If you’re under the impression that rabbits make mild-mannered, docile, sedentary pets, you’re in for a big surprise! Rabbits LOVE to play and, if kept indoors, will transform your entire home into its playhouse.
You’ll either have to confine your rabbit to a safe area of the home or rabbit proof your home altogether to keep your pet from chewing on furniture, electrical cords and rugs.
Setting up a playpen for bunny is your best option and filling it with play toys for hiding, chewing, scratching and digging to keep it entertained when you’re not home.
Rabbit toys don’t have to be costly to be good and many can be made from items you have lying around the house.
Cardboard boxes, paper bags, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, old towels, shredded paper and junk magazines make great play toys for bunny as he can chew, toss or scratch them up without risk of harm.
Surrogated cardboard boxes, straw whisk brooms and grass mats can be converted into rabbit scratching posts so he won’t scratch your floor.
Your bunny needs toys for diversion, mental stimulation and exercise so he doesn’t get fat and bored.
Toys provide an outlet for your bunny to partake in natural behaviors like digging, chewing, jumping, scratching and exploring.
Your rabbit will be happiest when fully engaged in interactive play with items that are safe and challenging.
You can even convert baby, cat, and bird toys into rabbit-friendly toys that your bunny can roll, toss, chew, scratch, and enjoy.
Will Rabbits Use A Scratching Post?
Scratching is a common rabbit behavior that you shouldn’t try to stop – even if bunny is trying to scratch a hole in your floor or wall.
With a little ingenuity, you can control this behavior to satisfy bunny’s instincts without it destroying your home. Ironically, your bunny may very well enjoy cat scratching mats and posts made of safe materials that it can chew on.
Seagrass floor mats, for example, are good for a rabbit’s feet, can be chewed on safely and can help wear down bunny’s nails.
Cardboard cat scratchers that lie on the floor make great digging and scratching toys, as do scratching posts composed of natural materials like sisal or hemp rope.
Attach a few batting or chewing toys to the post and your bunny can be entertained for hours. If you’ve ever watched a bunny at play, you know how destructive it can be, once it gets started on a chewing, scratching or digging project.
A durable sisal or hemp rope scratching post will at least stand a fighting chance of survival, even if the dangling cardboard play toys do not.
Homemade toys are just as good as store-bought ones, so you don’t have to spend lots of money on your furry friend to keep it happy.
Large plant pots, cardboard boxes or even litter trays filled with crumpled newspaper or shredded paper provide opportunities for digging and chewing.
You can even combine boxes to form an elongated tunnel with multiple openings for your bunny to explore.
Line the walls with surrogated cardboard for scratching or put wooden scratch pads along the bottom of the boxes to make this environment even more enticing for your bunny.
Are Cat Scratchers Safe For Rabbits?
The best cat scratchers are made of sisal fabric or rope, which comes from the sisalana plant, native to Central America.
Sisal materials make excellent scratching posts for your bunny’s claws, as they’re tough and strong, not to mention biodegradable. In addition to cat scratchers, the fiber has been used for years in making rope, twine, cloth, paper, carpeting and geotextile products.
Rabbits should never be given synthetic products for chewing or playing, as synthetic products can be harmful if swallowed.
Your bunny can, however, use products made from all-natural, plant-based fibers like sisal, jute and hemp. These are fibers that have not been treated with toxic chemicals or anything hazardous to your pet’s health.
Keep in mind that your rabbit will chew on whatever scratchpad or toy you give it, so only choose products made of materials that can be easily digested if swallowed, like sisal, hemp, cardboard, paper, grass, etc.
If you’re worried about the length of your bunny’s claws, a sisal cat scratch pad could be just what it needs to keep them worn down to size.
Put it anywhere in your rabbit’s play environment and let him hop, scratch, bite and chew on it to his heart’s delight. Daily outdoor time is another way to keep your bunny’s claws in shape as running and digging in the ground is bound to safely wear them down.
Should You Get Your Rabbit A Scratching Post?
A healthy rabbit will be lively, sociable and playful. To keep it happy and entertained, you’ll need to provide it with outlets for releasing excess energy daily.
The best way to meet your bunny’s physical and mental needs is to set up a challenging, multi-faceted play area that offers ample opportunities for chewing, digging, scratching and exploring.
By combining homemade products like cardboard boxes, toilet paper and paper towel rolls and shredded paper with store-bought products like sisal scratching posts, woven grass baskets and rabbit-safe toys, you can create a stimulating setting your bunny will love.
As scratching posts serve diverse purposes, they make good additions to a rabbit’s play environment.
A corrugated cardboard scratching post can be very appealing to a rabbit and poses no risk to its health. In fact, rabbits are quite fond of chewing on cardboard texture, making it easy for you to substitute cardboard for your furniture or carpet.
You can find cat scratchers in all shapes, sizes and designs, giving your bunny ample variety. Imagine the fun your bunny could have exploring a cat-scratcher corrugated cardboard house that has different levels and a ramp for your bunny to climb.
A large step-in cat scratcher can be filled with shredded paper or hay for your bunny to chomp on as he’s digging and scratching. A little imagination can go a long way toward creating an amazing bunny home that’s safe, fun and stimulating for your pet to keep it healthy and happy.
Conclusion
Animals differ in likes, dislikes and personalities and rabbits are no different. By experimenting with different rabbit products and toys, you’ll find just what your bunny needs for exercise, mental stimulation and enjoyment. Some rabbits are enthralled by scratching posts while others aren’t. A well-designed, versatile rabbit scratching post that your bunny can chew, climb, dig into and scratch is bound to make it happy.
