Small animal toys
Small animal toys mostly come down to two jobs — giving a hamster, rat or rabbit something to chew, and something to climb through or exercise in — and we carry both, from wooden chew toys to exercise balls and a hamster see-saw.
Chew toys and enrichment
Wooden toys like the build-a-hut, build-a-nest and build-a-bed sets double as chew items and simple furniture, giving a small pet something to gnaw at that also becomes part of their setup rather than a separate toy taking up cage space.
A wood rattler and a small animal food ball add a foraging element, making an animal work a little for their food rather than simply eating from a bowl, which is closer to how they'd naturally spend their time.
Exercise balls and activity toys
Exercise balls, like the Zorb 'N' Orb range and Rosewood's glitter exercise ball, let a hamster or similar small pet move around outside their cage safely, though they should only ever be used under supervision and for short periods.
A hamster see-saw and the classic hamster TV are simpler activity pieces for inside the cage, giving an animal something to interact with day to day beyond the basics of food, water and bedding.
Common questions
- How long can a hamster safely stay in an exercise ball?
- Keep it short, no more than ten to fifteen minutes at a time, and always supervise closely — a hamster can overheat inside a closed ball, and it should never be used near stairs, other pets, or anywhere it could roll unsupervised.
- Do small pets need chew toys even with wooden bedding?
- Yes — rodents' teeth grow continuously, so a dedicated chew toy gives them something appropriate to wear their teeth down on, separate from bedding, which isn't designed for the same purpose.
- What's a foraging or food ball for?
- It holds a small amount of food that only releases as the animal rolls or works at the ball, encouraging natural foraging behaviour instead of eating straight from a bowl, which helps keep an active small pet occupied.
- Are wooden chew toys safe for rabbits as well as smaller rodents?
- Generally yes, but check the specific listing for size and any treatment applied to the wood, since a toy sized for a hamster may be too small to be a safe chew for a much larger rabbit.
- How do I know if my small pet is bored?
- Repetitive bar-chewing, pacing or general restlessness are common signs an animal doesn't have enough to do. Adding a chew toy, a foraging ball or simply rearranging the cage occasionally can make a noticeable difference to how settled they seem.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.