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The Buzz on Enrichment

Come and learn how to spice up your pets life! Follow The Buzz on Enrichment for great DIY enrichment for the animals in your world. 

 

Filtering by Tag: bunny

About that Egg Cup

sandy mcpadden

There is an easy rule to feeding rabbits. Always have free access to hay and you can feed about an egg cup full of pellets per bun a day. That being said, lets make a festive supervised foraging toy! 

rabbit enrichment

We could get way more nitty gritty about diets here, but I am no expert on nutrition so I will leave that to your veterinarian to discuss with you. 

I am, however REALLY good at helping animals display natural behaviors so, lets do that! 

rabbit enrichment

 

Heres what you'll need:

  • Fillable Easter Eggs

  • Drill

  • Pellets

  • Espadrilles (Sort of Optional, but they really help get you in the Spring feel)

 

rabbit enrichment

Just drill a hole or two a tad larger than your pellet size in each egg, scoop some pellet in and your done. 

Easy, right?!

rabbit enrichment

I would only suggest this foraging toy be used supervised. While its great fun, novel, and allows them the exercise their bodies and minds...the plastic is flimsy and not suitable for alone time. 

No Business like Snow Business

sandy mcpadden

A story about Louie the lop. 

I recently moved to the midwest. 

I am from Arizona. 

Snow. 

rabbit enrichment

Im not a fan of snow. 

Louie the lop from Arizona has never experienced snow. 

I brought in some snow. 

rabbit enrichment

The original intent was to use the snow bin as a foraging activity, hence the romaine and cranberries. 

Louie, in true Louie fashion, ignored my original intent and used it as a digging box. 

SNOW EVERYWHERE! 

Louie the lop decided today that snow in his living room is the best. 

The End. 

*If you want to know if snow is safe to play in,  here is an article on NPR speaking to a couple scientists about it.*

 

 

Bunny Piñata

sandy mcpadden

A foraging toy that is 100% edible, under $5 and ready for the holidays? YOU WIN!

Rabbits bodies are designed to forage all day, their digestive tract says so. My rabbits have constant access to hay but I supplement with pellets, which they devour instantly and it drives me crazy. So, foraging toys it is. 

rabbit enrichment

This little deer-man was only $2.99 at Joann Fabric. They have a massive selection of paper mache goodies. I think my next project is going to be a letter E for miss Ellie. A totally edible foraging toy this cheap and cute gets me pretty excited and the bunnies LOVED it to pieces. Get it? to PIECES?! because it's edible?! Annnyways. 

rabbit enrichment

Here's what you'll need:

 

rabbit enrichment

First, drill a hole in the top large enough to fill him up with your goody of choice. I filled my dude up with my bunnies Oxbow organic pelleted feed. Don't make it too crazy big because this will be the same hole you hang the feeder from. 

Next, drill a hole in each of his feet large enough for the goodies to fall out of. I used a pencil after to smooth out the shredded paper so pellets would be knocked out easier. 

rabbit enrichment

Now, were going to make the edible hanger!

I cut the paper straw in half. Then, I took a length of seagrass rope and threaded it though the straw a finished with an old school double knot like this. 

The straw/knot combo slips right into the hole and the straw(inside the deer along his back) keeps it from popping out!

rabbit enrichment

Hang and enjoy! 

rabbit enrichment
rabbit enrichment