Enrichment

A serval without enough stimulation is a pretty sad serval. They are intelligent, active creatures and without enough stuff to do, they can get pretty destructive- such as chewing on things you don't want them to, crying incessantly, and stealing your things. I've always been pretty careful to keep Kyprioth entertained, but every once in a while I slack up and he lets me know right away. Here are some of the things I have done to keep him happy:

• An outdoor pool- He has a small kiddie pool about 3 1/2' across and 6" deep. He loves this pond, and will entertain himself with his normal toys, such as his tennis balls. Whenever I want to spice up his entertainment, often I will use his pool. I can put in a couple of feeder goldfish, or I can add a couple of "blood" icicles or a frozen piece tidbit of meat. I can throw in a sinking "frisbee" that was originally a dog toy.  
• The hose game- The hose game is something that I discovered accidentally. While I was cleaning his pool out, I was spraying it down to get all of the sand out and he hopped in and started "biting" the water. He now loves this game, and will play in the hose so long as it is a stream and not a shower. He especially likes attacking the water when I spray the grass. This is also how I get him to take baths- I simply play the hose game with him until he is wet, lather him up with shampoo, and play the hose game again until all the soap is off. 
• Dog toys- Dog toys made for large dogs or tough chewers are oftentimes great toys for servals. Be careful that they don't chew pieces off of the toy, because they can swallow them- which causes huge medical problems. Kong is a great brand that I have found Kyprioth to really like. Be careful not to use their treats though, because it is mostly corn syrup and flavorings, which I don't want my cat eating. 
• Unusual foods- Giving Kyprioth something new to try will sometimes entertain him for hours. Even if it doesn't really have food value, so long as it isn't toxic it's great fun. He will spend tons of time destroying a sweet potato, or a pumpkin. Dried pumpkins even float in his pool. A head of lettuce is also great fun. He eats the whole thing- there will be a couple of leaf bits left on the floor, but thats it. 
• New foods- a whole rabbit usually weighs several pounds. It will take him all day to finish it, and usually he isn't interested in food for a day or two after he eats one- that's normal, don't worry. Or, you can do new things with the food. Sometimes I hide it in a long pvc pipe so he has to fish it out, or tie it to the top of the cage. I even gave him a christmas tree shortly after christmas, and used it to hide his food.
• Lastly, a nylon horse whip. I got one for $9 at a ranch supply store, and have never had to replace it. It is purely interactive, and he loves it to death. I make my own "ends" out of feathers or denim, or cucumber slices, and use it as a giant version of the "fishing" games made for regular cats. Don't bother with those, they won't last three minutes.   

                                                                                                                                 

• Cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls. Anything you forget to put away. They are somewhat like children in that they will get into something they want even if they know they shouldn't- especially if they don't have toys. Keep that in mind.