Enrichment for Caged Bunny, Any Tips?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 11sd replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 9 months ago by 12345ABCDE.

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- 10/14/2017 at 4:48 AM
  Fluffykins
  Participant
  239 posts
  I’m going to be leaving my fluffykins to be pet sat with a friend soon and I know he won’t get much out of cage time purely because she has no idea how to pick him up safety and is too scared to try! I’m happy with her just petting him via the door, and it’s a super super large cage so hopefully it should be ok for the week! I’ve seen how he reacts to being picked up by someone that’s not confident, and it’s not good at all. Due to her home situation, I can’t send his playpen with him so he really does have to be “caged up” for the week. Gotta admit I’m nervous, as he is so used to being picked up and fussed over.
  
  I currently (this is his normal set up) have a sea grass mat in there, a big willow tunnel, 2 wooden houses and a home made digging shoe box I made for him. He still has a big area that’s free of anything to just run around in (and I have seen him do the bunny 500 in his cage haha) but for when I’m going away, I’ve brought him 8 new toys (so far).
  
  I’ll ask her to give him one new one everyday, and take the previous days one out. I’ve got two (big – 8″) nests made out of hay and filled with hay and flowers inside. I’ve got 2 wooden hanging chews, with seeded treats inside (only allowed for 15 mins a day). I’ve got bright wooden hanging blocks, an extra tunnel (a hay one) to swap out with the wicker one and a carrot and meadow (and cardboard) hut he can nibble on from Amazon.
  
  I’ve learnt he doesn’t really play with a toy unless he can eat it or at the very least chew it about for a bit! So my toys have to be centred around food.
  
  I will also make 2 or 3 loo role toys. Put some dried parsly inside (goes mad for it), fold the edges and punch holes into it. I’m currently patiently waiting for him to figure out how to get the treat out
  
  Please let me know any tips or tricks you might have, especially any different toy ideas. I’m searching the shops and online to find any toys that are cage suitable, safe to use fairly unsupervised and edible… and healthy!
  
  Thank you!
  
  Ps I forgot to mention, I’m opening all new toys, letting him play with it for 5/10 or 15 minutes (depends how into the toy he gets – I don’t want him to destroy it yet)! Just so I know he will interact with it, and any of the edible parts don’t give him any tummy issues. I’ve also brought him readygrass, a dried grass bag… which he seems to love. I give 1 small handful a day, into his hay rack. He’s on three different hays by the way, Timothy, alfalfa, and oat, so lots of variation.
- 10/14/2017 at 12:03 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  Is the cage atleast 18sqft? If not, buy a pen and attach it before you leave. Have her visit your bun instead of you taking him to her home (taking him to her home can also cause the problems listed). Rabbits need a minimum of 18sqft, especially if they are going to be having less free roam time than 30 hours a week. A rabbit who is trapped without enough exercise can gain weight, become depressed, become stressed, go into stasis easier/faster, develop leg and muscle problems, ect. Adequate minimal space needs to be met or youre risking a lot of long term problems for your poor bun.
- 10/14/2017 at 1:15 PM
  Fluffykins
  Participant
  239 posts
  Lol no it’s not 18sqft (can’t remember it’s measurements) but I’m pretty sure it’s not 18 sqft.
  
  Also pretty sure a week of cage time (which he can run in and stretch up on with space left) isn’t going to cause obesity and all the other problems listed.
  
  I am worried about depression but purely on a social factor as he’s so used to sleeping on me and me holding him about the house… whilst I watch tv or fold laundry etc. He just won’t be getting that level of interaction.
  
  Also no I have specifically chosen for him to go to her house rather then she come here twice a day as I just cannot leave him completely alone for those hours inbetween.
  
  Sorry my mistake, I keep assuming everyone here knows everyones background and rememberes previous posts (stupid I know)! But my bunny is used to going out with me. I take him supermarket shopping, to my mum’s place, and a few other places. He’s very nicely socialised, confident and lays in flop position whilst I carry him about everywhere!
  
  If you read I think my last post before I started this one I described it a bit.
  
  I’m not so worried about lack of space in the cage as I said I’ve seen him do bunny 500’s without touching any sides; whilst I wouldn’t leave him confined in it forever, I know it’s ok for a week. I did think about having a sort of run attached but the hallway my friend will keep the cage doesn’t have that extra space.
  
  Like I said though I’m not worried about lack of space or movement, I’m more worried about emotional turmoil of not being with me and doing the things we normally do together. Not having that enrichment..
- 10/14/2017 at 1:33 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17044 posts
  I think you’re doing what can be done in order for him to be as happy as possible while you’re gone. He might not even want to interact closely with your friend since they’re not bonded like you and he obviously are. Just being in a place where there are other people will probably be enough. Everything you send with him will have a familiar and comforting scent of home on it.
  
  Bam’s favorite “toys” are apple tree twigs. He can really gnaw every slightest square millimeter of bark of off a twig. It’s a bit like a bone for a dog I think -both food and an activity. It’s skinny food too – Bam is currently in a diet so I asked his vet if apple twigs were ok, and he’s steadily loosing weight in spite of getting an apple twig every day.
  
  If you can’t get pesticide free apple twigs, willow is great too. Willows aren’t attractive to pests so they’re rarely treated with pesticides.
- 10/14/2017 at 1:37 PM
  Fluffykins
  Participant
  239 posts
  Oh bam, I have been searching high and low for Apple twigs!!!
  
  I give willow toys (and that’s the only non food toy he will chew apart and interact with) but I would so love to give him apple twigs. They sound delicious even for me!
  
  I have no idea where to get it locally so I’ve searched online and the only option that comes up is shipping from china???! No thank you.
- 10/14/2017 at 2:09 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17044 posts
  Oh wow, from China?! I’m sorry you can’t get apple twigs locally But willow is really good too.
  
  I’ve actually taste a little bit of apple twig bark, just to see what’s so great about them. It was quite astringent, like it had tannins in it. Guess you have to be a rabbit to really appreciate it
- 10/15/2017 at 5:35 PM
  SuperBunnyto
  Participant
  61 posts
  The Binky Bunny store now has apple twigs. I have also seen them at One Ear Up Hay (oneearuphay.com). I’ve offered these to my buns, and they seem to like them. Binky Bunny ships from California. One Ear Up Hay ships from Vermont. Hope this helps!
- 10/16/2017 at 12:54 AM
  Kaz
  Participant
  28 posts
  Not sure if it’s been mentioned above but something as simple as a large mirror can make things feel way bigger for your bunny.. just purely on a mental level … when I first got Alex I put a mirror in his cage, obviously fixed for safety reasons… but yeah something as simple as a mirror can make a huge difference.
- 10/16/2017 at 3:47 AM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Fluffykins, are you in the U.K.? Pets at home have bags of assorted twigs. They aren’t very long but I’m pretty sure there’s some apple ones in the mix.
  http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/woodlands-twig-mix
- 10/16/2017 at 5:17 AM
  Fluffykins
  Participant
  239 posts
  Oh thank you for that eddy, yes I’m in the UK so I’ll have a look at pets at home, thanks again!
  
  Bam you do make me laugh, you tried the Apple twigs hahaha!!
  
  Thanks for the idea Kaz, I’ll write that down and get shopping for a mirror I can attach to the outside of his cage! Thanks for the fyi super bunny, can you believe I’ve never checked out binky bunnys shop haha!
- 10/16/2017 at 5:17 AM
  Fluffykins
  Participant
  239 posts
  Oh thank you for that eddy, yes I’m in the UK so I’ll have a look at pets at home, thanks again!
  
  Bam you do make me laugh, you tried the Apple twigs hahaha!!
  
  Thanks for the idea Kaz, I’ll write that down and get shopping for a mirror I can attach to the outside of his cage! Thanks for the fyi super bunny, can you believe I’ve never checked out binky bunnys shop haha!
- 10/16/2017 at 5:43 AM
  12345ABCDE
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By Eddyw111 on 10/16/2017 3:47 AM
  
  Fluffykins, are you in the U.K.? Pets at home have bags of assorted twigs. They aren’t very long but I’m pretty sure there’s some apple ones in the mix.
  http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/woodlands-twig-mix
  
  My bunnies have those. There’s apple, birch and linden (?) in the mix.
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