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how to take care of a bunny by playing games

8 Fun Things to Do With Your Bunny

by Amy Smith - 9/25/19

A pet rabbit might not initiate snuggles with you, but he does love to play. In fact, he needs to play to keep his mind and body active and to prevent boredom and misbehavior. As you learn how to take care of your bunny, it’s important (and fun!) to include games and activities in your daily routine. Try these enjoyable suggestions for playtime with your pet bunny.

1. Play Tag With Herbs

Entice your rabbit into a game of tag using a tasty handful of sweet hay, celery or some herbs he especially likes. Hold the greens near his nose. When he goes for them, allow him a little nibble, then quickly dash to the other side of the room. Continue making short dashes until bunny seems to be losing interest, then reward him with a handful of the delicious snack.

2. Play the Shell Game

Use clear plastic cups to cover some tasty greens for your rabbit. Show him the cups and demonstrate knocking them over to reveal the treat inside. Then set them up again, and encourage him to knock over the cups himself this time. Try putting out several cups at a time but with treats inside just one or two to increase the challenge for bunny.

3. Get Him to Hop Over the Wall

Give your rabbit a jumping exercise by constructing a wall out of cups or small cardboard boxes. Hold a bit of greenery on the opposite side of the wall from bunny, and he’ll hop over to grab the snack. You can make a series of walls to encourage multiple hops.

4. Set Up a Paper Roll Knock-Down

Set up paper towel or toilet paper tubes and let bunny hop by and knock them down. Increase the fun by balancing something light on top of the tubes, or set the tubes up in a pattern or maze to encourage even more hopping and knocking.

5. Stuff Paper Rolls With Treats

Bunnies love to chew, so combine that chewing instinct with their inquisitive nature by setting them food puzzles to solve. Make a ball by slicing a paper roll into rings and placing them one inside another. Hide a bit of fruit or vegetable in the center and toss the ball to bunny so she can work her way into the yummy center.

6. Build a Cardboard Castle

Pet rabbits may find the same old hutch boring after a while. Keep him interested in his environment by building him a castle! Use several cardboard boxes, scissors and tape to construct a temporary home with different rooms, tunnels and doors for bunny to explore–and safely chew on.

7. Flip the Box Lid

You can challenge your bunny’s problem-solving skills by offering her a few small wooden boxes with hinged lids. Glue or nail the boxes down to a board for sturdiness. Then show your rabbit how to open one of the lids by flipping the latch up. Close the lid and then let her try!

8. Toss Toys in the Air

Many rabbits enjoy tossing things in the air. You can make this into a game by picking toys for tossing that make a satisfying noise. Try children’s plastic keys, strings of beads, jar lids tied together or wooden blocks that come down with a clatter.

Amy Smith is a writer specializing in family and parenting topics. She teaches English, Latin and music at a private school and lives with her husband and five children on a small homestead in rural Pennsylvania.

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