Small Pet Toys and Wheels: Chews, Tunnels and Foraging

Chews: Wood, Willow and Hay

Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters and chinchillas all have teeth that never stop growing. Hay is the main tooth-wearer for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, and chews add interest. Good choices: untreated willow, apple wood, hay-based chews, and cardboard (plain, no glue or ink). Avoid painted, varnished or plastic items, and wood from cherry, plum and other stone-fruit trees unless sold as pet-safe.

Tunnels and Hides

Prey animals feel safer with somewhere to duck into. Give every enclosure more hides than animals, with two exits where possible so one animal can't trap another. Willow, cardboard and fabric tunnels are cheap to replace. Rats and ferrets love hammocks; rabbits like boxes to sit on as well as in.

Forage Toys and Scatter Feeding

Wild small mammals spend much of the day finding food. Scatter part of the daily food, hide it in hay, stuff it in a cardboard tube or a forage mat, or use a simple puzzle feeder. It costs nothing extra and keeps pets busy. Keep using bowls for any food your vet wants you to measure.

Which Pets Need a Wheel?

• Hamsters: yes, solid and big enough to keep the back straight. See hamster wheel size.
• Gerbils and mice: often, solid and sized for them.
• Rats: some use large wheels; many prefer climbing and free-roam time.
• Chinchillas: only a large, solid wheel made for chinchillas, with a sturdy base.
• Rabbits and guinea pigs: no. Their backs aren't built for wheels; they need floor space to run instead.

Always choose a solid running surface, never rungs or mesh.

Rotate and Check

Swap toys around every week or two so there's always something new. Check chews and tunnels regularly and throw away anything splintered, moldy or chewed into small pieces that could be swallowed.