredded paper, healthy rabbit treats, and freshly pulled grass. It names mint, sage, parsley, small slices of apple, or carrot as treats, says to refresh them daily, and says to avoid cut grass because it can cause serious tummy issues.

The RWAF suggests an old muffin tray set in the enclosure, with hay in each hole and pellets or a small healthy treat hidden in each one. Read more about what rabbits can eat.

Turf tray

The RWAF suggests turf from a garden centre set in a litter tray or potting tray, so rabbits can eat fresh grass. It suggests having two trays to swap in and out so the grass can regrow.

Chew Sticks, Lookouts, And Bought Toys

Chew branches

The PDSA says to stick to untreated branches of safe wood such as apple, aspen, birch, maple and willow, to rinse them to wash away bugs or pesticides, and to avoid branches from the side of roads. The RWAF names willow, hazel, apple and blackthorn branches.

Lookout spot

The PDSA says platforms for rabbits can be built from straw bales, wooden crates, stumps of fruit trees, or strong cardboard boxes. It says the platform roof should be made of non-slip material and sit at a height the rabbits can easily jump onto, and it says to consult your vet before adding platforms to an enclosure. The RWAF suggests a block of wood or a sturdy box that can double as a tunnel.

Baskets, mats, and balls

The RSPCA's objects to play with or throw include balls, plastic flower pots, baskets, sea-grass mats, wicker, and untreated straw. It adds solid plastic baby toys such as key rings, rattles, and stacking cups. The House Rabbit Society names natural wicker made from cane, rattan, willow, reed, and bamboo as good chew toys.

The RWAF says willow balls can go around the enclosure, and that a rabbit that tosses a ball aside is still playing. It also suggests a treat ball, which the rabbit noses around to get the pellets out.

Mirror

The RSPCA says a mirror may offer some comfort to a rabbit that lives on its own, particularly a female, but that the effect can be quite short-lived, so it recommends a mirror only as a temporary measure for loneliness.

What To Leave Out Of A Rabbit Toy

The RSPCA says to make sure there are no small parts a rabbit could swallow, and that all materials should be non-toxic with smooth edges. It also says to supervise a rabbit's use of objects such as balls and baby toys.

The House Rabbit Society says chew toys of any size should be made of untreated, non-toxic material. It says rabbits need “plenty of indigestible organic fiber, but not the synthetic fiber in your carpet or sofa,” and that organic-fiber rugs such as sea-grass, rice, and bamboo mats can be chewed if they are pesticide free.

For loop-shaped toys such as slinkies hung on the side or top of a pen, the House Rabbit Society says to make sure they detach easily in case a bunny's foot becomes entangled.

Space, Food, And Exercise Around The Toys

The RWAF says rabbits need at least “1 metre (just over 3 feet) of height” so they can stretch up. Read more about rabbit hutches.

The House Rabbit Society says ramps and climbing toys made for human toddlers can entice a bunny to climb and leap, which gives exercise on the way.

The Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, a veterinary textbook, says that in rabbits, nasal discharge “has been associated with upper respiratory infections, hypersensitivity (e.g., allergies), foreign bodies, and neoplasia.” Read more about potential allergens.

Browse our rabbit shirts for the rabbit fans in your house.

FAQ

Do rabbits get bored easily?

Yes, when their home gives them little to do. The PDSA lists a rabbit companion, a large living space, food to forage for, a place to dig, and toys as ways to prevent boredom.

How many toys do rabbits need?

A few at a time. The PDSA says to give a few toys and store some away, then swap them over after a week or two, which also lets you clean the stored toys with a pet-safe detergent. The RWAF says to switch toys and furniture around now and again, and to keep the main bedroom and the tunnels in the same place so a rabbit knows its home base is secure.

What is safe for rabbits to chew on?

Untreated, non-toxic materials. The RSPCA lists paper and cardboard, the PDSA lists untreated branches of apple, aspen, birch, maple and willow, and the House Rabbit Society says chew toys of any size should be untreated and non-toxic. Before you give a rabbit a new toy, make sure it is safe for rabbits using the leave-out list above.

Sources

• RSPCA, Rabbit toys
• PDSA, Preventing boredom in rabbits
• House Rabbit Society, Playthings - How Bunnies Use Them, by Marinell Harriman, from the House Rabbit Handbook (5th ed.)
• Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, Enrichment
• Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, Digging
• Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, Hiding
• Vennen KM and Mitchell MA, Rabbits, in Manual of Exotic Pet Practice (2009), a veterinary textbook chapter on rabbit biology and medical care