Rodents Just Want to Have Fun

We've all witnessed the tragic consequences of the problem facing rodents today - many of us have even been victims. The symptoms may be as mild as squirrels squawking in protest over empty birdfeeders or pelting innocent passersby with acorns and small branches just for the sport of it. Or delinquent raccoons vandalizing unsuspecting garbage cans in the dead of night. Or rampaging bunnies wreaking havoc on helpless patches of lettuce or carrots.

Unchecked, the symptoms worsen, resulting in entire towns of prairie dogs excavating treacherous tunnels to trip unwary travelers and gophers and groundhogs making a mockery of homeowners' gardening efforts. In the most severe cases, invading squirrels and rats can literally bring the house down with a little well-placed gnawing on structural beams or electrical wiring. Rats have been known to go so far as to harbor disease-carrying fleas that devastate entire populations of humans!

It's a problem that has gnawed at humankind for centuries - why so much bad rodent behavior?! I think the answer is all too clear. They simply never had enough toys when they were little kits! They were deprived in their formative years - or months in the case of most rabbits and rodents - and now they're taking their anger out on the world in inappropriate ways.

Fortunately, there's a simple solution to this problem, at least for the domesticated rabbits and rodents. We humans can provide them with the toys and playtime they crave. It's not too late, even for your adult rodent companions!

Here are a few suggestions:

Tunnels. Most rodents love tunnels. They can run through them or go in a hide. For two or more rodents, a tunnel can make the daily chasing games all the more exciting. Caves (or cardboard boxes and cartons) are a nice variation on this classic theme, with the added benefit of allowing the more creative rodents and rabbits to gnaw their own openings and design their own special hideout.

Balls. Yes, rodents enjoy playing ball. At least they enjoy nosing the ball around and chewing it. Just make sure the material is not harmful since they will probably eat it eventually.

Toss toys. I'm convinced that every rabbit and rodent on the planet loves a good toss toy. Baby toys are good - a rattle or those big plastic keys that amuse a human infant will usually satisfy your average house rabbit's need to make noise and throw things around. But my bunnies find simple toys like the cardboard tube inside a roll of toilet paper or paper towels to be the most exciting of all their toys. They can roll them around with their noses or lift them up and toss them or just chew the ends to create interesting designs.

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