For some pet owners, rabbits are an absolute joy to have in the home. They’re smart, adorable little creatures, with all the energy in the world and a lot of love to give. Of course, they can sometimes get a little cooped up being at home all the time, which is why it’s so important to spend lots of time doing fun things with your rabbit. By playing with your rabbit, you’ll keep them entertained, help them burn off excess energy, and stimulate and enrich their minds at the same time.
So, what are the best things to do with your rabbit to keep them happy and entertained indoors? Here’s our guide of things to do indoors with your rabbit.
1. A supervised roam around the house
Rabbits love to explore, meaning one of the best ways to keep them entertained is to let them have a supervised roam of your home. Because rabbits are usually just confined to a small pen in your home, they can easily run out of things to keep them occupied. So, we recommend letting them out and escorting them on a little exploration of the rest of your home.
When you do this, just be sure to keep a close eye on your rabbit to make sure they stay out of trouble. Hazards to look out for include wires they might chew, any poisonous things in the area, and any furniture legs you care about.
2. Make some cheap and easy chew toys
Rabbits love to chew on things. Unfortunately, they’re not as picky about what they chew on as we are, so it’s important that you’re giving them a steady supply of chew toys that aren’t your prized possessions.
One quick and simple method to give your rabbit something to gnaw on is by simply ripping up some heavier-duty cardboard. Not only will this prevent them from chewing on your baseboards, wires, and furniture, but it’s also good for your rabbit’s teeth.
3. Make a tunnel for your rabbit
In their natural habitats, rabbits tend to live in burrows, tunnel systems that they dig under the ground. While you can simulate some of that by giving them covered hiding spots in their pen, another good way to enrich their natural instincts is with a rabbit tunnel. You can always pick one of these up at your local pet store, but it’s also really easy to make one at home. All you need is some stiff cardboard and some tape, and voila! You have a quick and easy rabbit tunnel that can easily double as a chew toy when your bunny gets tired of it.
4. Help your rabbit practice their foraging skills
Another natural instinct of rabbits that often isn’t nurtured at home is their foraging. In the wild, rabbits find and forage all their food, so try to stimulate this instinct by doing something similar at home. One great way to do this is to take the hay they’d normally eat, and simply put it in something else. This can be a cardboard tube or a paper bag. Just be sure it’s something that your rabbit can safely chew on as they get at their food.
5. Give them a chance to do some digging
Yet another thing that domesticated rabbits don’t get to do as much as their wild counterparts is digging. And while it’s not usually a good idea to take your rabbit outside, you can often achieve the same effect at home.
Simply put together a kind of sandbox for your rabbit, complete with a good patch of something for them to dig around in. This can be dirt, but if you’d rather avoid the mess you could always opt for something tidier, such as shredded newspaper. This too will help stimulate your bunny’s senses and natural instincts.
6. Have playtime with your rabbit’s favourite toys
Just like cats and dogs, rabbits love to play with their favourite toys. Every rabbit has its own personality and preference, so it may take some experimentation to figure out which toys they like best. However, there are a few things that they’re more likely to enjoy:
- Toys that make sounds, such as rattles and squeaks, give feedback that’s likely to keep your rabbit interested.
- Rabbits also tend to enjoy toys that are small enough for them to pick up and carry in their teeth.
- You can find lots of great bunny toys at your local pet store.
- There are also tons of guides online for DIY options that they’ll love just as much. Just be sure to stick to cardboard and paper as the material, so that your bunny can safely chew to its heart’s content.
Rabbits are generally known as low-maintenance creatures, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need love, affection, and entertainment in order for them to be happy and keep their natural instincts sharp. These are just some of the ways you can keep them entertained in the home, but it’s not a hard and fast guide for every rabbit! They’re surprisingly complex and unique little creatures, and each one has its own personal tastes.
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