Have you got a willow tree? Then you could make your own toys! Get the kids involved, make some lemonade, and settle in for a little crafting session.
Make sure any willow you use is pesticide free, and totally untreated (no preservatives or lacquer like is often on willow bought from floral suppliers). If you are working with willow that was cut some time ago and isn’t very bendy, soak it overnight in some water.
Here are instructions. These instructions are for larger vine balls, but scale them down to fit your needs. For toys, you will just be working with the thin ends of branches. A good beginning length is about 8 inches of branch, giving you a bunny sized diameter once woven. For chinchillas or guinea pigs, start a bit shorter.
The basic idea is this: create a circle with one branch. Create a second circle, same size. Now make and x shape by stuffing the first circle into the second. Now you can do that a few more times, and then weave some thinner tendrils through your circles to anchor everything together.
You might want to stuff your willow balls with hay and herbs, just to be fancy.
Send us pics of your creations! And go take a stroll through our edible toy category in our shop. Rabbits love toys, and we’ve got some very special super safe ones the buns adore.
The post Feeling crafty? Here’s how to make willow balls. appeared first on Small Pet Select.