Boredom buster and easy bunny decor I discovered!

[Katie]

Hey guys!  I wanted to share some ideas I came up with.  DIY, cheap, and/or free ideas! 
First, I wanted to get Sirius another litterbox for outside of her cage, but she lives in the living room, so I didn’t want it to be out in the open, and for everyone to see it’s gross and ugly inside contents… Lol.  I wanted it to still look homey.  And “litterbox furniture” or “hidden litterboxes” are SO expensive.  Not to mention they’re mainly made for cats, so I didn’t know if Sirius would be able to get in  those as easily….  I came up with my own idea!

Here it is.  All I did was purchase a Single wooden storage cube.  15×15 in. I believe.  Amazon.com!  Just search “storage cubes.”  It matches the wood color of the rest of our furniture.  I installed it by hand with a screw driver and it took not even 15 minutes.  Her litterbox is an old K-cups coffee box that I cut up, put newspaper in the bottom of, and threw carefresh litter on top of, lol.  And I already had this old dog food dish mat that you can see placed in front/partially under the cube for “dribbles” and “scatters.” And for the litter and hay that get out of it.  I also wiped down the edges to the front of the storage cube with Vinegar, so that Sirius will not chew on it and make the cube ugly.  Place a plant on top and you’ll hardly notice this as is.  BUT, I am planning on getting a small rod I think, and some fabric that will match our living room colors, and placing a (sliding) curtain on the front of this cube as well.  IF Sirius will still use it with that attached on it.  I’m so pleased with this idea I brainstormed!  The cube was on sale and cost me $13. 

Next, I found an idea that kept Sirius entertained for a whole day!  I ran out of tissues. (Allergy season is in full force here; golden rod plants KILL me, Lol.)  So I thought, well, Sirius loves chewing on cardboard tubes…  Why not a small, thin, colorful cardboard box?  I removed the plastic lining from it.  I threw some pellets, some hay, and 2 of her favorite treats in it.  So it rattled, and she chewed on the corners and turned the box over and over, playing and trying to get at the treats for hours!  This is a temporary toy though.  I decided to leave it in her cage overnight and it was destroyed to smithereens the next morning, hahahaha. 

Last and probably most simple, I looked up what bunnies chew on in the wild.  Twigs!  I looked up which ones are safe and which aren’t.  We have an abundance of oak trees here, so I ripped a branch/twig off of one of those trees.  I didn’t pick one up off the ground, in order to be extra safe and careful and make sure it was in fact oak, so as not to poison her.  You never know how far a twig can travel I guess.   I got this idea because Sirius loves willow bark balls, but they can be pricey and she chews them COMPLETELY within hours….  Twigs aren’t as big of a hit, but they’re better than nothing.  Any longer lasting alternatives to willow bark balls for suggestions, guys?

[Serenity]

I also like taking old toilet paper/paper towel tubes, poking various holes in them and stuffing them with hay, treats etc. Ginny prefers the twigs, she likes to play with those though George will usually chew them down to shreds before she can have all her fun with them. Fred doesn’t play very much, he’s a little odd though if you put a bag of raisins in front of him he will not stop until he has figured out how to open it.
George loves blankets/towels. He doesn’t usually eat them, though I do keep a close eye on it. He just likes to bunch them up and wait for me to come by and straighten it out again for him to play with (though he does put considerable holes in them). Hermione LOVES the willow balls as well, but not for chewing. She picks them up with her teeth and throws them so she was chase them or tosses them with her front paws. Really, Hermione would play with anything you put in front of her (if she doesn’t eat it first, she’ll eat ANYTHING if she sees me eating it too). I can’t find a sutiable replacement for the wicker balls other than baskets they like to hide under and those are usually destroyed in days.

[DanaNM]

That all sounds great, I love diy stuff.

But I do think I saw Oak on a list of toxic woods somewhere

I know that apple, pear, willow, and citrus are safe, even when fresh.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Katie]

Medirabbit .com (<—-  link in text) said oak was fine….  I did check before I gave her the twig.  She seems fine so far.  Has had the twig a few days now.  Idk

[Katie]

I heard the fruit tree woods are the ones that are toxic But I did see willow is always safe.  None of that around here though.  I have bought her willow bark balls before, like I said, but she chews through them too quick! Lol

[GeorgieTheBunny]

Fruit trees where the fruit has pits; the wood from those is toxic when fresh. Supposedly there needs to be a dryout period and then the wood is safe.

Apple branches however are good right off the tree that’s how my bunny likes them.

[DanaNM]

They don’t list Oak in the safe list at the bottom (only that it can be medicinal), and I have seen it on a list as toxic: https://www.thespruce.com/safe-woods-and-plants-for-rabbits-1239351

Personally I wouldn’t risk it… And yes, not all fruit is safe (peach, apricot, cherry, plum are all toxic), but apple/pear and citrus are safe.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Dface]

DanaNM is right, oak is toxic to rabbits, both leaves and the bark. However the effects are not always immediate, but the damage is long term-so it isnt noticed now, but will be seen in the future. Eventually it causes liver failure. It’s the same in horses. I’d advise removing anything oak.

Soft woods are generally the best, especially sweet woods-things that bare fruit such as blackberry and raspberry bushes are really popular with mine (some people advice against blackberry cause the thorns can cause some issues, but if you use the younger stems they are easier) also grape vines are very popular. Ash trees are seemingly fun to chew as well (judging by the fact I planted a about 50 and wild rabbits ate half of the saplings !)
Apple is a slightly harder wood, and not as sweet so is sometimes ignored as a chew toy.

[Serenity]

Yes, grape vines are VERY popular with mine. All of them love them, especially Fred. Be sure to rinse them unless you buy them organic though, because they can have a lot of pesticides.

[Katie]

Oak branches removed.  I’ll find a different wood for her to chew!  Thanks!

[OverthinkingBun]

What a great litter box idea! Thanks for sharing – I might do that when my bun needs a second box around the apartment.

[Katie]

I ended up putting a garbage bag in that cardboard litter box I made for her; she used it a lot and it began to leak.  Like I only had it made and in use for a few hours before it leaked…..  Disgusting….  Lol.  So I’d recommend doing the same with cardboard boxes. 

[DanaNM]

Haha, i have to say, I was a little surprised you were using cardboard! I thought there was a plastic tray inside it….

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Katie]

I couldn’t find any that would fit right in there!  Besides corner type pans, which are too small.  So I had to make one haha.  I may go looking for a plastic container; it would look and function better. 

[Author]

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