Hay, a chew stick, or a box: which enrichment object actually calms a rabbit? (study)
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Tossing a chew stick into a pen is often more of a reflex than a considered choice. A study by Lidfors, published in 1996 in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, compared the behaviour of sixty individually housed laboratory rabbits given, depending on the group, hay in a suspended container, compressed forage cubes, a gnawing stick, a plain cardboard box, or no object at all (see the study). Our toy comparisons are gathered in the rabbit toys and enrichment section.
Contents · 4 sections
Hay, well ahead of the rest
The standout finding: rabbits given hay in its container interacted with their object more than any other group, and showed fewer abnormal behaviours — excessive fur-licking, sham chewing, bar-gnawing — than rabbits with no enrichment or given a plain stick. Hay carries a double advantage: it keeps rabbits occupied for longer because of the chewing time it demands, and it stays edible, unlike a wooden toy that loses its appeal once explored.
Why a stick alone often disappoints
Groups given a gnawing stick or a box showed a more modest improvement than the hay group, without frustration behaviours disappearing entirely. The study suggests that a static object, once its novelty wears off, quickly loses its power to occupy — something many owners recognise when a rabbit stops touching a toy after a few days.
What this means for a pet rabbit
Unlimited hay remains the essential baseline, but varying how it's presented — in a ball, a box with holes, a hanging net — renews interest at no extra cost. Our roundup of rabbit toys and chew items covers safe materials, and our guide on rotating toys explains how to keep a rabbit's curiosity alive over time.
- 60 rabbits followed individually, split across five different enrichment groups.
- Hay came out on top: the object drawing the most interaction and the fewest abnormal behaviours.
- Stick and box: a real effect, but more limited than an edible object.
- No enrichment: more bar-gnawing, excessive fur-licking, and sham chewing.
A pen that looks "equipped" isn't necessarily enough: it's an object's edible, renewable nature that seems to make the difference for a rabbit left to its own devices for much of the day.
Frequently asked questions
Is a wooden toy enough to keep a rabbit occupied alone all day?
Not on its own: the study shows a non-edible chew object quickly loses its appeal once the novelty wears off, unlike hay.
Should chew toys be dropped in favour of hay alone?
No, the two work together: hay remains the base, while chew toys add extra occupation and protect furniture.
How do you renew a rabbit's interest in its toys?
Rotating the available objects regularly and varying how they're presented (hung up, hidden, stuffed with hay) keeps curiosity alive better than a fixed toy left out permanently.
In our shop, for this use: Hanging chew garland for rabbits and rodents (€17.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rabbits universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
