Natural binding agent from the acacia tree. Mix with water and use it to stick herbs, seeds or treats, so your rabbit or rodent has to search and work for its reward. Read more.
In the wild, rabbits and rodents spend a large part of the day looking for food. They sniff, dig, gnaw and pull at anything that smells good. In a hutch or enclosure, food is usually just waiting in a bowl. Gum arabic lets you turn that into a challenge. It is a natural binding agent from acacia trees, soluble in water and biodegradable. You mix it with water into a sticky paste and use it to stick herbs, seeds or treats in place. Your pet then has to search and work for its reward.
It is easy to use. Mix a small amount of gum with water until you get a syrupy paste. Spread it on a piece of gnawing wood, a cardboard tube, a pine cone or a wooden toy. Press the herbs or treats onto it and let everything dry well. After drying, your homemade treat is ready. Start with a little, because you only need a small amount. Feel free to make a few at once and store them dry, so you always have something new to offer.
Choose what you stick on for each animal. For rabbits and guinea pigs, dried herbs and flowers work very well, perhaps with a few Zooply snacks for rabbits. Hamsters, mice and gerbils like small seeds and pellets. For hamsters, take a look at the Zooply snacks for hamsters. Rats are clever and want a challenge, so stick the treats in tricky spots. For degus and dwarf hamsters, only use sugar-free herbs or seeds. Do not stick on fruit, honey or sweet treats for them, because they are sensitive to sugar.
Place a coated piece of wood or a pine cone half hidden in the bedding, or hang it from the bars. For rabbits, you can tuck it into the hay so they have to search for it first. For a group of rats or mice, it is better to offer several small pieces so everyone gets something. Keep the amounts small. Treats are an extra and never replace hay or the main food. For hay eaters, unlimited fresh hay always remains the basis.
According to the packaging, the product consists of 100% gum arabic, also known as acacia gum. The analytical constituents are crude protein 2.3%, crude fat 0%, crude fibre 81.7% and crude ash less than 0.1%. You get about 50 grams in a resealable pack. Store it in a dry, cool and dark place, out of reach of children. As it is a natural product, the colour of the powder may vary slightly.
Yes, but only use it to stick sugar-free herbs or seeds. Degus must not have fruit or sweet treats.
Mix a little gum with water into a syrupy paste. Spread it on, press the herbs or treats into it and let it dry well.
Untreated gnawing wood, cardboard, a pine cone or a wooden toy. Choose a surface that is safe to chew.
Keep it small. Treats are an extra. For rabbits and guinea pigs, unlimited hay stays the most important part of the diet.
Close the pack well and keep it dry, cool and dark.
Knaagplaza is the online shop of 't Knaagplein in Bodegraven, specialised in rabbits and rodents. We like simple ways to get animals searching and gnawing more. With this gum and the herbs and treats from our own brand Zooply, you can create enrichment that suits your pet.
