The Rabbit House» rabbit-toys Archives – The Rabbit House

Rabbit Ball Pit

Tamsin — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:59:26 +0000

My bunny book is with the printer, so it’s time to relax and have some fun! We’ve had a sack of children’s play balls sitting in the garage for ages so I thought I’d see what Scamp thought. They are the sort of balls you find in ball pits so they are quite soft plastic and very light. They wouldn’t stand up to chewing but are cheap and good for nudging about.

As you can see, the pesky balls are all in the wrong place and need rearranging and rearranging, and shouldn’t that yellow one go on the left instead.

And for those that like live action rabbits, a quick video too:

Rabbit Agility

Tamsin — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 21:37:51 +0000

I was trying to think up another rabbit toy for Scamp’s ongoing adventures with cardboard tubes. Then Lisa mentioned agility training. Now I’d thought about this before, and then thought maybe it’s not such a good idea to encourage him to jump over things in case he remembers he can jump on the kitchen worktops or tries to take on the baby gate keeping him contained. However surely little jumps would be okay (yes, probably famous last words) he jumps over little things anyway. So here is my next toilet roll tube rabbit toy idea (drum roll, please)… bunny jumps!

They are very simple to make, you need an even number of cardboard tubes, some sticks, and some scissors.

Stab the cardboard with the scissors (making sure not to take out a finger) and post the sticks in. I used two sticks per tube but you could probably get away with one. If you are going for crossed sticks, then offset the bottom and top holes so there is room for the sticks to overlap.

Now, I believe at this point there is meant to be some training with treats or clickers and possibly some strict instructions about not eating the props but I thought first go I’d just give him a call and see what happened. I admit I was expecting something on the lines of ‘oooo stick, I’ll throw that’, hop, ‘oooo another stick, I’ll eat that’, hop, ‘I’m bored of stick, I’m off’. This is how it actually went…

Bit of a natural!

I tried action photos too, but he’s a bit quick. This blur is him (no really!)

Cardboard Tube Toys (Part 3)

Tamsin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:24:05 +0000

The cardboard tubes stuffed with even more cardboard tubes and cardboard tubes made into rabbit treat balls went down well, so next on the agenda is toilet roll inner tubes turned in to hay parcels.

No scissors necessary this time, you just need a cardboard toilet or kitchen roll tube and some tasty hay. You can also optionally add a little of your rabbit’s dry food or some vegetables. I guess fresh grass would work well too but it’s still a bit early in the year for that to be sprouting much.

Here’s what you do…

Start with a toilet roll or kitchen roll cardboard inner tube

Push the edge of the cardboard tube with your thumbs until it folds inwards.

It should look like this!

Rotate the tube and do the same to the opposite side to block the end.

Add your choosen filling.

Push in the sides as you did with the first end to seal it up

Finally give the hay parcel to you bunny. I made a slight technical error at this point, I gave Scamp the hay parcel and then found the camera batteries had gone flat. There was just a few wisps of hay left once they had charged so you’ll have to imagine the photo of him eating it or perhaps you could email me one of your bunny having fun with cardboard tubes? I’d love to see them.

Tunnels of Fun

Tamsin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:49:42 +0000

I mentioned at Christmas time that Scamp got some tunnels. They are great entertainment for him when he’s out exercising. He only uses them when supervised as I’m sure he’s shred them left to his own devices. This has the side benefit they they stay new and exciting as he doesn’t get them every day or he gets part of them in different combinations.

The tunnels fold up to the size of a plate for storage and pop out to 3′ long.

They have a hole half way down which means you can velcro them together into t-junctions or have one really long tunnel. And, not only does Scamp have tunnels, my mum found a pop up cube which they fit into which gives even more combinations!

Scamp has great fun poping up and down the tunnels:

Spot the rabbit?

Christmas Bunny Goodies

Tamsin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:33:32 +0000

I hope everyone is having a good Christmas. Scamp got a little bit spoiled, especially as I have no idea how such a little toe-rag didn’t end up on Santa’s naughty list. Here are his goodies:

There was rather nice wood and carrot hanging chew too but he ate it before I took the picture. He has some long pop up tunnels to use whilst he’s out exercising. I haven’t popped them all up yet but so far he’s enjoying playing, race through the tunnel, poke the nearest pair of ankles and dash back through so no one can tell it was you.

Scamp poking his head out.

He has a new ‘doormat’ as he eaten the old one. This time it’s made out of bunny approved materials (seagrass) which I’m sure he’ll test thoroughly.

I don't know what happened. It was like this when I found it, honest.

Not 100% sure about this.

It feels funny on my toes

I'm not eating it. I'm just touching it with my teeth.

So, did your bunny get any fun presents?

More Cardboard Tube Toys (Part 2)

Tamsin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:07:10 +0000

The first toilet roll rabbit toys went down well i.e. Scamp had fun destroying them. So, I thought we’d have a go at the cardboard balls that Schuette suggested. Scamp loves his treat ball and destroying things so they look like the perfect toy for him.

First thing you do is chop the toilet roll tube (or kitchen roll) into slices about a centimetre (half an inch) across to make hoops.

I found each toilet roll made about 6/7 hoops and that was about right to make one ball.

Once you have your sections you push one over another, then another over those two, overlapping them at different angles to cover the gaps until you have a ball. At some point before the gaps get too small (usually the 2-3 hoop mark) you pop in something tasty. I started with pellets but found they fell out as soon as Scamp made a little hole so moved on to pieces of carrot and cabbage leaf.

Once you’ve got all the hoops added they should look something like this:

Finally you add a rabbit and it ends up looking like confetti!

Here’s a video of him enjoy them too. Thank you very much for the idea! We’ll be trying hay stuffed tubes next .. I think I’ll wait until just before cleaning time because I can see Scamp getting hay everywhere!

Toilet Roll Rabbit Toys Part 1

Tamsin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:59:23 +0000

I’m experimenting with making rabbit toys from the cardboard tubes in toilet rolls at the moment, and I’ll be posting the instructions and results. If you have any toy suggestions then please post them in the comments for me and Scamp to try out. The first toy I tried is a toilet roll stuffed with more toilet rolls and a tasty treat.

To make this bunny toy you will need: four toilet rolls tubes (or two kitchen roll tubes cut in half) and something tasty. I tried pellets and carrot sticks but any vegetable or treat would work. Something long and thin or that will roll up (like a cabbage leaf) would work best. Intrigued? Read on….

Step 1: Flatten three of the cardboard tubes and fold/roll then length ways.

Step 2: Push the three flattened tubes into the fourth tube.

Step 3: Push treats in the gaps created by the folds. I used rabbit food but carrot sticks would all so work well. Alternately you could add leaf style veggies to the other tubes before you fold them

Step 4: Give to rabbit for shredding.

You need four toilet roll tubes

Fold up the other three cardboard tubes.

Put the flattened tubes into another cardboard tube

Stuff treats into the gaps

Let the shredding commence

Rabbit Sticks

Tamsin — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 23:43:27 +0000

There is nothing like Scamp’s antics for making you feel better so I thought it was time for something fun. Scamp has been enjoying decimating the willow chew sticks he received with his press release about the RSPCA Survey:

Four Willow Chew Sticks (chewed)

I’ve posted before that his favourite way to chew sticks is whilst you hold them for him. I don’t mind holding his stick for him but I can’t do it all the time – how would I type? Sticks left on the floor seem to get ignored by rabbits – Scamp included. So I thought what I needed was a stand in stick holder.

He already has a vegetable holder. It’s just a a metal skewer with a hook at the top and a screw end that you undo, push skewer through the veg and do up again. It works great for chunky things broccoli stalks and carrot, but would it work for sticks, which, whilst great for chewing, are not as exciting as vegetables.

Small animal vegetable holder (about £2.50 - try in the bird section if you can't find it under rabbits).

First step, the sticks needed some holes. As I haven’t yet got Scamp to chew accurately on command I had to resort to a drill.

Clamp the sticks in a vice to hold them still then drill holes.

If you’re having a go, check the drill bit is slightly bigger than whatever you’re threading them on to it stops you having to drill twice (oops).

Willow chew sticks, now with holes. Don't they look tasty!

Then it’s time to try them out:

I chose to hang them in the corner as he’s had a bit of a go at the skirting there, and hanging something in the way of a favourite chewing spot is a great way to stop rabbits chewing something they shouldn’t. Hopefully he won’t go back to the skirting until he’s got rid of those annoying sticks dangling just in the way, so, as long as I keep replacing the sticks, the skirting should remain intact – that’s the theory anyway!

I might try a few more sticks hung in different locations to see if he has a preference. I only have one vegetable holder but I think string will probably work too.

More Rabbit Toys: Paper Tunnels

Tamsin — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:49:29 +0000

Left: Free newspaper tunnel, right: £6.99 cardboard rabbit tunnel (chewed)

I’ve been experimenting with tunnels for Scamp, here is a really easy to make newspaper tunnel….

Step 1: Lay out a row of sheets of newspaper, overlapping each sheet by approximately a third. I used 4 sheets.

Step 2: Roll the paper around something round, such as a cake tin. I use a shop brought tunnel.

Step 3: Roll over the ends to stop the tunnel unravelling. Fold outwards, like turning up trousers. You only need to fold over about an inch, do it twice to keep it secure.

That’s it – you should have a rabbit tunnel, as demonstrated by Scamp:

"Do I have too?" "Okay, but I'm going to pull a funny face."

Of course, it’s easy to chew to pieces but it’s quick and free to make so shredding is just part of the fun. I used a local paper but if you pick something bigger like the telegraph you could get a lovely long tunnel.

"Hi, can I have treats now?"

Cardboard Tunnels

Tamsin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:19:14 +0000

Scamp is rather chuffed, we got some new shelves and that means boxes! A 8′ long box to be exact – just perfect to make a tunnel.

First thing you need to do with a tunnel … make a second exit.

I’ve been a bit busy with work and enjoying the warm weather in the garden. Scamp on the other hand is still busy trashing the kitchen. He’s perfected the art of jumping from floor to worktop and demonstrated by eating the electric wire to the microwave (cut out the power but didn’t zap himself – how do rabbits do that?). We are presently experimenting with nets, so far this has resulted in a net with even bigger holes and a rabbit napping on the bread board. Maybe the tunnel will distract him.