How can I tell if a rabbit is playing with its toys?

[MadRabbit]

So, how can I tell if a rabbit is playing with its toys?  I have given it cardboard tubes, plastic cups, and a baby rattle.  He simply picks them up and tries to throw them, and that’s it.  It almost looks like he’s annoyed by their presence.  I would imagine that playing would be like chasing a ball around, you would do it for a while. 

[Alicia Conklin]

Tucker usually seems like she’s mad at her toys too.  But rabbits play by throwing their stuff around, they like things that they can fling.  Sometimes she’ll nose her ball around or flick her slinky around for a few minutes at a time but most times it’s just once or twice in passing.

It is possible that maybe your bun would prefer things she could explore rather then the toys that she has.  I think all buns are different in the way that all children are different and they won’t all like the same toy. 

I fill toilet paper rolls with hay and she loves this.  She’ll fling it arond and push it to get the hay out of it.

And she loves straw mats (I got some 100% straw place mats on clearance for 1.00 that I use) and cardboard houses .  These types of things hold her attention for much longer then her regular toys.  The cardboard houses she loves to jump from level to level and chew new windows and the straw mats she loves to dig at and rip apart. 

Sometimes I annoy her on purpose.  And I know that sounds horrible but it gives her something to do at night while I sleep.  I take all of her toys and put them on her upper level because she’s very particular about what gets put up there and toys are not one of the chosen few.  She’ll spend a good half hour or so flinging all her toys off the level which tires her out and she’ll then have a nap lol.  It prevents her from being bored atleast

I also think that Tucker plays with her toys more during the night while I am not around.  It’s possible that when you’re there your bun finds you more interesting or has better things to do like run around and binky and doesn’t need the toys at that time.  That’s what I think happens with Tucker alot because in the morning I find toys all over the place (more then they’d get to just by her flinging them off the upper level) so I think when she’s bored she does actually play with them.

 

[Beka27]

i really like this article… http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-6/chew-stick.html

it tells of specific ways rabbits play and different things you can buy or find around the house to entertain them.  like TuckerBun said, flinging is a way they play, but there are others.  offer different things and your bunny will always have something to do.  this will also serve to keep them away from what they shouldn’t be doing.

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