Zinns’ Rabbit Farm
Information
Toys
At our rabbit farm each bunny has a toy in it’s cage. Usually they have several toys to keep them entertained. Rabbits need stimulation and interesting things to help enrich their lives. Also, various toys will provide different mental and physical benefits.
Aluminum cans-
They are free and readily available. Rabbits love to push they around in their cages. Each of our rabbits has 1-3 cans to play with. Remove any sharp or small parts on the cans. Also, exchange them for a new can if they get dirty or crumpled. The edges could get rough and sharp with use (chewing). Cans give visual stimulation and promote large muscle strength.Balls-
Bunnies love to bat light weight balls around their cages. The kind made of PVC that have holes in them (whiffle balls) are good. They can be 2 “ to 6 “ in diameter. They promote large muscle growth. Cat toy balls are fun for them to push around. Make sure any ball with a bell inside is strong enough that the bell won’t pop out through the side. Bunnies could choke on a very small bell.Hanging toys-
Toys that hang from the top of the cage will usually stimulate even the most sedentary rabbits. If you place the toy in the middle of the cage, the bunny will bump into it. Then bunny will be surprised that it makes a sound. The bunny will then bump it again and run around the cage to hear the sound, and see the various colors bounce around. The hanging toys will stimulate the rabbit’s hearing, vision and curiosity. What fun! The bunny will occasionally stand up on haunches to reach the toy. Or will stand up on it’s front feet or hind feet. This is especially good for the Holland Lops and Lionheads because they are judged by how high and proudly they lift their heads. The hanging toys teach the bunny to achieve the proper judging positions!!Purchased bird toys make great hanging toys for bunnies. They are bright, colorful, and have a bell. Usually bird toys are made of wood, which give the rabbit something safe to chew on. They cost anywhere from $0.88 Walmart (link) to $4.00 to 7.00. If ordered online they may be less expensive (Jeffers pet link).
Homemade hanging toys are great for bunnies too. If you have a lot of rabbits, they make a lot more sense than purchasing them. Each of my 120 cages has 1-2 hanging toys. Here is how I make them.
Supplies: Large colored chenille pipe cleaners
Pine cones if available
Cat toys, plastic balls with bells
Small plastic containers with lids, (like
5-hour energy drinks come in)
1” jingle bells
½” jingle bells.
Start with the energy drink container. Put a ½” bell inside the plastic bottle.
Wrap one chenille pipe cleaner around the neck of the little bottle once. Apply the bottle lid tightly over the chenille onto the neck of the bottle.
Take one end of the chenille and tie on a pine cone. Tie on a 1” bell
Tie on a different color chenille pipe cleaner. Overlap the colors.
Tie on a cat toy bell.
Wrap a different color chenille tie over the last tie.
You can keep adding bells and chenille ties.
Made a little hook out of the chenille tie at the end.
Hook the tie with the toys onto the top of the bunny cage!! Voila, you are done.
Each toy takes about 3 minutes to make. Be creative, add other toys or balls.
Note about the pine cones: the rabbits like to scratch their backs on these. They also like to eat them, and that is o.k.
If you prefer, Zinns’ rabbit farm sells these toys for $3.00 each or 10 for $25.00, 20 for $40.00.
