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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR digging

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    • LizzyBunn
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         My female bunn (Parsnip) loves to dig. She likes to pull with her front feet and tear with her mouth and lick and nibble until whatever is underneathe is no more. Normally I am able to find ways for her to let out this specific energy. She loves to kick all the litter pellets in her boxes out with her back feet. Her favourite is to do this with her box in the kitchen, I think because it makes the biggest mess. Before I became more clever with the cats litter boxes, she would kick and dig all the sand out of those. 

        Now that it’s spring and warm and sunny, both the bunns seem to be flushed with extra energry and Parsnip has been on a wild bunny rampage for the last month with no signs of slowing down. She decided last week that all she wanted was to dig the couch, it wasn’t so bad  and then she tore a pretty big hole and began to dig out the down feathers. I give her blankets and towels but she gets bored of them very quickly, pushing them under her and then leaving them behind. I’ve filled boxes with shredded papers but her (and especially our male bunny) like to pee in those, so I’ve stopped that. We have a really thin throw carpet that does not allow for much digging and luckily she’s only ripped a few holes in that. I guess I’m just out of ideas. My male rabbit (beaumont) likes to make little pee spots on most fabrics/papers that are for playing and that makes it difficult too. 

        has anyone made a dirt box for their bunns? Is that a good idea/bad idea? would they like it? I live in a very small apartment but am definitely willing to create some sort of digging area. Parsnip clearly needs to let out this need and I just want to facilitate in the least destructive way. 


      • jerseygirl
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          The only thing I’ve considered that would be relatively neat is to use small pebbles. Like smooth river pebbles as you could wash them if they get peed on. I haven’t been able to find a large quantity to try this out. I do expect my rabbits would turn it into a toilet and I’d tire pretty quickly of having to wash it and est it up again.

          What about using a large box wigh smallish side entrance? She’d have to hop in to dig and the material would be contained mostly in the box. Even a pile of the wood pellets and if it got soiled, you could remove those bits as needed. Or do you think they’d both take to using this as their main litter box?


        • Huckleberry
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            If you do decide to use dirt, be careful about parasites and such. Im not really sure how you would avoid it? Buying dirt from a store might mean chemicals that are usually used to enhance growth, i dont know if these would be harmful or not, but it might be something to be aware of. If you dig it up from somewhere, you may end up with parasites or ringworm (a fungus that can be found in the dirt). I wonder if you could bake the dirt in the oven for a while to kill anything off and sterilize it.
            Perhaps I am being an overprotective nut job but ive considered doing the same and that was what I thought about.

            I give Huckles a large cement mixing plastic pan (found at Lowe’s) filled with shredded newspaper. She uses it as a litter box, but she digs in it all the time and nibbles the paper.


          • jerseygirl
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              Oh, another thing I thought about for diggers is to fill a tunnel with stuff. Like one of those cat tunnel. It would be a bit like an excavation project for them and contain the mess a little. Crumpled up balls of newspaper maybe.

              I agree about the dirt, it could get pretty messy indoors too. You can get washed sand for kids sandpits. I was thinking if it were damp it wouldn’t fly into the eyes and be better for digging. It can be washed and dried also. Though again, lots of work and possibly messy. And if your cats are used to sand they might start using it..
              It’s tricky to come up with something the rabbits would actually take too.


            • Sarita
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                I asked a vet about sand and it’s not recommended because of possible impaction and also the dirt could get in their eyes and cause irritation.


              • LizzyBunn
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                   Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve really been at a loss and just haven’t known what to try. Dirt definitely didn’t sound appealing and it completely makes sense about the germs and other risks. Pepples do seem neat, especially since Parsnip likes to dig stuff with some girth. Maybe a thin layer in a tall sided box? this way she couldn’t hurt herself or make too much of a mess? I’ll think about the logistics and see if it would actually work. I love the cat tunnel idea, especially because I know the cats would also love it. I worry about them peeing in that but it’s definitely worth a try. if the bunns use it as a litter box I can always wash it and let the cats have it. 

                  thank you thank!


                • LizzyBunn
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                     ah! I have two accounts?! funny.


                  • LoveChaCha
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                      Have you tried a fleece blanket? My bunny LOVES MY blankets.. not hers. She has HER own blanket, but prefers MINE. She digs and digs, smooths it out, and binkies! Just be sure if you do, that your bunnies don’t try to ingest it.


                    • Joyfull_music
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                        We also tried putting blankets on the floor for Momo, and she ignores them. She prefers to dig and scoot the blankets that are in use. My husband is a weirdo and bundles up in blankets even in 100 degree weather, so there are a lot of blankets in the living room.


                      • LizzyBunn
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                          we have tried blankets and sheets. parsnip thinks they are interesting for a second and then beaumont finds them and pees on them. she likes a really sturdy dig i think….

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                      Forum BEHAVIOR digging