My Rabbit Doesn't Want To Play - Ways To Get Your Rabbit To Play

Playtime for bunnies is very important, especially when they are younger. It is a great opportunity for you to bond with them and to get out energy. Too much energy can lead to destructive and aggressive behavior. If it seems like your rabbit doesn’t want to play then it may be because your haven’t found the right method that they like. Here are some ideas and tips to try to get your rabbit moving.

Activities

We love our rabbits, but they can be mischievous sometimes. They like to knock things over and throw stuff around for fun. To play to their mischievous side you can put up toy bowling pins and watch your rabbit run for them and knock them down, My House Rabbit likes to call this activity, Bunny Bowling.

Toys

To spark your rabbit’s interest, trying different toys can help you figure out what your rabbit likes. Toys for birds are a great buy because they are small enough that the rabbit can easily hold them in their mouth and through them around. If it seems like they do not naturally play with their toys, but they are still food motivated, then intertwin them together. Stick pellets and treats into cat treat balls so that they run around and throw the ball around to get treats. This helps get the bun get active.

Some other great toy options are:

• Edible Timothy Hay balls
• Logic Toys: Challenge your rabbit with a logic toy, these are toys that have treats in them, but the rabbit has to figure out which lever opens up the capsule.

Things You Can Make At Home

As any rabbit lover knows, our pets can get expensive. Try saving some cash by making some toys for your rabbit to play with.

Some options are:

• Cardboard toilet paper rolls that are stuffed with your buns favorite hay.
• Cardboard box obstacle courses and forts
• Cardboard box and tunnel toy
• Braiding chunks of hay together

Creating a Space For Fun

Rabbits need to run and creating a space for them to have fun and explore is great! Roaming time in the yard or around the house is a great way for them to get their energy out. When outside we need to make sure that we keep an eye on our furry friends. Watch out for predators or poisonous plants. To make sure that your bun is safe and gets some outside time, you can create structures that are safe for your bun, screened outside porches are a great option.

Specific Play Times

Rabbits are most active during the early morning and at nighttime. Scheduling your playtime with your rabbit is best during those times and you will get a more active bunny. When it is around the time to play you can initiate this by opening their cage, however let the rabbit initiate the rest of the play time because you do not want to scare them away. If they are using the litter box, cleaning themselves, or sleeping then you should leave them alone. Your rabbit prefers to be alone during those times and if you try to play with them, they might not respond.

Patience is Key!

Figuring out what works best for your rabbit will take time. Playing is a great bonding experience and it can build the trust between you and your bun. When playing with your rabbit, get down to their level and let them come to you. Eventually you’ll begin to see their cute and fun personality come out as well as see them doing binkys and being their mischievous little selves.

Whether you are just starting out as a rabbit owner or you'd like a refresher on rabbit basics and a list of items to place in your rabbit's First Aid Kit, download our free Rabbit Starter Kit below!