Enrichment Toys for Your Small Pets

Easy Enough DIY Enrichment Toys

What makes small animal enrichment toys especially great is they can be made from everyday things you find around your home.

For example, the following items can be used as chew toys in their enclosure (less mess):

• Cardboard boxes
• Cardboard (not Styrofoam) egg cartons
• Toilet paper tubes
• Paper towel tubes
• Paper (not plastic) bags

With any pet, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Avoid paper-based materials that have been treated with some sort of coating or has ink on it. Also keep an eye out for tape or sticky labels. They can be lethal to your small pet if ingested. If you have any questions about the safety of homemade chew toys like these, talk with a veterinarian.

Yes, it may look like they’re eating their chew toys. What’s happening is they’re stuffing their cheeks with the intention of spitting everything out later. Small animals don’t consider paper or cardboard as food. As a matter of fact, there’s a good chance they end up using what they chewed up as nesting material. If you’re still worried about them eating these chewable DIY toys, it’s okay not to give them one. There are other enrichment toys you can make or purchase.

Next-Level DIY Enrichment Toys

With a little imagination, you can turn common household items into enrichment toys such as:

• A house – Turn an open cardboard box upside down, put some bedding underneath and cut out some openings so your pet can enter and exit as they please.

• A maze or obstacle course – Lay out cardboard boxes side-by-side in different shapes. Cut out openings on the sides where the boxes connect.

• A tunnel – Use a PVC tube or oatmeal cannister that’s big enough so that your small animal won’t get stuck. They can also be part of a maze.

• A treat-stuffer – Put food items and hay inside a paper tube or bag, pinch close any open ends and watch your pet go to town. For less mess, these are best served in their enclosure. And with any DIY chew toy, talk with a veterinarian first if you’re worried about your small pet’s safety.

Inexpensive Enrichment Toy Ideas

If you don’t mind spending a little money on your little friends, here are some suggestions to get their tiny motors running.

For larger small animals like a ferret, chinchilla or rabbit:

• Cat toys – Small, hard balls or toys that have bells in them. Crinkle sacks or wand toys are especially popular with ferrets. Be sure your small pet isn’t chewing up and eating any rubber or plastic material or parts.

• Dog toys – Ferrets adore squeaky toys; however, pay careful attention to those made of rubber since ferrets love to chew things.

• Bird toys – Especially anything with a bell. As mentioned before, just be careful with any toy that involves rubber, plastic or small parts.

• Ball Pit – This one is specifically for ferrets. Fill up a large enough container (e.g., a storage bin) with lots of colorful plastic balls. Your ferret will have a blast swimming in their homemade ball pit.

For smaller small animals like gerbils, hamsters and mice, you can’t go wrong with classic enrichment toys like a free-standing, spinning wheel or clear, run-about exercise ball.

Don’t underestimate the importance of play to small animals. Enrichment toys keep small pets physically and mentally active. You don’t have to break the bank either. Daily enrichment can come from repurposing everyday household items.

Pet Supplies Plus also has toys appropriate for small animals including those made for cats, dogs and birds. Trust us, they’re way more fun than socks and underwear.