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A person in a red, patterned sweater feeds two rabbits some greens. The rabbits, on a bed of hay, eagerly nibble the leaves.

Make your own hay knot toy for small pets

This easy-to-make enrichment toy is great for keeping your rabbit or guinea pig occupied. They’ll have great fun snuffling to get to the hay and treats inside!

In the wild, rabbits and guinea pigs spend a lot of time foraging and searching for their food. Simple homemade small pet toys such as this can make feeding time more exciting for them.

 

What you’ll need:

A bag of Burgess Excel Long Stem Timothy Feeding Hay is on a counter next to two small packets of rodent food and two pieces of brown paper.

Step 1

Lay out the brown paper and spread out a handful of hay along the long edge.

A crumpled sheet of brown paper lies on a speckled gray surface with a small pile of dry hay or straw spread across the lower half of the paper.

Step 2

Sprinkle some dried herbs and forage over the top of the hay.

A packet of Nature Snacks wildflower forage is open on a speckled countertop, with an assortment of dried hay, flowers, and herbs spread out on a sheet of brown paper beside it.

Step 3

Roll it all up and carefully make a loose knot.

A hand holds a partially rolled ring of brown paper filled with straw, with two long, rolled paper tubes filled with straw lying on a speckled countertop.

Step 4

Repeat steps 1 and 2 above, roll the paper up, threading it through the existing knot and tie.

Two rolled up tubes wrapped of brown paper sit on a speckled countertop. One is plain, while the other has a knot tied in the middle of the paper, with some shredded material sticking out of the ends.

Step 5

Give to your small pets to enjoy!

A hay toy for rodents made from brown paper.

Find out how to grow your own forage for guinea pigs and rabbits.

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