A rabbit pulling hay from a basket, a guinea pig searching for a favourite leaf and a hamster finding scattered food are all doing something that comes naturally. Enrichment gives small pets opportunities to explore, forage, chew and make choices throughout their day.
With our expanded range of natural forage and small-pet enrichment toys, there are plenty of simple ways to make your pet's surroundings more interesting. Start with an activity that suits their species and make it easy enough for them to enjoy.
What are enrichment and forage?
Enrichment means providing an environment and activities that allow an animal to express natural behaviours. That includes places to hide and explore, suitable things to chew, digging opportunities and different ways to find food.
Foraging is the activity of searching for food. In small-pet products, forage often means edible leaves, herbs, flowers and grasses that add variety to the diet. A forage mix is a complementary food, so it should be used alongside the correct everyday diet for your pet.
Food is only one part of enrichment. Suitable space, exercise, rest, hiding places and the right social arrangements for the species all matter too.
Foraging ideas for rabbits and guinea pigs
1. Turn fresh hay into a forage tray
Place fresh feeding hay in a clean, shallow tray that your pet can step into easily. Begin with a little familiar food near the surface so it is easy to find. Once they understand the activity, spread small amounts through the hay.
Our Natural Nibbles Dandelion Salad contains dandelion, nettle and echinacea leaves. For a wider mixture, Natural Nibbles Flower & Herb Salad includes leaves, flowers and herbs such as spearmint. Introduce either gradually and follow the pack guidance.
Keep ordinary feeding hay available separately as well. Your pet should never have to solve a puzzle to get all their essential food.
2. Add a small sprinkle of flowers
A little flower forage can add different smells and textures to a hay pile. Natural Nibbles Flower Mix contains marigold, hibiscus, cornflower, rose and blue mallow flowers.
Use it as an addition to the normal diet, not as a bowlful to replace hay. Start with a small amount and check that the ingredients suit your individual pet.
3. Offer an edible hay bowl
The Natural Nibbles Timothy Hay Bowl gives rabbits and guinea pigs hay and flowers to investigate in an edible palm leaf bowl. Remove all packaging, place it on a stable surface and let your pet approach at their own pace.
This is a convenient complementary enrichment option. Continue to provide their usual unlimited feeding hay and fresh water.
4. Make everyday hay easy to explore
The Natural Nibbles Willow Basket Hay Rack can hold some of your rabbit or guinea pig's feeding hay while adding a willow surface to investigate.
Position it securely at a comfortable feeding height, following the manufacturer's instructions. Check the basket, openings and hanging parts for entanglement or trapping risks, and remove it if the rope becomes frayed or your pet chews unsafe components.
For help choosing what to put inside, see our guide to rabbit hay and everyday feeding.
Chew toys and textures to investigate
A suitable chew toy gives pets an outlet for gnawing and investigating different materials. The Natural Nibbles Seagrass Willow Twist combines willow sticks and seagrass for rabbits, guinea pigs and suitable pet rodents to explore.
Try offering a chew near a familiar activity area and see whether your pet prefers nibbling, pushing or pulling it apart. Supervise new toys and remove pieces that become sharp, small enough to cause problems, or heavily soiled.
For rabbits and guinea pigs, chewing toys does not replace the tooth-wearing action of eating grass and hay.
Enrichment for hamsters, gerbils, rats and mice
These pets also benefit from searching, exploring and chewing, but they do not all eat the same diet as rabbits and guinea pigs. Use a suitable species-specific food as their dietary foundation and check any forage or treat for that particular animal.
- Hamsters: scatter part of their normal dry-food allowance in an accessible area and let them search when they are naturally awake. Keep food easy to find while they learn.
- Gerbils: combine scattered food with suitable digging and tunnelling opportunities. Remove spoiled food while avoiding unnecessary disturbance of clean food stores.
- Rats and mice: offer simple food searches and appropriately sized objects to investigate. Introduce new activities gradually and check that every animal can access food.
The Natural Nibbles Natural Wood Play & Chew Tunnel provides a wooden surface and openings to explore. Check the actual opening dimensions against your pet's size before use, especially for hamsters carrying food in their cheeks. An animal must be able to pass through comfortably without getting stuck.
Browse our rodent food and treat range to choose food for your species. Do not assume that a product suitable for one rodent suits them all.
A simple way to introduce enrichment
- Start with one change. Try a familiar food presented in a new, easy-to-access place.
- Watch your pet. Let them approach voluntarily and give them room to move away.
- Keep portions sensible. Use part of the normal measured food allowance for games rather than repeatedly adding extra treats.
- Refresh and rotate. Replace soiled hay and food, inspect toys and occasionally change one activity while keeping familiar hiding and resting places.
For rabbits and guinea pigs living with companions of their own species, offer multiple feeding and activity points so one animal cannot guard everything. Rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together.
Small-pet enrichment and forage FAQs
Can forage replace hay?
No. Dried leaf and flower mixes are additions to a rabbit or guinea pig's diet. They still need constant access to good-quality feeding hay. Other rodents need a diet appropriate to their species.
Does dried forage provide all the vitamin C a guinea pig needs?
Do not rely on a dried forage mix for this. Guinea pigs need a reliable dietary supply of vitamin C, including appropriate fresh vegetables and guinea-pig-specific food. Ask your vet for advice if you are unsure about their intake.
Are all natural toys safe for every small pet?
No. Materials, dimensions, openings and your pet's chewing habits matter. Read the product guidance, supervise unfamiliar items and remove damaged toys. “Natural” does not mean a toy can be left unchecked.
Can I pick forage from the garden?
Only offer plants you can positively identify as safe for your pet's species, from an area free of pesticides and contamination. If you are unsure what a plant is, leave it out.
Explore the small-pet range at Woofingtons
Find everyday feeding essentials and forage in our rabbit range and guinea pig range, then choose a suitable activity from our toys and enrichment collection. A little variety, introduced thoughtfully, can make everyday feeding and play more interesting.