How to Play With Your Rabbit

The more you get on the floor and play with your rabbit, the more he will consider you his playmate, especially if he doesn't have a rabbit companion. This is a great bonding time, and you will see him do things you didn't think rabbits could do - like dance!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hard Plastic Baby Rattles
• Small Baskets
• Slinkys

1. Buy some toys for your rabbit. Plastic Slinkys, hard plastic baby key rings, hard plastic baby rattles and small unvarnished, unpainted baskets are great rabbit toys.

2. Cut the cardboard from a roll of paper towels into halves or thirds and stuff it with hay. Clean toilet paper tubes work well, too.

3. Get on the floor with your rabbit and give him one of the toys. Rabbits, like cats, are independent. Let your rabbit come to you. Rabbits are also very curious. They will want to check you out.

4. Shake a rattle and then place it on the ground near your rabbit. He will probably pick it up and toss it.

5. Play games like hide and seek with your rabbit or have him find alfalfa pellets hidden in your closed hands.

6. Pretend the Slinky is sneaking up on him. He will lunge at it and pretend to attack it. Roll the cardboard tube toward him or stand it up on end. He will pick it up and toss it or push it over. Then let him have it and toss it around.

7. Leave these toys in your rabbit's play area so he can play on his own when you aren't there to play with him.

Tips & Warnings

• Never play with toys that can be harmful to your rabbit - anything with nails, staples, varnish, paint or things he can catch his nails on.
• Make sure all toss toys are light and small so that your rabbit can easily pick up and toss them.

[JeaniSancey]

on 7/30/2008 My rabbit loves a half deflated balloon. We call it his wife!

on 9/23/2006 Cat toys are great, small balls with bells that bun can easily pick up and toss. Most rabbits love boxes or anything they can run in and out of, race around, and jump on. To add extra fun, line the bottom with a few layers of newspaper for him to dig. Pinecones are also really nice because they're easy to toss and safe to chew. I have a basket filled completely with dried pinecones that my bun loves to run across, any that fall out, he tosses right back in!

on 8/15/2006 I bought a cat ball at the pet store that you can stuff treats in. My rabbit doesn't like to eat the treats from it, but he constantly rolls the ball around for hours with his nose! =)

on 8/8/2006 Buy three different treats that your rabbit may like. Put them in front of them to see which one they prefer. If they keep eating that one, when you call them to come to you, hold out that favorite treat so it will come to you.

on 8/8/2006 We've just got a rabbit and he's a little more excited than we thought (because he's an adult). I noticed when we take him out of his cage to let him move around, he slips and is very afraid. So when you take you rabbit out, you need to put him on a surface that he won't catch his nails on, but where there is enough friction for him to move around comfortably.