For our 21st foraging Friday I will be reviewing the Trixie Dog Gambling Tower. This foraging toy consists of 2 main foraging components - one being the pull out platforms, and the other being the kong blockers. The 3 pull out platforms work by requiring the rat to pull the outside string in order to slide out the platforms and release the treats sitting on top. The tower only has an opening for treats to fall out of at the bottom though and so the rats have to release the bottom platform before any treats can fall out. This is great because it gives you an option to make this toy harder, namely by only putting treats on the second or third platform in order to require the rat to pull out more platforms before treats are released. And as for the kongs those are made of hard plastic and go over indentations in the toy's base. Each indentation is deep enough for a few treats, and prevents the rats from tipping over the kongs by accident. Instead if they want to get to the treats under the kongs they have to apply a fair bit of force to the side or pick them straight up, making this seemingly simple foraging section a fair bit harder than many similar ones seen on other foraging toys.
In terms of use this foraging toy is a lot of fun for rats to figure out. The kong part is definitely the easier foraging part of this toy, but even that requires more force and work than similar toys. Even so the long part is what most rats will probably figure out right away, as the hole on top of each kong makes it clear to them that there are treats underneath and encourages them to try and remove the kongs from the start. The platform part on the other hand is a tad more difficult, as in order to get to the treats the rats must pull on the string or bite the platforms themselves, something which requires a bit more thinking than just knocking over the kongs. I actually initially taught that part to my girl Bean as a trick, and so far she is the only one who has really worked out how the platforms work so its possible that you will have to help your rats figure the platforms out. Still, with a bit of help and a lot of yummy treats rats will figure out the platforms fairly quickly and its definitely one of the harder foraging parts that I've seen and so it makes a great challenge for rats that are used to foraging or training. As for the human part of cleaning and refilling the toy that part is quite easy. This toy fully disassembles with no trouble, and you can remove the 3 platforms and 3 kongs, detach the clear tower (which itself slots off into 2 pieces), and then easily wash and dry the entire toy. Refilling is just as easy, with the kongs simply needing to be lifted to place treats under them and the platforms being filled from the top (which has a lid that can be placed on once the treats are inside to prevent any rats from cheating). Overall this is a fun and rather unique foraging toy with some great foraging concepts. I really like that despite the fact that the main draw is the platform part, it also includes the kong lifting part to ease the rats (or dogs :P) into foraging. This toy is just plain fun and refreshingly challenging in a way that few other foraging toys are. Link to this foraging toy: https://amzn.to/2BUGaDm
Video showcasing this foraging toy:
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AboutHey there! Here you will find tips and tricks on rat care and training, along with information not found elsewhere on this site. If you have questions or suggestions for me, feel free to contact me through the contact page. Archives
October 2021
CategoriesDisclosure: Esther (and her website Shadow The Rat) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
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