Rabbits are intelligent creatures and need a stimulating and enriching environment. To make their lives more exciting, you can offer them various toys. It doesn’t have to be expensive—many items can be homemade, and others can be purchased cheaply.
Wild rabbits search for their food, a behavior known as foraging. They use their sense of smell to find treats, often digging or stretching to reach their food.
To provide more stimulation for our pet rabbits, it’s recommended not to serve their food in bowls. Instead, try scattering it on the floor. This allows the rabbits to sniff out each piece and decide what to eat first while being active and moving around. You can also get creative with new ways to serve their food or treats, such as hanging it up, stuffing it into rolls, or placing it in paper bags.
Food enrichment helps mimic the natural behaviors of wild rabbits, keeping them mentally stimulated and physically active. It can also reduce boredom and prevent destructive behaviors caused by lack of stimulation.
New Ways to Serve Food
Hang Up the Food
Instead of simply scattering food on the floor, you can hang it up. Balls can be suspended on strings in a suitable spot. We use a set of three balls from JR Farm (made of wood, grass, and wicker) that hang from a chair, which we fill with herbs like parsley, dill, and cilantro. Alfred and Petunia love reaching for the herbs while standing on their hind legs. They find it so fun that they often ignore the food scattered on the floor to focus on these herbs, even though the same herbs are more accessible elsewhere.
Stuff Food into Tunnels
We have a wicker tunnel where we hide various herbs and leaves, creating another spot for the rabbits to enjoy their food. Often, they stand with their front paws on the tunnel and pull out the food they want to eat. This method is usually preferred over eating the same food that’s readily available on the floor.
Place Food in a Paper Bag
In grocery stores, you can find small paper bags meant for fruits or vegetables. These are perfect for use as food toys for rabbits. We put leaves inside the bag and twist or crumple the opening. Sometimes, we cut small holes in the bag to let the scent of the food come through. The rabbits tear, pull, and toss the bag until it opens and the food spills out.
Try new serving methods and see what excites your rabbits the most!
And finally, always supervise your rabbits when introducing new toys or food activities. Make sure the materials used are safe for rabbits to chew on and free from toxic substances, like adhesives or ink.
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