As a pet owner, it’s essential to keep your rabbit entertained. A bored bunny is a bad bunny as they often exhibit troublesome behaviors when left alone. Some might even develop depression, which can cause lethargy and lack of appetite.
Entertaining your pet rabbit is actually easy; even if this is your first time adopting pet rabbits, there are plenty of ways to keep them busy. And the best part? You don’t have to drastically change your schedule or break the bank just to achieve that goal.
Here are twelve tips to keep your rabbit entertained:
Give Them Rabbit Toys
Domestic rabbits are like toddlers – they’re naturally curious and are always looking for things that can satisfy their curiosity. This is only one way for your bunny to learn, adapt to their environment, and prevent boredom.
One of the easiest ways to keep rabbits entertained is to give them plenty of fun toys. Aside from keeping them busy, different toys also allow bunnies to chew and enjoy mental stimulation. Aim to rotate old and new toys to keep your rabbit entertained as some will get bored playing with the same toys all the time.
Different rabbits have different preferences when it comes to toys. While some rabbits love to seek treats inside cardboard boxes, others love to play with hanging toys. Some rabbits will prefer the taste of apple sticks, while others love to shred apart willow balls.
Bunnies are often choosy, so don’t be surprised if they don’t start playing with the toys you provided for them. It’s common for rabbit lovers and owners to find toys that their pets actually love. If you see yourself in the same situation, try changing what you get. Alternate between giving them fun toys from the pet store (we love this set from Amazon) and those found outdoors, such as dried-out pine cones.
Create Obstacle Courses
Another way to keep your rabbit happy is to create an obstacle course for them. This option is very easy to do – you just need to properly arrange all of the pieces of furniture and accessories found in your home to create a stimulating environment for your bunny.
For starters, you can hide treats underneath the furniture and create tunnels. You can get your bunny some cat towers, like this one here, so they’ll have a platform to hop into. If you have a shoestring budget, any old footstool you have at home is a great alternative. Just make sure to periodically arrange your furniture so your rabbit learns continually.
If you want to take it up a notch, you can also create a rabbit playhouse or castle using items found in your home. Start by cutting some holes in your old cardboard boxes to serve as entrances and add some boxes inside and use them as your bunny’s digging box.
Setup Foraging Activities
Domestic and wild rabbits are natural foragers. They get a lot of mental stimulation by using their noses in finding treats in their environment. Simply sprinkling small pieces of treats in their hay can keep them entertained and happy. Plus, this trick will also encourage them to eat more hay, which can be an excellent addition to their diet!
One easy to set up foraging activity is hiding treats around a room and encouraging your bunny to explore more. You can also buy food dispenser balls (these toys were originally made for dogs), so your rabbit can easily roll them around and forage for their pellets. We love this food dispenser ball from Our Pets because it’s budget-friendly and easy to clean.
Provide Digging Opportunities
Rabbits are natural borrowers who often dig and live in networks of tunnels. And even though rabbits no longer need to dig burrows anymore, they still have the natural instinct to dig. In fact, this instinct is stronger in females than in males. If your rabbit doesn’t have any place to dig, they’ll start digging on your couches, carpets, and other upholstery instead. This can cause damage to your house, which is why it’s crucial to provide digging opportunities for your rabbit.
To satisfy your rabbit’s desire to dig, flatten a cardboard box on the ground. You can also create a digging box or digging platform for your pet. You can also hide little treats inside the box, so your rabbit will have more fun. These activities are great for foraging, too!
Additionally, allowing your rabbit to dig can benefit your rabbit’s nails. These activities provide the necessary wear and tear to keep their nails from getting too long. Think of this activity as your pet’s natural nail file.
Train Your Rabbit
Rabbits are smart animals and can be trained to do a lot of tricks, including giving you kisses and hive fives, coming whenever they’re called, and learning to hop through agility courses. These tricks will support your rabbit’s brain development, as well as encourage them to use their brains to determine how they can get more treats. Teaching your rabbit some tricks is also one of the best ways to bond with them.
Although training your rabbit will take a lot of time and effort, the results will be worth it. As You spend time with your bunny and teach them tricks, they become more confident as they have to figure out how to get treats. This will also encourage them to trust you better. Over time, they’ll know that spending time with you means more treats, but they won’t also expect that you’ll give them any without doing any work.
Sit With Your Rabbit
Are you looking for an easy hack to keep your rabbit happy? If you are, allocate some time to just sit with your bunny. This means sitting in the same place as your rabbit and allowing them to come up to you if they want to. Don’t force them to interact with you as this will only cause stress and might even become the reason why your pet will get scared of you.
Sit quietly and give your rabbit the time to get comfortable in your presence. This activity will also teach your rabbit that you’re not threatening. Once they come up to you, pet them or give them treats to reward their curiosity.
Give Them Something To Chew On
Aside from digging, rabbits love to chew; it’s one of their most prevalent natural instincts. If they don’t have anything to chew on, they will eventually chew on items that they shouldn’t be chewing, like your shoes, clothes, or furniture.
Another way to keep your rabbit entertained is to give them something to chew on. We highly recommend these rolling chew toys as they’re made from natural materials, such as rattan, willow twigs, and seagrass. These toys will surely encourage exercise and interest among your bunny as they have to roll the ball to continually chew on it.
Rabbits’ teeth can also benefit from chewing toys as they can use the toys to trim their teeth. Having well-trimmed teeth is crucial to rabbit care as having overgrown teeth can damage their gums, tongue, and cheeks.
Give Your Rabbit Places To Hide
To create a stimulating environment for your bunny, you need to give them some places to hide. Rabbits are prey animals with natural instincts that make them want to hide whenever they’re scared or anxious about something. These furry friends are sensitive, which is why it’s important to provide them with hiding places around your house.
If you have several rabbits at home, make sure that they have one hiding spot each. You should also create a hiding space that fits all of your rabbits just in case they want to group together. You can use a drainpipe and wooden box to create hiding spaces for your rabbits. Don’t forget to add some bedding inside using hay or shredded paper to ensure that they remain comfortable.
Play The “Flip and Toss” Game
Rabbits love to throw things around. Other rabbits might even start attacking things if you roll them towards them, similar to what a dog would do.
Have fun with your bunny by playing the flip and toss game with them. This game has very minimal requirements – you just need a lot of space for your bunny to run around and a small toy that they can easily carry using their mouth. Once you meet these requirements, toss the toy around and let your rabbit bring it to you. You’ll be surprised how playing games can keep your bunny busy and happy!
Play Some Bunny Bowling
Does your rabbit like to play games all the time? Are you looking for other options aside from the flip and toss game? If you do, play some bunny bowling with your furry friend.
To play bunny bowling, you just need to set up mini bowling pins and watch as your rabbit charges into them and knocks them over. This mini bowling pin set is a great buy because they’re ideal for indoor and outdoor games and are lightweight.
Allow Some “Romp Time” Around The House
You should allow your bunny to spend a few hours a day running and stretching their legs. Wild rabbits love to run around, and your bunny isn’t an exemption. Give your pet some “romp time” around your house to keep them happy and healthy.
As you allow your bunny to run around your house, expect that they will poop regardless if they’re litter-trained. But surely, picking up poop isn’t much of a deal if it’s about improving your rabbit’s life!
Get Another Bunny
Keeping your rabbit entertained can become difficult if you have a full-time job. You’ll usually have to leave them at home alone, which can cause your rabbit to get bored easily. This will encourage your rabbit to let out their mischievous side, especially when they’re left alone every day for weeks or months.
Getting another bunny is an excellent way to keep your bunny entertained. Having many rabbits at home can be a handful, but this actually benefits all of your pets. When your rabbits have a companion, they’ll become more active and happier, even when you’re away most of the time. This will also make you feel less guilty whenever you leave them for work.
How Does A Rabbit Become Bored?
Bunnies are small, but they, too, require a lot of activities to stay healthy and active. Rabbits are curious and intelligent animals that aren’t meant to spend most of their lives inside a small cage with no room to run or explore. In general, a rabbit can become bored because of the following reasons:
Lack Of Attention
Rabbits are social animals and can actually live in colonies of up to 20 rabbits when they’re in the wild. So if you only have one bunny in your house, make sure to find the time to give them lots of attention. As a pet owner, it’s crucial that you meet their social needs to prevent them from getting bored.
Lack Of Enrichment
Rabbits are inquisitive in nature and need to occupy their minds with different activities, such as digging, chewing, and foraging. These activities are not only fun but are also necessary to maintain their health.
Lack Of Exercise
Similar to humans, your rabbit also needs exercise. As mentioned, you should allow them to run outside of their cages for three hours every day. Physically active bunnies have stronger muscles, better cardiovascular health, and healthier digestive tracts.
What Are The Signs Of A Bored Bunny?
Fortunately, it’s very easy to spot a bored bunny as they exhibit several symptoms. If your rabbit shows any of the symptoms listed below, it shows that they’re already bored:
- Becomes aggressive and starts nipping at you
- Grooming too much
- Lying down most of the time
- Trying to get out of their cages
- Eating too much or too little
What Happens When Your Bunny Gets Bored?
Rabbits usually communicate what they need, but when you miss the signs, you could end up cleaning pee spots on the carpet or replacing chewed-up furniture. This can cause more stress and expenses.
When your bunny gets bored, they can exhibit the following behavior:
Become Destructive
Rabbits love to chew, and if you don’t provide activities that allow them to chew, they will feast on your furniture, walls, and even wires. Not only could this be fatal to your fur baby but can also put your own safety at risk.
Depression
Bunnies can also get depressed if they’ve become used to having nothing to do. Some of the common signs of depression in rabbits are loss of appetite and lethargy. When left untreated, these symptoms can result in a weaker immune system, which increases your rabbit’s risk of illnesses and diseases.
Having More Accidents Or Acting Out
Some bunnies will protest when they’re bored. They’ll start displaying behavioral problems, such as deliberately not using their litter box or being overly aggressive. Some would even dig on the furniture.
Keep Your Bunny Busy
With the number of options presented in this article, keeping your rabbit occupied can become a breeze. Regardless of your schedule, budget, and lifestyle, there are numerous hacks available to prevent boredom in your four-legged friends.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick from any of the activities mentioned here and prepare them for your rabbit. Remember, keeping your bunny entertained is important to ensure their overall health!