Rabbits love chewing and nibbling. It“ is a normal, natural, necessary (and highly enjoyable) activity for rabbits.”[1]. If you do not give them something to chew, they will be more destructive and gnaw almost anything they come across.
Besides, chewing will ensure good dental health, as well as help, wear down their teeth that are ever-growing. You do not want to start dealing with overgrowing teeth problems including molar spurs which will make it hard for your furry friend to eat since they will hurt soft tissues in his or her mouth.
Therefore, to help satisfy this nature, and improve their dental health, it is recommended you give them something to chew which is either not harmful if ingested or something they cannot ingest.
Can I give my rabbit cardboard to chew?
Instead of spending money on commercial chew toys, you should consider giving your bunnies the various homemade chew toys including “untreated wood blocks or cardboard in their cages” [2].
Perfect cardboards to give your rabbit chew include empty paper towel rolls as well as empty toilet paper rolls or any other chewable board if it is safe.
Cardboards are mainly made of cellulose making them safe even if your rabbit ingests them. However, do not give them too much since they have little nutritive value. Always consider the recommended rabbit diets including leafy greens and occasional treats.
Also, ensure you remove any stickers or anything harmful that could be on them including staple pins, tapes, and so on. They should not have printings as some ink types used are not safe. Therefore, avoid cereal boxes, FedEx boxes or any other printed ones.
Besides satisfying their instinctive nature, they can make perfect toys to keep your furry critter happy. Here is how cardboard can be of help:
- Bigger ones can make a perfect hideaway place to escape to whenever your pet wants to have his or her privacy - as a hideaway place.
- If filled with straws, hay or other bedding material, they can be a perfect place for him or her to snuggle in and rest.
- With some modification, they can be turned into tunnels or burrows to give your furry critter a perfect place to explore and escape to sometimes for privacy. Narrow cylindrical cardboards will make perfect tunnels for rabbits. Also, cardboard concrete forms are also good for burrowing.
- As a toy, your bunnies will enjoy tossing, jumping onto, reaping and rolling them around. This will both exercises your rabbit and help reduce boredom which is associated with a destructive nature.
- Finally, you could wrap your bunny’s favorite treats inside them, such as inside toilet rolls covered with hay from both ends or it can be cut into pissed and used to wrap the treat to help stimulate their mind, making them great logic toys.
With all the above benefits, cardboards can be an important enrichment in your rabbit’s hutch or run. If you have a freely reigning house rabbit, do not forget to also give it toys including cardboards as well as bunny-proof your home.
Other chew toys
Besides the cardboard, you can also consider the following great homemade and commercial chew toys. Bunnies will enjoy their varied textures and colors.
- Peter’s Woven Grass Ball and mats
- Rosewood Boredom Breaker Small Animal Activity Toy Chill-n-Chew Mat
- Willow Branch Ball for Small Animals by Ware Manufacturing
- Kaytee Perfect Chews for Rabbits
- Dried, untreated pine cones
- Fresh apple wood tree branches
Conclusion
Chew toys are very necessary for any rabbit. This will reduce its tendency to eat wood on their hutch, your shoes, cable wires, shelves, textbooks, newspapers if he or she gets access to them.
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