FAQ: Toys for small pets

The safest toys are made from untreated wood, hay, wicker, plain cardboard or other natural materials that are safe to gnaw. They should have no glue, paint, metal parts or small plastic pieces the animal could swallow.

Rodents and rabbits are prey animals and like to hide. A tunnel or hideout gives them a safe spot to rest, lowers stress and keeps them busy, as they can run through, crawl into and explore it.

Yes, rodents are curious, active animals that need to gnaw, dig, hide and search for food. Without enrichment they get bored and may develop unwanted behaviour such as bar chewing or overgrooming.

Rodents’ front teeth grow throughout their lives and chewing is a natural need. Chew toys help meet that need and protect furniture and the cage, though for rabbits and guinea pigs hay remains the most important thing for their teeth.

Rabbits enjoy tunnels, hideouts with two exits, dig boxes, wicker balls and hay toys they can toss and chew, as well as foraging toys. Many rabbits love cardboard boxes they can chew and rearrange.

Guinea pigs play less than rabbits, so tunnels, hideouts, piles of hay and foraging toys matter most to them. They like crawling under fabric or through tunnels, but jumping and climbing are not natural to them.

A hamster needs deep bedding to dig in, several hideouts, wooden chew toys, cardboard tubes and chances to forage, plus a properly sized running wheel. Toys should not be placed high up, as hamsters judge heights poorly and can fall.

Rats are clever and social, so hammocks, ropes, climbing shelves, tunnels, puzzle and foraging toys all suit them. They get bored quickly, so it is worth swapping toys often and rearranging the cage.

Mice climb and hide a lot, so small houses, cardboard tubes, twigs, ropes and a solid running wheel suit them. Openings should be small enough that a mouse cannot get stuck, and items light enough for them to move around.

Chinchillas need wooden ledges to jump between, a wooden house, hard chew toys from safe wood and pumice, and a dust bath every day. Plastic and fabric items are unsuitable, as chinchillas chew them up.

Degus are very active strong chewers, so they need plenty of wooden chew toys, twigs, climbing ledges, tunnels and somewhere to dig. Plastic items in a degu cage are quickly chewed to pieces, so it is better to leave them out.

Gerbils love digging tunnels most of all, so they need deep bedding, cardboard tubes and boxes to shred, wooden chews and a sand bath. They destroy cardboard very quickly, which is completely normal.

Boredom can show as constant bar chewing, pacing the same route, overgrooming, lethargy or aggression. More toys, foraging and time outside the cage often help, and if fur is falling out, talk to a vet.

A few different types are enough: at least one hideout per animal, things to chew, a tunnel and a chance to forage. The cage should not be crammed, as the animal also needs free space to move.

Untreated apple, pear, willow, hazel, birch and lime wood are generally considered safe. What matters is that it has not been varnished, painted, impregnated or sprayed with chemicals.

Do not give branches from stone-fruit trees such as cherry, plum or apricot, or from yew, thuja, oleander and other poisonous plants. Also avoid branches from roadsides or sprayed orchards, and if in doubt choose twigs sold for small pets.

Yes, unsprayed apple twigs are one of the most popular natural chews for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other rodents. Wash them before giving and offer them in moderation, especially if the animal has not had them before.

Yes, willow is considered safe for small pets, which is why many woven balls, tunnels and houses are made from it. Fresh twigs with leaves can also be given if they come from a clean place.

Fresh, resinous pine or spruce wood is unsuitable, because resin and essential oils can be irritating. Small pet toys are more often made from hardwoods, so when choosing a toy it is worth checking what it is made of.

Only collect twigs from unsprayed trees away from roads. Wash them in warm water, clean off dirt or lichen and dry them well, then give only a little at first and watch the animal.