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Enrichment/toy ideas

yaretzi

Wise Old Thumper
I'm struggling for new ideas.

basically, I have them in a 6 x 5 shed and between 9am-9pm they're let out via their runaround tube to a 6 x 4 run, and I try to let them out as much as possible - every 2 days as a minimum. they also have a shelf inside the shed providing another 6 foot x 1.5 foot of space.

in terms of enrichment and toys they have:

-a variety of ways to feed them including scatter feeding, doggy brain toys, wobbly balls, rolly balls, put in a box with hay to forage/dig, hand-fed, put into hangy balls, stuffed into loo rolls with hay, etc.
-cardboard toilet roll tubes and larger ones to run through.
-a variety of boxes to jump in and out of that I arrange nicely, I make their own little castle from them :oops:.
-fabric tubes to run through, as well as plastic ones.
-fabric pop up shelters to hide in.
-a huge variety of throwy/nudgy items which get largely ignored :roll:.
-willow balls and toys to nom.
-foraged fresh food and dried out willow sticks with the leaves on etc, so interesting stuff for them to eat...
-interactions with hoomins.

the only thing I can think of that I haven't used is a diggy box, which I'm working on. i also like the idea of a cat scratching post kinda but I'm struggling to find one that's suitable, ie not too high with a decently stable platform as they're not as nimble as cats! they have an inbuilt shelf of 56cm, so anything around that height or similar would be fab...

basically any suggestions would be good. or links to items/sites would be equally as fabulous. feel like their life is a bit boring, wanna spice it up with a bit of variety, as I can't rotate the big toys much...since the cardboard stuff can't go outside coz of rain & dew
 
TBH I dont know. My 2 dont seem interested in toys. But they are inside older bunnies.

They like the curtains :roll: and their tunnel and tent. Sunshine spent weeks of fun with the mattress under the bed in the 2nd bedroom.
 
Im interested in finding new ideas as my buns seem to be bored despite having loads of toys, magazines/catalogues & tunnels. If only it was safe for them to be outside on their own then they would be able to munch on grass all day
 
It sounds like they have a lovely lot of toys! :love: I've just given Twinkle and Star a diggy box today and they love it.

What about a platform to jump on/different levels? I know you said they have their shelf though, but maybe they could have one in their run?

I dont know what else, sorry x
 
It sounds like they have a lovely lot of toys! :love: I've just given Twinkle and Star a diggy box today and they love it.

What about a platform to jump on/different levels? I know you said they have their shelf though, but maybe they could have one in their run?

I dont know what else, sorry x

Oh that's a good idea, thanks. Their run is only 3 foot tall, so it would have to be quite a small platform but I'll look into making that from spare bits of wood I have lying around, thanks :)

They have jumpy platforms incorporated into their 'cardboard castle' which is good, but they love their lookouts so it will be nice to make one for outside :)

Hopefully more people will come along to suggest more things :D
 
The only other thing I can think of is a whole runaround system (currently they just ahve the basic tube from shed-run), but my mom doesn't want a whole system taking up the whole garden! I'd love to get them another run attached to another part of the garden, but again my mom doesn't want another run in the garden :lol:!

Keep racking your brains everybun, seems like lots of other people are struggling for suggestions!
 
I think you have given them loads of things to play with...difficult as obviously if they were wild they would run about all over the place...saying this though -they are outdoors in their runs all day & would be bale to enjoy the general activities going on.

I know mine love curtains too...maybe attach some fabric on some curtain thingy to enable them to run under it and play etc....if you worried about useing fabric - you could use aload of woven grass mats...not as soft but similarish concept.

I also saw some one put a little water into a litter tray the other day when it was very hot & their buns paddled in it...

Perhaps another dig/burrow box - cardboard filled with hay?

Youve done so much already ....pics!:D
 
I think you have given them loads of things to play with...difficult as obviously if they were wild they would run about all over the place...saying this though -they are outdoors in their runs all day & would be bale to enjoy the general activities going on.

I know mine love curtains too...maybe attach some fabric on some curtain thingy to enable them to run under it and play etc....if you worried about useing fabric - you could use aload of woven grass mats...not as soft but similarish concept.

I also saw some one put a little water into a litter tray the other day when it was very hot & their buns paddled in it...

Perhaps another dig/burrow box - cardboard filled with hay?

Youve done so much already ....pics!:D

I love those 3 ideas! I'll try to get some pics! I'm planning on making a webpage about my buns and their housing etc, so I'll put em on there at some point :love:
 
I cant really think of anything new, theyre probably just variations of what youve already mentioned.

In my experience, theres nothing better than a tub of soil or cardboard box filled with hay, treat hay, treats, bunny safe plants etc with a tunnel going into it, and a little human hand sized hole at the other end, so they can chew their way out if they want or they can use the tunnel.

Dolly love it, especially. If you come up with anything new, id love to see pictures :)
 
I cant really think of anything new, theyre probably just variations of what youve already mentioned.

In my experience, theres nothing better than a tub of soil or cardboard box filled with hay, treat hay, treats, bunny safe plants etc with a tunnel going into it, and a little human hand sized hole at the other end, so they can chew their way out if they want or they can use the tunnel.

Dolly love it, especially. If you come up with anything new, id love to see pictures :)

I think I may try that! I wish I hadn't got rid of the small length of runaround tube I had, that would have been perfect :( I'll see if I can dig out a spare box for that idea, although I may let them destroy their cardboard castle first :D

Also sneaky bump incase anyone has any new ideas etc :wave:
 
Oh forgot to mention I've thought of one thing - dunno if it'll suit everyone but it worked for me!

My buns had no hay in their run as I had no way of feeding it without it blowing everywhere (mom is a neat freak :shock:). I had a deep tub (about 30cm high) and about 70cm long. Shoved some hay in there, put it in the run and they're loving munching away while being outside! Simple things really work :D
 
Benjamin has the following in case they are of interest
- 1ft high scrathing post. He noms the cord
- 2 small size cardboard tubes that he throws about and "boxes"
- 2 crisp packet boxes that have the Jumbo tube sticking out of them; one has a second hole oto make a hiding box with 2 exits, the other is closed and used in the lounge as his hidey hole.
- 1 large rope ball to throw around
- 4 plastic cat balls that get thrown about
- a cardboard eggbox to throw around, and have treats put inside
- an empty Soft mint box with lid that he found in the lounge and loves!
- selection of toilet/kitchen rolls that get grasses, weeds, etc put inside them
- a treat ball that gets filled sometimes so he can roll it about and get timy treats
- a dangly cat toy on string/elastic. Evie had one which had a ball with a few featherd sewn into it. Ben decided he wanted to play with it too, grooming the feathers and tugging them or chasing it across the foloor, so we go him his own to play with!
- plastic tupperware lids that are thrown about
- a cat/rabbit pop up forked tube. It gets tramples and boxed more than ran through
- selection of plant pots which have herds/dandelion/gresses growing in them to feed from. These get given occassionally as a treat, then left to regrow
- dangly wire ball filled with hay/grasses
- full sized football to chase and box

Ben has a habit of finding his own toys. A tin of baked beans that fell out of the shopping was chased around the floor for hours! He found an old hardback book behind the sofa and tore it to shreds!

You could give them a couple of cheap cans (still sealed!) to chased about, or a football? Ben loves his. A few old books might not be so bad either, like last years yellow pages/ctalogue or just a box full of junk mail that they can shred and do with as they please.
Just thoughts...
 
Here is the cat tree my lot have and love it. Many fosters and my own buns have had fun with it.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/scratching_posts/small/37574

OlTree2.JPG


If you look on Susiebuns thread 'thank you Aunty Ali' you will see the kind of box I make as a hideout and platform to jump on. They also have upturned flower pots to sit on too. Cost £3.00 for the wood!

My lot also like sitting on one of the cheap plastic tables you can get for kids in tesco at this time of year.
 
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