Wooden snack puzzle with two compartments under flaps. Your pet has to open the flaps itself to reach its snack. With 4 non-slip feet, approx. 17.5 x 8 cm. Read more.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and hamsters are smarter than many people think. They learn quickly and enjoy figuring things out. Without the chance to do so, they get bored. You can sometimes see that in chewing on the bars or digging in places they should not. The Brain Trainer Flaps gives them a puzzle to solve. It is a wooden board with two compartments, each under a flap. You hide a snack inside and your pet has to work out how to open the flap.
In the wild, food is never served on a plate. Animals search, sniff and work for every bite. With this puzzle you give your pet back a little of that work. You will see it push with its nose, pull with its teeth or scratch with its paws until the flap lifts. That keeps it physically and mentally busy. Back Zoo Nature designed it specifically to help reduce boredom and destructive behaviour.
The puzzle is made of wood and measures about 17.5 x 8 cm. Underneath are four rubber feet that keep it steady and stop it from sliding across the floor. Back Zoo Nature describes the Brain Trainer Flaps as suitable for rabbits and rodents. A rabbit or guinea pig often nudges the flaps open with its nose. Rats are lightning fast and usually understand how it works after just a few tries. A Syrian hamster can manage it too. For very small animals such as mice the board is relatively large and the flaps may feel heavy.
Choose snacks that suit your pet. For rabbits you could use Zooply snacks for rabbits or some dried herbs. For rats, Zooply snacks for rats work well. Back Zoo Nature also mentions nuts and dried fruit, but keep sweet snacks very limited for rabbits and guinea pigs. Do not give dwarf hamsters fruit or sweet snacks, as they are sensitive to sugar. Start easy: leave one flap half open, so your pet can smell and see the snack.
Wood may be chewed. That is normal for rodents and rabbits. Replace the puzzle when it is chewed down too far or when the flaps no longer work properly. Wipe the compartments clean after use with a dry or slightly damp cloth and let the wood dry well.
Leave the flaps slightly open at first, so the snack is visible. Only close them fully once your rabbit has got the idea.
Yes, that is normal. Replace the puzzle when it becomes too damaged.
Small pieces of a snack that suits your pet, or some dried herbs. Snacks are an extra, not the main diet.
No, there are four rubber feet underneath that keep it firmly in place.
For mice the board is fairly large and the flaps are relatively heavy. A smaller toy is often more practical for them.
Knaagplaza is the online shop of 't Knaagplein in Bodegraven, specialised in rodents and rabbits. We choose toys that challenge animals to search and solve puzzles, just as they would in the wild. Fill the Brain Trainer Flaps with snacks and herbs from Zooply, our own brand, and turn it into a daily game.
