Large pinewood snack puzzle for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and degus. Fill the hollows with pellets or treats and let your pet search for them itself. Read more.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and degus are cleverer than many people think. They love discovering things and gathering their own food. The snuffle puzzle Hao from Duvo+ plays nicely into that. It is a challenging play and snack puzzle made of pinewood, with hollows. You put pellets or treats in them, and your pet gets to work getting everything out.
Searching for food is natural behaviour. Outdoors, rabbits and guinea pigs graze all day, and rats and degus forage everywhere. A puzzle gives that energy a direction. It helps prevent boredom and keeps the brain and body active. Indoor rabbits and animals that spend a lot of time in their enclosure in particular benefit from such challenges. You often notice they become calmer and more content. The wood may also be gnawed, so their gnawing instinct gets its due too.
Place the puzzle on a flat, sturdy surface, for example in the run or on the floor of the enclosure. Start with a few visible pellets so your pet understands how it works. Then make it harder by laying some hay or dried herbs over the top. For rabbits and guinea pigs, preferably use part of their daily pellets. That keeps the diet balanced, with hay still the main course. For degus, always choose sugar-free treats, and for rats keep the amount small. Alternate the puzzle with other enrichment to keep it exciting.
At 19.7 × 19.7 × 2.5 cm, Hao is a generous puzzle. That makes it suitable for rabbits and guinea pigs, who need room for their nose and front paws. Rats and degus enjoy it too: they work fast and skilfully, and the larger puzzle gives them more to do. For small rodents such as hamsters and mice, the compact snuffle puzzle Gus is a better choice.
A good filling makes the puzzle extra appealing. Try Zooply treats for rabbits or Zooply treats for guinea pigs. A few pieces are enough: treats are an extra and never replace hay or the main food.
Yes, Hao is big enough for rabbits. They use their nose and front paws to get to the pellets. Some rabbits figure it out right away, others need to learn. Stay calmly nearby and give your rabbit time.
A short puzzle session every day is fine, as long as you use part of the normal food. That way your pet does not get too much extra. Offer the puzzle at a fixed time in the morning or evening, for example, and your pet will even start looking forward to it.
Yes, that is fine. The puzzle is made of pinewood and encourages natural gnawing behaviour. Gnaw marks are normal. Once the puzzle has been chewed so far that the hollows no longer work properly, replace it.
Shake out the crumbs and wipe the hollows clean with a dry brush or cloth. Do not leave the puzzle in a wet spot, and remove it after playtime if there was fresh food in it. That keeps the wood clean and dry.
They can, but make sure nobody gets pushed away. With a group of guinea pigs or rats, it works well to hide food in other places as well. That way every animal has something to search for and no squabbles arise.
Knaagplaza is the web shop of 't Knaagplein in Bodegraven, specialised in rabbits and rodents. With our own animals we see how much a little challenge matters. That is why we choose enrichment we consider a good fit ourselves and that is sturdy enough for daily use. Combine this puzzle with Zooply, our own brand, for a search that keeps your pet happily busy.
