The Importance of Enrichment for Pet Rabbits and How You Can Provide It at Home

Rabbits are intelligent, curious, and active animals who need far more than food, water, and shelter to live happy, healthy lives. One of the most overlooked aspects of rabbit care is enrichment – activities, toys, and challenges that allow rabbits to engage in their natural behaviours and keep both their bodies and minds stimulated.

Just like dogs need walks and cats need scratching posts, rabbits need enrichment to prevent boredom, frustration, and even health problems.

Why Enrichment Matters for Rabbits

In the wild, rabbits spend their days digging, foraging, exploring, and socialising. A life in a hutch or small space, without stimulation or access to a larger run, can quickly become dull and stressful, leading to:

• Destructive behaviours (like chewing furniture or cage bars)
• Aggression or withdrawal
• Obesity, due to lack of physical activity
• Poor mental wellbeing, such as stress or depression

Providing a varied, enriching environment helps your rabbit feel safe, satisfied, and content. It also encourages exercise and bonding between you and your bunny.

DIY Rabbit Enrichment – Easy Activities to Try at Home

You don’t need to spend lots of money on fancy toys. In fact, some of the best enrichment activities can be made using things you already have at home!

We love to use toilet roll tubes and stuff them with hay and herbs or hide small pieces of fruit inside toys (just make sure to remove any uneaten fruit at the end of the day to keep things clean and safe).

We also like to buy the Pets at Home Small Animal Hay Box (Medium) and add extra treats inside to keep our rabbits busy. Or, if you'd like to get creative, you can make your own version at home using an old cardboard box. Just remember to cut holes carefully – making sure they’re the right size so your bunny doesn’t get their head stuck!

We often use our Pets at Home VIP Lifelines to purchase rabbit enrichment items, and we’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has chosen us as their supported charity when signing up for the Pets at Home VIP card. Your support means we can buy fun, interactive items that help keep our rabbits healthy and happy.

If you’d like to sign up, you can do so in your local Pets at Home store. Choose to support NAWT as your chosen charity, and every time you shop, you’ll collect Lifelines. These are turned into vouchers that we can spend in store to buy essential enrichment items.

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up and chosen us – your support makes a real difference!

Here are our DIY ideas for small animals:

Tips for Enrichment Success

• Rotate enrichment activities regularly to keep things fresh and interesting
• Supervise new toys to ensure they are safe and appropriate
• Get to know your rabbit’s preferences – some love digging, others enjoy problem-solving
• Make it social – interact with your rabbit during play to build trust and bond

A Happy Bunny is a Busy Bunny

Remember, enrichment isn’t just about fun – it’s a crucial part of keeping your rabbit healthy, active, and mentally engaged. With just a little creativity, you can create a home environment that allows your rabbit to thrive.

So why not try one of these ideas today? Your rabbit will thank you with happy hops, curious sniffs, and hours of joyful play.