Pet Habitat South Africa

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24 Apr 2015

Benefits of Small Animal Chew Toys

Posted By : Guest

For years, small pets were only provided with food, water and bedding, and they spent the majority of their days in their cages. However, today's small animal pet owners are more apt to recognize the importance of offering plenty of out-of-cage time mixed with positive social interaction and a variety of challenging toys to keep their pets happily occupied throughout the day.

Whether it’s called a toy or a treat, having something to chew on is top priority for small animals. These pets have teeth that grow continuously, and gnawing is a natural way for them to keep their teeth at the proper level to provide healthy eating habits and good dentition. But chew toys aren’t just a necessity, they’re also fun.

Interactive Toys

An increasing number of small animal pet owners seek interactive toys. Similar to dog owners who wish to play catch with their pets, small pet owners also crave one-on-one interactions with their pets. There is no need to keep your pets the whole day in a cage. They're out on the floor with their rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, enjoying a more engaging experience with their small furry pets and creating a stronger emotional connection.

Puzzle Toys

Most people understand the importance of providing chew toys to satisfy an animal’s natural gnawing instinct. But toys provide so much more than just something to chew on. They are also important for intellectual stimulation, which is not only fun for the pets and helps encourage their natural urge to forage, but it’s also fun for owners to watch their pets playing and interacting with toys.

Research on animal intelligence suggests there's plenty going on in the little minds of small animals, which seems to be something many owners of small mammals already know. Rats tend to have a higher intellect, rabbits are quite smart, and so more owners are looking for ways to challenge their pets. In fact, rats enjoy their own significant following and more people are realizing that you have to challenge their intellect. Industry insiders said puzzle-type foraging toys, where the pet must manipulate the item to reach a treat, and products that offer mazes and/or tunnels for the animal to navigate, challenge a rodent's problem-solving skills and offer owner-pet interaction opportunities as owners encourage their pets to conquer the toy.

Habitat Cages

In addition to fun outside the cage, some manufacturers offer creative ways to increase the space of rodent cages. Pet Inn in Poland recently launched its Vetro Plus Nature range, which is a two-level cage that combines the traditional wire mesh cage technology with a glass bottom tank, creating a multi-level, high-rise small animal habitat.

Rotastak hamster cages will keep you and your small pet entertained for hours on end with all the tubes that runs ‘up and over’ the cage like a catwalk. Small animals like hamsters, gerbils and mice love tunneling and burrowing. That’s why Rotastak hamster cages are customizable to offer them as many tunnels as possible to simulate their natural living environment.

Hideaway Homes

Another new trend is the importance of having a small hideaway home inside the cage, which allows the small animals to have a private space of their own. This gives them a sense of security and comfort. It is an important part of a small animal's well-being.

All Natural

Many small animal pets need safe and non toxic items to chew on. Many new products are now made of natural materials—products that are unbleached and use minimal colours and safer materials, such as biodegradable and safer plastic. For years, the only materials used to make small animal toys were wood, but now many different types of natural materials are available. Pet Owners can choose between hamster cages with regular plastic accessories or accessories made from natural wood and safe, non toxic materials.