Why do rabbits dig

Digging is something many rabbits do. Some rabbits may dig more than others even when no dirt is needed to dig by simply making the dig motions anywhere.

Even though one reason probably accounts for why most rabbits dig, a few other reasons also exist. That one reason is instincts.

Instincts drive a majority of rabbit digging as most rabbit species in the wild live in underground burrows that they dig for safety from predators and extreme temperatures. A group of burrows where numerous rabbits live is called a warren. Hence your rabbit has burrowing in his or her genes.

Digging around your carpeting, couch cushion, bed quilt, or other household item or furnishing is unlikely to harm your rabbit unless you let it continue or encourage it. Continuous digging can cause damage to items.

Other reasons rabbits dig

Your rabbit may dig because;

1. It is Curious
2. It is boring
3. It is stressed
4. lt is afraid
5. It wants attention
6. It seeks a cozy spot to lounge in.

To understand more about why your rabbit is digging, take a cue from what’s happening in your rabbit's life. Find out if anything has changed in its environment? Find out if there have been any changes in the household — are there more people or less, more pets or less? Are you interacting with your pet rabbit a lot more or less than usual?

 Note that a young rabbit is more likely to chew things, dig, and spray than an adult rabbit.

What to do when your Rabbit is Digging

Even though rabbits are wired to dig, owners who share their lives with them might not be in love with this behaviour. If you want your rabbit to stop digging, you should know the behaviour probably can not be eliminated, but minimizing it is possible.

One great way to stop your rabbit from digging is to develop a kind of distraction. Here is how you can;

1. When you see your rabbit digging, call out its name severally to get it to come to you or try starting a game with it using some Rabbit Accessories.
2. You can also keep stomping your foot on the ground at least a considerable feet away from where your rabbit is.
3. Another way to distract your rabbit from digging is to offer safe digging options to enjoy. You could provide grass mats specifically made for rabbits so it can rest on, dig, or chew as much as it wishes.

If your rabbit keeps obsessively digging, it might be time to visit your vet to rule out any possible medical issues. Also, obsessive digging could happen if a rabbit is not spayed/neutered or if he or she doesn’t get enough time to free-roam around a bunny-safe area outside the cage.

Need health products for your rabbit? Check out our Rabbit healthcare corner to see some.

On a lighter note, because your rabbit enjoys digging, this could be a great way to offer it exercise and enrichment.

This can easily be accomplished when you create a safe outdoor space that has dirt available, like a fenced-in backyard or a safe outdoor area for an x-pen. The supervision of your rabbit during its outdoor playtime could lead to digging time.

You can also create a dig box for your rabbit. This would be large-scale like the size of the sandbox children play in, or just a high-sided plastic container or sturdy cardboard box that’s at least two times the size of your rabbit.

As far as "Fillings" you use are rabbit safe, you can also experiment with “fillings” to find what your rabbits like best. You could consider fillings like crumpled paper, heaps of hay, clean dirt, small pieces of fabric that lack any nap, and biodegradable packing peanuts. Ensure that the box is kept clean, remove any soiled items and be completely clean regularly.