If you've ever given your rabbit a cardboard box, you already know the reaction. Within minutes they're in it, on it, chewing through it, and rearranging it. Meanwhile the expensive plastic toy you bought last month sits untouched in the corner.
There's a reason for this — and it's not just that rabbits are contrary (though they are). Cardboard genuinely is one of the best materials for rabbit toys, and here's why.
Why rabbits love cardboard
Rabbits are natural foragers and explorers. In the wild, they spend hours investigating their environment, chewing through roots and bark, and creating warrens to hide in. Cardboard satisfies all of these instincts at once.
It's chewable — and rabbits need to chew. A rabbit's teeth grow continuously throughout their life. Chewing is how they keep their teeth trim and healthy. Hard plastic toys don't satisfy this need. Cardboard does.
It can be shredded and rearranged — rabbits are surprisingly opinionated about their environment and love to redecorate. Cardboard gives them material to work with.
It can be explored — boxes, tunnels, and multi-level structures give rabbits somewhere to investigate, hide in, and survey their territory from.
It smells interesting — cardboard has a natural, subtle scent that rabbits find appealing. It's not scented or artificially flavoured, which is important for animals with sensitive respiratory systems.
Is cardboard safe for rabbits?
Plain, uncoated cardboard is completely safe for rabbits to chew. It's not nutritious, but small amounts ingested while chewing won't cause any harm.
The important caveats are:
Avoid heavily printed or coloured cardboard — large amounts of ink, particularly from printed packaging, aren't ideal. Look for cardboard printed with non-toxic, water-based or vegan inks if it has any printing at all.
Avoid waxed or coated cardboard — some cardboard packaging has a wax or plastic coating that rabbits shouldn't ingest. Plain corrugated cardboard is always the safest choice.
Avoid cardboard with staples, tape, or glue — these can cause problems if swallowed. Make sure any cardboard toy you buy is free from metal fixings and uses rabbit-safe adhesives or none at all.
What to look for in a cardboard rabbit toy
Not all cardboard rabbit toys are equal. Here's what to check:
Material — 100% recycled cardboard is ideal. It's safe, sustainable, and rabbits don't know the difference.
Ink — if it's printed, look for non-toxic, vegan, or water-based inks. Avoid anything with glossy or heavily inked surfaces.
Construction — how is it held together? Avoid staples. Slots and tabs (like a flat-pack structure) are the safest construction method.
Size — make sure the toy is appropriately sized for your rabbit. Cutouts and tunnels should be large enough for your rabbit to pass through comfortably.
Sturdiness — for climbing structures especially, you want double-walled corrugated cardboard rather than single-layer. It'll last longer and support a jumping rabbit's weight.
The Castle — designed with all of this in mind
Our Castle is built around exactly these principles. It's made from extra-strong double-walled corrugated cardboard — sturdy enough for jumping rabbits, satisfying enough to chew. It's printed with non-toxic vegan ink, constructed without staples or metal fixings, and made from 100% recycled material in the UK.
The three-storey design with ramps and multiple cutouts gives rabbits far more to explore than a simple box, while still satisfying all the same instincts that make cardboard so appealing in the first place.
How long does cardboard last?
That depends entirely on your rabbit. A gentle explorer might leave a cardboard castle largely intact for months. A dedicated chewer might redecorate it significantly within weeks. Either way, when it's looking well-loved, cardboard is 100% recyclable — just pop it in your recycling bin and reorder.
The bottom line
Cardboard is safe, stimulating, and genuinely one of the best materials for rabbit enrichment toys. When choosing cardboard toys, look for plain or minimally printed surfaces, non-toxic inks, and sturdy double-walled construction. Your rabbit will thank you — probably by immediately trying to eat it.