Make Your Own Rabbit Toys

Rabbits are naturally attracted to tunnels, so they often make popular toys. One way to make a tunnel for your rabbit is to use a piece of poster board, you can even recycle one that you used for a garage sale sign. Grab the piece of poster board by the short edge, and bring it around so it matches up with the other short side and forms a tube. Using a stapler, attach the two edges. You might want to cover the staples with tape to prevent any sharp edges. Only use stuff that won't hurt the rabbits if they chew on it though. You can also cover one end with a circle cut out of another piece of poster board, some rabbits like this and others don't, so use your own judgment.

Another idea for a tunnel is to just use one of those cement mold cardboard tubes at the home improvement stores. They're sturdy enough that they'll hold up well to the bunny's play.

Rabbits love to chew and will chew on everything from food bowls to their cages and even themselves if they don't have proper things to chew on. Giving them chew toys gives them a way to keep their teeth in good shape without endangering themselves.

Though many rabbits love to chew on baseboards, they often don't care for wood places in their cage for them to chew on. Rabbits each have their own personalities though, so yours might just love a branch to chew on. You can also find a block of wood and either set it in the cage or bolt it to the cage wall. Only use wood that is safe for buns though. Untreated pine in small amounts is okay, and a few of the fruit trees, but never let them chew on branches or twigs from apricot, cherry, plum, or peach trees, and not redwood trees either. I've heard lots of people say apple branches and twigs are okay, and if you feed them sparingly you should be fine, but they are a member of the same family as the other dangerous fruit trees, so use with caution. Most people use apple, pine, or willow for their rabbit toys, and that' typically what commercial toys are made of as well.

You can also give your rabbits cardboard to chew on as well. Toilet paper tubes are extremely popular with them, as are the containers from oatmeal. A thoroughly clean out cardboard salt container with the metal parts removed can be fun as well. I also like to take random pieces of cardstock from bills and other places, the ones I would normally just toss into the recycling bin, and fold them up or crumple them and toss them for the rabbits to play with and chew on. Don't use any glossy papers though, since they can contain too much dangerous ink. Most rabbits love these most of all, and either toss them in the air or just sit and rip them apart.

Don't toss out those cardboard boxes too soon. Rabbits love to play hide and seek, and a cardboard box is the perfect venue for a fun game. You can just toss an old box on the floor for them, but with a few additions, that cardboard box will be even more fun.

Cut a hole in each side of the box, big enough for the rabbit to squeeze through, and then add a few smaller holes scattered around the sides so the rabbit can peek out and watch what's going out. You can even connect a few of these boxes by cutting holes in all of them so they line up, and then setting the out for the rabbit or even taping them together. Bunnies like these but many take a little bit of time to get brave enough to play in them.

The great outdoors can be a wonderfully thrilling place to your rabbit. A safe and secure fenced backyard with appropriate overseeing by a human is a place where your bunny can eat grass and dig to their heart's content.

There are numerous folding animal playpens that you can unfold and set on the grass so your bunny can run around inside in relative safety. You can also you a large cage and set it on the lawn so the grass comes through the bottom. This will keep your bunny safer than the open top playpens. You can even use a leash. Rabbits are easily leash trained, and though you can walk them like a dog, you can hold the end of the leash and follow behind them as they explore.

Whatever way you let your bunny explore the outdoors, make sure you are very careful. Lots of things like to eat rabbits and if you aren't watching you might lose your bunny. There are even stories of people holding their bunnies and getting attacked by dogs, so always be aware of your surroundings and only have your bunny where it's safe. Also, the sun may feel good to you, but rabbits are extremely sensitive to heat, indoor bunnies especially, but all of them will die if they get too hot. Make sure they have some sort of shade and that you take them inside if it gets too hot for them. Rabbits also need to have access to water. Bunnies are really vulnerable to dehydration, so even if they're playing outside for a few minutes they should have a container to drink from. Enjoy the outdoors occasionally, but do it safely.

Many bunny owners know that rabbits love toilet paper tubes and will invent all sorts of games with the empties, but if your bun starts getting bored with the regular empty rolls, try to mix it up a little. Do one of the things below and see what your rabbit thinks.

*Stuff the tube with hay-rabbits love to pull the pieces out
*Cut the tube into rings-these are fun to toss about
*Hang the tube by a string-bunnies love to push these around

Try to come up with a few other uses for the toilet paper tubes. They're free and easy to work with and the rabbits have lots of fun with them.

Picture from LostShadowChild

Balls and huts made out of weaved together willow twigs is great fun for most rabbits. You can weave them together yourself, just find some willow trees and pick a few twigs and twine them in and out of each other. Or you could re-purpose some willow balls from a craft store. They have piles of all different shapes and sizes. Make sure you do not get any that are lacquered though, if it has a high gloss to the surface choose another type. They're also fairly inexpensive if you want to just pick some up from the pet store.

Picture from BoristheFrog

Rabbit Rag Dolls
If you have old, clean rags, especially legs from jeans, a fun rabbit toy is a rag doll. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just take a scrap of sturdy cloth, tie a knot in the middle, and toss it to your bunny. Rabbits love to toss the toy around and play tug with it. Since some like to rip it to shreds, it's best to be cautious and remove the toy if they rip up too much, the fabric particles aren't good for them.

Towels
Most rabbits love playing with bath towels. Dragging them around, sitting on them, even digging on them, bath towels are lots of fun for rabbits, though make sure to wash them regularly, many rabbits really like peeing on them.

Crumpled paper bag
Old phone book
Old small paper boxes
Pieces of cardboard folded in odd shapes, empty chunks from cereal boxes
Empty spools from thread
Hay, alfalfa or timothy
Old wicker baskets
Lots of old baby toys
Cardboard egg cartons
Empty Oatmeal Cans
Milk Jug Rings
Wicker Paper Plate Holders

Any ball can be made into a rabbit toy. They seem to love rolling them along the floor and occasionally swatting them. Look for a few balls around the house, but remember to guard carefully against them chewing on their new toy. Most balls are rubber or plastic, so you need to watch them carefully so they don't ingest any.

Many rabbits like the little balls with bells in them. For some reason bunnies often like the sound of bells, and so will have a ball pawing their little toy around.

Keep your eyes open too. A nice natural wood ball is best, but almost impossible to find. Only use wood that's safe for rabbits to chew on, and avoid lacquers. You may even be able to find a natural chunk of wood with a roundish form that you can shape into a ball using sand paper.

Small Plastic Bottles
Small plastic bottles, like those from sodas and water make nice rabbit toys. Empty them, put the caps back on, and then give them to your rabbit. Especially on a linoleum floor, pushing around a plastic bottle is lots of fun for your furry friend. This isn't recommended if your rabbit is a big chewer though, and don't let them have the bottles if they start chewing on the plastic since eating the plastic is dangerous.

Make a Grass Mat
If you have some bunny-safe grasses in your area you may want to try your hand at weaving a grass mat for your bunny yourself. Don't worry too much if it doesn't turn out pretty, your bunnies won't care what it looks like. To get the grasses you could let a small patch of your lawn grow out and become tall enough for weaving or just use some pieces of hay or straw. Then weave the pieces in and out like a basket until it's in a mat like shape. Whatever it turns out like, I'm sure your bunny rabbit will love it.

Grass
If you can't regularly let your bunny have some outdoor time you may want to grow her some grass of her own. Any sort of plastic pan will work as a planter, and then just start some grass seed in it in some dirt and keep it watered. When the grass is nice and tall give it to your bunny as a nice treat.

Cereal Boxes
Empty cereal boxes make great bunny toys. Simple cut them up the middle so the rabbits can't get their heads stuck inside them and then toss the boxes down on the floor. Rabbits love light things that are easy to pick up and toss, and cereal boxes work great for that. Try stuffing them with grass for some extra fun.

Mirrors
Setting a mirror down on the floor against a wall can make something that will really interest your rabbit. Rabbits are territorial and so become very intent when they spot another bunny, even if that bunny is themselves in a mirror. Once they realize that bunny they see has no scent and moves just like them, they may become fascinated by the new experience.