RABBITS INSTINCTUALLY CHEW, grinding their teeth, chewing on grasses and nibbling enough wood to fell a forest. Chew toys and treats aren’t necessary to counter this natural habit, but they certainly help rabbit owners keep their possessions undamaged. Wearing down its incisors on woodblocks, corn husks and raffia also gives a bunny’s active mind something to focus on. Sell rabbit owners on the bonding aspect, too: Toys and treats are a great way to cement a friendship.
Fibrous Fun
Reinforce the human/animal bond with interactive toys that also help wear down a rabbit’s peg teeth. (It’s cheaper than bunny braces.) Pet parents can enjoy the excitement of watching their rabbit discover treats or roll a ball around while rabbits get a chance to show off, which, surprisingly, they like to do. Soft, fibrous woods like yucca work well for rabbits, and the natural scents and textures of wood stimulate a rabbit’s mind.
Chew ’N Cube Toy
SuperPet
Selling Point: The cube’s alternating colors attract rabbits to the natural block while its internal rattling wood ball keeps their interest and encourages chewing.
Best for: Activity-seeking rabbit owners.
kaytee.com, 800-KAYTEE-1
$5.99
Bunny Blast Rolling Log Chew
Wesco Pet
Selling Point: Biodegradable, natural yucca log triggers leporine play instincts and promotes hours of chewing and rolling.
Best for: Natural and nurturing rabbit parents.
birdkabob.com, 800-265-9143
$12.99
SunSations Brain Teaser Toy
Vitakraft
Selling Point: Covered with wood cubes and secret compartments, this munch-worthy toy challenges rabbits to pull ropes and maneuver blocks.
Best for: Rabbits with an instinct for solving puzzles.
sunseed.com, (419) 832-1641
$6.99
A Bunch to Crunch
e Rabbits like variety, whether it comes from natural flowers, fruit or leafy weeds. Herbivore-friendly chews combining fruits, nuts and grasses will keep bunnies occupied and distract them from chewing on their owners’ personal belongings, like computer cords and chair legs.
Peter’s Veggie Salad Bowl
Marshall Pet Products
Selling Point: This hearty, ready-to-eat salad is chock full of tasty toppers including carrots, broccoli and timothy hay, all important to a healthy digestive tract.
Best for: Insistent salad lovers.
marshallpet.com, (800) 292-3424
$4.56
Living World Nibblers Candy Corn Husk Chew
Hagen
Selling Point: This eye-catching, candy-shaped corn husk chew gives rabbits an all-natural base for biting, plus tousled raffia ends for nibbling.
Best for: Boredom-busting rabbit owners
ca-en.hagen.com, (800) 554-2436
$1.99
Burger Bites Combo Toy
Pets International-Kaytee
Selling Point: It looks like a burger, but the mature fruit section of L. aegyptiaca — better known as loofah — gives pets a crispy texture to nibble, while all-natural wood serves as the bun.
Best for: Rabbit parents with a twisted sense of humor.
kaytee.com, (800) 954-3003
$12.99
Grass-Fed Games
Natural, woven grasses provide hours of fun for animals, and when they’re made without wires or other synthetics, they’re entirely edible and safe. Most companies avoid dyes, colors, preservatives and pesticides so bunnies can chomp their way through mats, houses and toys. It’s a great bet for retailers: If a family pet likes and chews through one toy, their owners will be back to buy another.
Timothy Carrot
Oxbow Animal Health
Selling Point: Hand-woven from natural timothy hay, this carrot-shaped chew toy offers an enriching addition to a rabbit’s daily activities. Free of chemicals, wire and thread.
Best for: All-natural pet parents.
oxbowanimalhealth.com, (800) 249-0366
$9.59
Farmer’s Market Grassy Tee-Pee
Ware Manufacturing
Selling Point: This hand-woven, edible hideaway is made of all-natural grasses and comes in multiple sizes, offering rabbits a private place to nest and rest.
Best for: Rabbits who don’t mind eating where they sleep.
waremfginc.com, (602) 257-8803
$4.29
Grassy Nibblers Activity Ball
PREVUE PET PRODUCTS
Selling Point: Tossable and texturally appealing, this spiky chew toy is made of 99 percent mat grass and 1 percent sisal.
Best for: Rabbit owners who love all things tactile.
prevuepet.com, (312) 243-3624
$4.99
This article originally appeared in the Jan-Feb 2017 edition of PETS+.