Safe Boxes and Homemade Toys

[Rescuemom]

So I've seen lots of great ideas for homemade toys, and plan to make several.

However... I've noticed a few people saying use plain cardboard boxes only... Is there something wrong with the ones with the pictures or colors? I have old Canon paper boxes that I can turn into toys and hides and play-things for Crush if I can use them. Also, can I cut holes in an old Ritz cracker box and stuff it with hay for a toy? Or is it unsafe because of the cardboard and colors?

Also, how do I know for sure if the newspaper(ink) in my area is safe for Crush to play with?

I have these little 'link' baby toys already that he LOVES. He also loves his bell and I plan to get him some more toys too, and make more as well.

I'd like to get him one of those 'cat tunnel' toys from a pet store too.

Also, has anyone ever tried a Kong with a rabbit? Stuffing it with hay and treats? I have a really small one that my dog grew too big to keep using(she was a tiny puppy), and Crush has maloclussions, so no chance of him breaking off tiny pieces to ingest - would I be okay to use this?

Are MOST pet toys in general, safe for bunnies as long as they can't break off fibres to ingest?

 

[Azerane]

For boxes, you are supposed to stay away from those that are the shiny type of cardboard, but I do give Bandit boxes from pepsi cans which are shiny and printer with colour. However he doesn't often ingest it, he's more of a rip it off and throw it on the floor kind of guy. I think people just worry about the inky and whatever coating is on the box to make it shiny. If you're rabbit isn't ingesting much of it, I wouldn't think it's a problem.

As for newspaper ink, I'm not sure if there's a way to tell except to ring the newspaper company and ask. The cat tunnels are a good toy, Bandit loves racing through his.

As for the rest of pet toys, personal choice but I like to stay away from anything that he can potentially break things off of, this includes soft plastics and rubber toys, soft toys, rope toys etc. I usually go for hard plastic toys or wooden toys. But again, if your rabbit isn't trying to ingest them, then they would be a safe option so long as there's not a loop that they can get their head stuck in or something.

 

[Watermelons]

Some of my guys favourite toys are the typical TP tube or cardboard egg carton stuffed with hay. But also I hit up value village or similar second hand stores and look for interesting solid hard plastic baby rattles... For my parrot. Now once shes bored with that particular toy, it goes right to the bunnys and they love tossing it around. Ive shoved my pop can cardboard boxes with hay, gotten them a straw hat, babby links, etc. And lots of cat toys.
In general most are safe as you said, as long as they cant ingest it

So it really depends if your bunnys a shredder, or a muncher.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

The boxes to avoid are ones with photo quality pics as that is a plastic applique. The one's with colored pictures, like apple and banana boxes are alright as that is soy ink. Our guys just love any and all boxes, grocery bags, and a pan full of hand shredded newspaper is good for hours of entertainment. Cardboard Kingdoms has a lot o pics and ideas.