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bowserandluna

Brianna
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I had à mini rex back in November that unfortunately passed away. We don't know what it was but I think it was a mix of where she came from along with too many pet store sugary treats. By too many I mean like 3... It was really sad and unfortunate and I was absolutely heart broken.

I am now adopting two baby Holland lops that are litter buddies from a very nice woman so I know where they're coming from, health, etc! The last time I adopted the store wasn't even totally sure if it was a girl!

Basically I'm just wondering if any of you have suggestions on websites that I can buy toys and other fun things to keep bunnies entertained that you guys have had good experience with! Please let me know. :)
 
I'm not sure about particular websites, but there's a lot of toys you can easily get from other stores too. You can use plastic baby keys and stacking cubs, a hard plastic treat ball, you can use toilet paper and paper towel tubes as toys along with old copies of the white pages phone book with the covers ripped off. Hopefully someone else has a website suggestion for you. :) What country are you from? It may help with suggestions as some may limit where they ship to.
 
I give my rabbits willow or wicker balls (same thing ) when they get bored.

They are made from willow tree branches. They like to roll, nibble, chew & eat them. I get the large ones as I find they break down the small ones too quickly.

If you google willow toys for rabbits & go to images, you will see plenty of online pet stores to buy from, but as mentioned in the last post, it depends where you live, as to where you can purchase from.

I wanted to buy some from overseas, as they had a good bulk price in a 6 pack, but they told me customs wouldn't let them in, so I bought a couple online from Australia, despite the higher price :bunnyheart

005 (2).jpg
 
While my online business is devoted primarily to sugar gliders, Nala and Gaz have their own page set aside for bunny-friendly stuff (link is in my sig)... I still need to add my newest items to it, though, the best of which is four types of pellet-dispensing toys (the kind made for cat treats/kibble which I've vetted as being viable for tiny rabbit pellets) [link is in my signature]. Off the top of my head, the Bunspace and BinkyBunny websites have some neat stuff. Both of those sites host their own (free) rabbit owners' forum, go out of their way to provide quality educational resources (I've linked to BinkyBunny's informational pages countless times!) and are promoters and supporters of rabbit rescues/shelters. In other words, if you like the idea of spending some or all of your toy budget on a site that's unquestionably worthy of your support, then Bunspace and BinkyBunny are *ideal* places to shop!

I've never actually ordered from BinkyBunny (though I know many others who have and I've never heard anything negative) as you have to order a good bit to make the shipping charges worthwhile, at least by my own standards, and there just wasn't enough stuff I truly wanted to buy. It's an issue of only shipping via FedEx - FedEx and UPS charge an extra fee for residential deliveries (as opposed to business addresses) and I've found they're *never* the best deal as far as domestic shipping on somewhat small orders. For extremely bulky and/or heavy items, they beat the pants off of USPS... otherwise, the opposite is true. If you're looking to buy like $20 worth of goodies, BinkyBunny probably isn't the way to go; however, if you're willing to splurge as long as you find enough stuff you'd like to get, then you may very well find their shipping costs worth it.

Bunspace focuses mostly on selling treats that are specifically designed for bunnies. Unlike commercial treats found in pet stores, which almost always contain loads of sugar and/or something totally unsuitable for bunnies (seeds, nuts, dried corn, etc.), Bunspace treats are actually HEALTHY when fed responsibly (ie "in moderation" for most treats; however, some items like dried herbs and edible flowers are technically considered "leafy greens" rather than treats and don't need to be limited). They have a very small number of items that could be considered unhealthy for many (or most) rabbits, but those items clearly note in the description what circumstances (and what amounts) the products are meant to be given in - those items *are* appropriate so long as the notes in the item description are adhered to.

I recently decided to try out some Bunspace goodies myself - I ordered these items, all of which have been huge hits with my three bunns:
Bunny Bites Sampler Pack
Fall Flower Mix
Dried Apple Twigs (thick & thin)
Box of Bunny Sprinkles [dried herbs and such]

If you like to make your own foraging toys by stuffing hay and treats into stuff like paper bags or paper towel/toilet paper rolls, the dried flowers and/or herbs that Bunspace sells are ideal things to include! They're exciting, different and tasty noms that come in little nibble-and-bite sized pieces which can easily be mixed into the hay... and because they're dried, there's no fear of a toy "spoiling" if a bunny takes their time getting to it (like there would be if you used fresh fruit or non-leafy veggies as the hidden forage).

~~~~~

Websites aren't the only great sources of bunny toys, though. As far as retail shopping goes, dollar stores (the kind where everything is actually $1 or less) are where it's at! Hard plastic baby/toddler toys, cat balls, whiffle balls, untreated wicker baskets, various bunny-safe items that can be picked up with teeth and tossed... shopping for toys at a dollar store is like a treasure hunt! The baby sections of thrift stores also sometimes have hidden gems. (Oh, and the $4 bag of hard plastic baby links at Walmart = win.)

If you're into craft/DIY projects (and especially if you own a few tools but even if you don't), window-shopping around the web can be a great source of inspiration. Many fun rabbit toys, castles, etc. can be made out of cardboard boxes, bunny-safe wood, sisal rope and/or other affordable, common and easy-to-work-with materials. If you search YouTube for something like "Homemade bunny toys," you'll undoubtedly get a ton of hits that provide tutorials in addition to ideas... however, vet the safety of a toy before you bother to make it, as there's no quality control for YouTube "information"! Way too many people post how-tos on their "brilliant and totally safe" ideas despite the fact that their ideas are actually stupid and/or dangerous (regardless of the subject at hand).

As for what makes wood safe: no treated lumber, no cedar, any soft wood other than cedar MUST be kiln dried (often stated as "KD") and no MDF/OSB/particle board.

In other words, for true boards - meaning anything with a nominal (ie stated in the name) thickness of 1 inch or greater and a width of 1-12'' - you want to look for things that do say they're kiln-dried but don't mention being treated, refer to themselves as "exterior" or have a name like "WeatherShield" that suggests they're meant to be exposed to the elements. While boards *are* also available in untreated hardwoods, the hardwood versions cost 2-3 times as much as the kiln dried softwood versions. They do look prettier, but bunnies don't give a darn about aesthetics and they like to chew on wood, so buying hardwood boards is like feeding your bunny paper bills :p.

If you need a panel rather than a board - meaning anything that's more than 12'' wide and/or has an actual thickness of less than 3/4'' (since a 1'' by whatever item is actually only 3/4'' thick) - you're pretty much stuck with hardwood plywood. I think KD pine plywood does exist, but it's uncommon and from what I've seen, it's always also treated to make it suitable for exterior use. [Notes: if something doesn't specify what type wood it is, you can bet on it being from a softwood tree and if something doesn't explicitly say "kiln-dried" or "KD" then it's not. If it's "mystery wood" (ie no tree specified and no mention of kiln-drying) then I'd bet my bunnies on it being unsafe, at least if you're shopping in the US. Oh, and in case you can't tell, I've done a fair bit of shopping for bunny-safe wood! :p]

Lastbut not least, you just can't beat the free toys! Bunnies like to play by destroying stuff - old phone books and plain packing paper are two classic favorites. Any random, hard plastic tossable item has potential - Nala *loves* to play with a plastic spoon; she'll take it from me, twirl it around, throw it and wait for me to offer it again... akin to a 2 year old throwing things from their highchair and waiting for you to pick them up so they can be thrown again.

Whenever you're doing any sort of routine shopping or are organizing stuff around your home, try to look at stuff with a bunny's eye view - what could you pick up and throw? What looks fun to chew on? What might be interesting to dig at? What makes an interesting noise (among other sounds, jingle bells and ripping paper appeal to them)?
 
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While my online business is devoted primarily to sugar gliders, Nala and Gaz have their own page set aside for bunny-friendly stuff (link is in my sig)... I still need to add my newest items to it, though, the best of which is four types of pellet-dispensing toys (the kind made for cat treats/kibble which I've vetted as being viable for tiny rabbit pellets) [link is in my signature]. Off the top of my head, the Bunspace and BinkyBunny websites have some neat stuff. Both of those sites host their own (free) rabbit owners' forum, go out of their way to provide quality educational resources (I've linked to BinkyBunny's informational pages countless times!) and are promoters and supporters of rabbit rescues/shelters. In other words, if you like the idea of spending some or all of your toy budget on a site that's unquestionably worthy of your support, then Bunspace and BinkyBunny are *ideal* places to shop!

I've never actually ordered from BinkyBunny (though I know many others who have and I've never heard anything negative) as you have to order a good bit to make the shipping charges worthwhile, at least by my own standards, and there just wasn't enough stuff I truly wanted to buy. It's an issue of only shipping via FedEx - FedEx and UPS charge an extra fee for residential deliveries (as opposed to business addresses) and I've found they're *never* the best deal as far as domestic shipping on somewhat small orders. For extremely bulky and/or heavy items, they beat the pants off of USPS... otherwise, the opposite is true. If you're looking to buy like $20 worth of goodies, BinkyBunny probably isn't the way to go; however, if you're willing to splurge as long as you find enough stuff you'd like to get, then you may very well find their shipping costs worth it.

Bunspace focuses mostly on selling treats that are specifically designed for bunnies. Unlike commercial treats found in pet stores, which almost always contain loads of sugar and/or something totally unsuitable for bunnies (seeds, nuts, dried corn, etc.), Bunspace treats are actually HEALTHY when fed responsibly (ie "in moderation" for most treats; however, some items like dried herbs and edible flowers are technically considered "leafy greens" rather than treats and don't need to be limited). They have a very small number of items that could be considered unhealthy for many (or most) rabbits, but those items clearly note in the description what circumstances (and what amounts) the products are meant to be given in - those items *are* appropriate so long as the notes in the item description are adhered to.

I recently decided to try out some Bunspace goodies myself - I ordered these items, all of which have been huge hits with my three bunns:
Bunny Bites Sampler Pack
Fall Flower Mix
Dried Apple Twigs (thick & thin)
Box of Bunny Sprinkles [dried herbs and such]

If you like to make your own foraging toys by stuffing hay and treats into stuff like paper bags or paper towel/toilet paper rolls, the dried flowers and/or herbs that Bunspace sells are ideal things to include! They're exciting, different and tasty noms that come in little nibble-and-bite sized pieces which can easily be mixed into the hay... and because they're dried, there's no fear of a toy "spoiling" if a bunny takes their time getting to it (like there would be if you used fresh fruit or non-leafy veggies as the hidden forage).

~~~~~

Websites aren't the only great sources of bunny toys, though. As far as retail shopping goes, dollar stores (the kind where everything is actually $1 or less) are where it's at! Hard plastic baby/toddler toys, cat balls, whiffle balls, untreated wicker baskets, various bunny-safe items that can be picked up with teeth and tossed... shopping for toys at a dollar store is like a treasure hunt! The baby sections of thrift stores also sometimes have hidden gems. (Oh, and the $4 bag of hard plastic baby links at Walmart = win.)

If you're into craft/DIY projects (and especially if you own a few tools but even if you don't), window-shopping around the web can be a great source of inspiration. Many fun rabbit toys, castles, etc. can be made out of cardboard boxes, bunny-safe wood, sisal rope and/or other affordable, common and easy-to-work-with materials. If you search YouTube for something like "Homemade bunny toys," you'll undoubtedly get a ton of hits that provide tutorials in addition to ideas... however, vet the safety of a toy before you bother to make it, as there's no quality control for YouTube "information"! Way too many people post how-tos on their "brilliant and totally safe" ideas despite the fact that their ideas are actually stupid and/or dangerous (regardless of the subject at hand).

As for what makes wood safe: no treated lumber, no cedar, any soft wood other than cedar MUST be kiln dried (often stated as "KD") and no MDF/OSB/particle board.

In other words, for true boards - meaning anything with a nominal (ie stated in the name) thickness of 1 inch or greater and a width of 1-12'' - you want to look for things that do say they're kiln-dried but don't mention being treated, refer to themselves as "exterior" or have a name like "WeatherShield" that suggests they're meant to be exposed to the elements. While boards *are* also available in untreated hardwoods, the hardwood versions cost 2-3 times as much as the kiln dried softwood versions. They do look prettier, but bunnies don't give a darn about aesthetics and they like to chew on wood, so buying hardwood boards is like feeding your bunny paper bills :p.

If you need a panel rather than a board - meaning anything that's more than 12'' wide and/or has an actual thickness of less than 3/4'' (since a 1'' by whatever item is actually only 3/4'' thick) - you're pretty much stuck with hardwood plywood. I think KD pine plywood does exist, but it's uncommon and from what I've seen, it's always also treated to make it suitable for exterior use. [Notes: if something doesn't specify what type wood it is, you can bet on it being from a softwood tree and if something doesn't explicitly say "kiln-dried" or "KD" then it's not. If it's "mystery wood" (ie no tree specified and no mention of kiln-drying) then I'd bet my bunnies on it being unsafe, at least if you're shopping in the US. Oh, and in case you can't tell, I've done a fair bit of shopping for bunny-safe wood! :p]

Lastbut not least, you just can't beat the free toys! Bunnies like to play by destroying stuff - old phone books and plain packing paper are two classic favorites. Any random, hard plastic tossable item has potential - Nala *loves* to play with a plastic spoon; she'll take it from me, twirl it around, throw it and wait for me to offer it again... akin to a 2 year old throwing things from their highchair and waiting for you to pick them up so they can be thrown again.

Whenever you're doing any sort of routine shopping or are organizing stuff around your home, try to look at stuff with a bunny's eye view - what could you pick up and throw? What looks fun to chew on? What might be interesting to dig at? What makes an interesting noise (among other sounds, jingle bells and ripping paper appeal to them)?

Thanks for all the information! I appreciate it! :))
 
No problem! :)

You could also do a search on the forums for homemade bunny toy ideas... there's even an active thread now:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f35/homemade-bunny-toys-76700

In my experience, cheap or free toys tend to be more popular with bunnies than expensive ones - gotta love it!
 
I get a lot of my bunny toys from eBay and Amazon. I recently got a slinky from eBay and it was much cheaper than from a store.
I've found the best toys are generally things that are not specifically bunny toys, like a string of wooden beads, toys made from paper towel tubes, bits of hessian rope frayed slightly and left in natural fruit juice then strung around the cage, and the slinky being the newest toy. The more creative I get, the more he seems to love it
 
I have a mini-Rex. First time bunny owner and I think I will be a forever bunny slave. :) I had a box of instant oatmeal that never got eaten so I dumped the expired oats and cut out the bottom. He is having a blast! I have to keep him supervised with it though because it's an awkward size that he could get stuck in. ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1390224726.415837.jpg
 

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