I should point out, at no point was Scamp shut in the carry case. He was not a poor trapped bunny that wanted to escape. Nope, he just felt that the large doorway a few inches from he tail was not the best route out and proceeded to make his own exit.

Need less to say, that means a new carrier. Whilst emergency exits are usually good for health and safety, they are no so good when trying to get a rabbit to the vet.  I considered going for an all wire mesh one but I think they are too open for a rabbit  to feel secure and the risk of him sticking a leg through the wire is too high. After a bit of browsing I decided on this carrier from Wilkos:

It has all the basics: solid sides for a feeling of security, wire door (no point in plastic ‘mesh’ with a rabbit), plenty of ventilation holes, and it splits into two so it takes up less room when not in use. All that for £14, which isn’t too bad if someone eats it again!

I’m trying to expand the advice for bunny owners on The Rabbit House, so you can read my tips on rabbit carrier selection here.

a great big ball of fun…  Pets will nibble and gnaw this wooden chew toy to reach an all natural surprise inside – a real walnut! … a perfect chew toy for rabbits

I thought this was going to be a hit. It got quite a bit of initial interest and a few nibbles but it soon became another of those chew toys that get totally ignored. A walnut might be a great motivator for a pet rat but I’m not sure natural, walnut, and rabbit are really words that go together?

I think the problem with wooden chews is by the time the woods been dried, shaped, coloured blue, and wrapped in plastic it’s so far from an actual tree it’s lost all its tastiness. The bark also seems to be a rabbit’s favourite part and most toys don’t have any.

A nice fresh apple branch gets much more interest. This ones had all its bark stripped:

If you don’t have your own apple tree then ask around and see if you can find a friend/neighbour with one or ask on freeads/freecycle. Just make sure they don’t spray with pesticides.

It’s a very simple toy; a wire ball with a chain to hang it up and a bell on the bottom. One side has a section of wire missing so it’s easy to fill with goodies. It’s too small to hold enough hay to be useful, but it is perfect for stuffing with veggies.

The wire restricts access so that food has to be nibbled as the ball swings and you can adjust the height to make the activity more easy or difficult as required. If your rabbit is really clever, hang the ball up high so it’s only just in reach or only in reach when stood on a box.

Making rabbits work hard for food is great enrichment. It stops them getting bored and eating your wallpaper instead, and it also encourages them to be active, stretching and jumping to get what they want.

In this photo I’d wrapped Scamp’s veg up in paper before putting it in the food ball to make him work extra hard. As you can see, shredding the paper to get the treat is giving him a good work out.

The other type of treat ball is sold in various sizes for rabbits, cats and dogs. They have an opening at the top which can often be adjusted to control the amount of food that falls out. If your rabbit is a chewer avoid brands with raised patterns around the ball that could be chewed off.

What to Put in Your Treat Ball

The name treat ball is a bit misleading. You should not fill your rabbits ball with extra treats, otherwise your rabbit may get fat! Instead put your rabbits normal dry food in to the ball. This should be a portion of its normal amount, not extra. Once your rabbit has the hang of it, you can put all your rabbits dry food in the ball – and throw out your food bowl.

Teaching Your Rabbit to Use It

Some rabbits are quicker at others to pick up how to get get the food out of a the ball. Start by placing the ball with the hole down and a few pieces of food next to it. As your rabbit tries to get the food the ball will move knocking more food out. You may have to help your rabbit a few times until they understand what they need to do. If the opening is adjustable start with it on the widest setting. Once your rabbit has the hang of it they’ll soon be chasing it around super-fast!