Hiding your bunnies pellets???

[Nibbles_NZ]

I read that since rabbits are natural foragers it is a good idea to hide thier pellets rather than keep them in a bowl so they can find them. It gives them something to do, provides exercise and prevents them from over eating thier pellets. This sounds like a neat idea! Does anyone do this? If so, where do you hide them and do you put them in anything?

[Barbie]

Yeah I do this sometimes. Just scatter them around on the floor, also hide them in their boxes and toys. It’s lots of fun to watch them sniffing around looking for all of the pellets!  I got a cat treat dispenser which works well for the pellets since I can adjust the hole size and then the bunnies have to roll that around to get their pellets.

[Monkeybun]

I need to get one of those kitty treat balls for my lazy Moosie man. lol

[Nibbles_NZ]

I need to get one too. I am trying to find something to keep my teenage trouble maker boy busy until his neuter lol. Should I not put the pellets in his bowl when I do this? I’m just affraid he will think he is out of pellets and not eat at all.

[Barbie]

Nah, if you show him how the ball works, roll it around a bit in front of his face, he’ll figure it out when he sees a pellet or two drop out. Just be sure to pick up the ball when it’s empty, otherwise, I’ve found that mine continue to nudge it around and then start chewing the plastic when nothing else comes out!

[osprey]

I went to a presentation by Dr. Carolynn Harvey a few years ago where she suggested doing the hide the pellets thing. She said that if they had it their way, our spoiled house rabbits would have the pellet bowl placed right next to them so that they could eat without having to even stand up! She suggested that since rabbits are foragers in the wild, to hide or distribute their food so that they have to find it. She thought this would be a good way to break boredom too. I never hide the pellets, but I do give them their greens scattered all around the floor and make them go find them. Spreading them out also prevents some of the food yanking that goes on when they are all together.

[Minty]

Lol, Osprey, it’s funny that you said that. Sully truly is that lazy… I caught him flopped out with his face right in front of the food dish so all he had to do was lean his head down to take a munch… with his feet still flipped out behind him and everything. Wish I had a picture of that one!

[Author]

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