Cardboard foraging block, approx. 8 x 12 cm. Hide seeds or a treat in the holes and let your rabbit, guinea pig or rodent gnaw and search. Simple and fun. Read more.
Rodents love cardboard. They chew it up, tear it into pieces and drag it into their nest. The cardboard treat block turns that into a game. It is a block of cardboard of about 8 x 12 cm with holes in it. Hide seeds, kernels or a small treat in those holes. Your pet then has to gnaw and pick to get to the goodies. That way you combine gnawing, searching and rewarding in one simple toy.
The block is suitable for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, mice, gerbils and degus. A dwarf hamster or mouse will be busy with it for a while. A Syrian hamster or rat will get through it faster, but will enjoy it a lot. Gerbils are real shredders: they turn the block into nesting material in no time. Rabbits and guinea pigs also like to nibble and tear at it. Degus are keen gnawers and will make short work of the block.
Fill the block with a small amount of treats. For hamsters you can use Zooply snacks for hamsters, for gerbils Zooply snacks for gerbils. For rabbits and guinea pigs, put a pinch of hay, some dried herbs or a small Zooply snack for rabbits or Zooply snack for guinea pigs in the holes. Only give degus sugar-free snacks for degus or herbs, as they must not have sugar. You can also put part of the regular food in the block. Do not give dwarf hamsters sweet snacks or fruit, as they are sensitive to sugar. Place the block in the enclosure, or bury it halfway in the bedding. Then your pet has to find it before it can start gnawing.
This block is a nice way to get your pet used to foraging. Start with the treats slightly visible so your pet understands there is something to find. With rats, who are very clever, you can then hide the block under a hideout or in a hammock. For mice, gerbils and degus living in a group, it is better to give two blocks at once, so nobody has to wait. Swap the block with other toys, such as wood, cork or tunnels.
A cardboard block falls apart quickly, and that is the idea. Shreds that end up in the nest are not a problem as long as they stay dry. Do remove wet or dirty cardboard and leftover treats. Give a new block when the old one is used up. Make sure your pet shreds the cardboard and does not eat large amounts of it.
Yes. The size of approx. 8 x 12 cm suits small rodents well. Do not use sweet treats, as dwarf hamsters are sensitive to sugar.
Yes, that is what it is for. Gerbils love to shred cardboard into nesting material. Give a new block when it is used up.
A few seeds, kernels or a small treat. You can also put part of the regular food in it.
Yes. Fill it for them with hay, dried herbs or a small treat. Hay remains the most important part of their diet; the block is an extra to keep them busy.
Yes. Then only fill it with sugar-free treats or herbs, because degus must not have sugar.
Bury the block halfway in the bedding or hide it under a hideout. Then your pet has to search for it first.
Knaagplaza is the online shop of 't Knaagplein in Bodegraven, specialised in rodents and rabbits. Every day we see how happy a hamster or gerbil gets from something simple to shred. That is why we also choose simple toys we find suitable ourselves. Fill it with Zooply, our own brand, for treats, food and bedding.
