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Food Puzzles
A food puzzle is defined as any toy or object that can contain food or treats and requires the pet to figure out how to get the food. You may also hear them called "foraging devices," or "environmental enrichment devices". There are many brands and types of food puzzles. The first food puzzle was the Kong, but we now have many commercial alternatives or you can make your own.
 Commercial Examples
-
Kong
- Funkitty™ Egg-Cersizer™
- Funkitty™ Twist-n-treat™
- Metal Kabobs
Make Your Own
- Insert hay into a cardboard tube and pinch ends shut
- Kleenex box or other cardboard box with hay or treats
- PVC pipe with holes
- Freeze food in water in ice cube trays
- Hide hay in empty water bottles
- Fruit can be placed on a string and hung
- Bamboo stuffed with veggies
- Spread hay on top of a wire top cage, or next to wire sides
Getting Started
 Food puzzles were initially developed for canines, but are now available for cats, just look for the size appropriate for your Pet. Offer a few different food puzzles to see how your rabbit responds. Allow your rabbit to tear it up as part of the game. Puzzles can be filled with any food item safe for rabbits, try your own special combinations. The best food puzzles release the food slowly with mental and physical effort exerted on the Pet's part.
Try using a food puzzle in a transport kennel to help the rabbit associate the small pet carrier with good things. This will be valuable when you need to take your Pet to the veterinarian.
Why use food puzzles
In the wild, rabbits spend much of their time foraging for food. Feeding your Pet from a food bowl takes away this natural enriching mental stimulation and healthy physical exercise. Giving your rabbit their daily food rations in a food puzzle instead of a bowl puts the spice back into life for your rabbit. Pets work mentally and physically trying to get the food from the puzzle giving them something to do besides sleeping the day away while their people are gone. Hunger motivates your rabbit to interact with the puzzle. To keep the puzzles interesting, vary the difficulty, the food combinations, and rotate them daily. Add even more adventure to your rabbits day by hiding goodies in small bowls around the room during supervised outings. |
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