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Digging but getting nowhere - enjoyable or frustrating??

Bitzy-B

Mama Doe
Hiya

I've recently put Dizzi and Rascals carrier in the aviary for them to use as a bolt hole or to snuggle in at night. I put a nice fleecey in the bottom of it but all Dizzi does is try and dig in there, she's thrown the fleece out (no surprise there) and any hay I put in she throws out too and then she goes to the back of the carrier and tries to dig in the corner.

Obviously she's not getting anywhere because its rigid plastic but I was just wondering if this would maybe be frustrating her or if they don't care that they're not getting anywhere with it.

I know that digging is a natural thing for rabbits to do but if its frustrating her because she's not getting anywhere then I'll take the carrier back out .... however, if she's just enjoying the digging action I'll leave her to it!!

I did put a digging box in for them in the summer and they completely ignored it!!!

Any ideas/advice??

Thanks

Jo
 
Sorry, can't help but I have often wondered this too. I'm sure the digging is good for them as it is... but, yes, would they prefer to be getting somewhere? And does it make a difference if they have never lived in a burrow?
 
Sorry, can't help but I have often wondered this too. I'm sure the digging is good for them as it is... but, yes, would they prefer to be getting somewhere? And does it make a difference if they have never lived in a burrow?

Thanks for your reply. :)

I do find the bunnies hard to read sometimes ....... like when Dizzi's throwing stuff round, I can't tell if its for fun or she's annoyed that its in her way!! lol x
 
I wouldn't assume she'll get nowhere, Scamp dug out the back of his carrier.

scampcarrier.jpg


:lol:

If she gets really focused on it to the exclusion of anything else and you think it's turning in to stereotypical behaviour then I'd remove it. However, as she's shown she likes digging then maybe replace it with something else such as a tunnel system (it maybe she wants to extend and thinks in needs a back exit) or a box filled with stuff she can dig through, or a cardboard box she can chew as many exits as she wants in.
 
Some rabbits like a bolt hole which it's enclosed, others need an entry and an exit,i assume so they can escape out of one if there is danger at the other. Maybe try a cardboard box and see if two openings stops the digging. I think she is trying to modify it to suit her needs.
 
Not the best pic in the world but this is their 'usual' set up:

DizzinRascal-tubs.jpg


Not sure if you can see but they have a 'Y' shaped 3 way tunnel and a straight tunnel and also underneath the ramp there is a kind of wooden tunnel (with no sides! lol)........ so they're used to a lot of tunnels, which could have confused her as she thought she could get out of the back of the carrier!?!? Having said that, its their usual carrier, she's been in it loads of times!!

Having said all that she seems to have settled down with the digging and instead is spending most of her time sat on top of the carrier! lol

I used to always give them cardboard boxes but they chewed them to bits and I was worried about them eating it, so took them out!

I've tried them with a digging box but they showed no interest whatsoever and they've also never tried digging in thei 'garden area'!!

Thanks for all your advice, I'll see how she goes with it!


PS/ How cute is that piccie of Scamp!! :love:
 
Seeing that pic again makes me realise just how messy their aviary has gotten recently - hay, fur and toys all over the gaff!! :oops:

326391_10150459109342873_751427872_10520769_1569181425_o.jpg
 
^^ thats what I thought too! :lol::lol::lol::love::love::love:so cute! I wish I had an aviary like that - its wonderful!:thumb:

Aww thank you, my hubby built it for them and I'm forever asking him to modify it! They have a bedroom downstairs that is totally carpetted but they hardly ever use it so I've asked him to put a new door on that they can see out of, they might use it more then ...... also he's going to carpet the upstairs of the hutch where they snooze in the daytime and build a little decking area in the run part so that when they're sitting out all night, their feetsies don't get cold on the paving!! (I've put fleeces down for the time being)! lol
 
Biscuit can't have their carrier in their living area. If he finds it, its the end of the world for the carrier and anything surrounding it.

Like Dizzi, Biscuit will empty it of its contents, destroying whatever that way, be it hay, newspaper, fleece, vet bed etc.

He'll then push and pull the carrier around the room, smashing it against walls, radiators and even pushing it down the stairs once, leaving a nice dent in the wall :roll:

We had to remove it for the same reason Tamsin mentioned, it was his sole focus and i didn't believe it was doing him any good, as he can get an 'aggressive' face on and when that happens, you do not try and stop him. So i removed what was causing that and he was happier. He does however get that face during his digging in the litter tray times, so it's swings and roundabouts sometimes.
 
That looks great! I love their garden patch :D I think messy is good. It's much more interesting than a beautiful flat, completely empty space.
 
That looks great! I love their garden patch :D I think messy is good. It's much more interesting than a beautiful flat, completely empty space.


Thanks! :D

I always used to stress that they wouldn't have enough space to run if they had stuff everywhere .... but they seem to manage!! (big time)! :lol:
 
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