Why do rabbits dig holes

In domesticated rabbits, digging is recreational rather than a matter of survival. Your rabbit will rarely be happier than when she has a digging box to root through. These instincts can also be paired with behaviors.

Likewise, your rabbit may be digging for attention. All domesticated breeds of rabbit will have an instinct to dig, This is because the vast majority of wild rabbits engage in this behavior. The only real exception is the Cottontail rabbit. Cottontail rabbits live in overground nests, rather than warrens.

This breed will still seek shelter, but prefers to use existing holes. Hollow logs, for example. A cottontail may also try her luck by hiding in an existing rabbit hole. Incidentally, hares also live above ground. This can be a way to distinguish between rabbits and hares while in the wild. Cottontails are the rabbit breed most commonly found in the United States. Domesticated rabbits are the offspring of European breeds, though.

This is why your own pet retains a wild instinct to dig. If you spot your pet rabbit digging, she will be embracing her instincts. Wild rabbits dig all the time, for a wide range of reasons. This innate desire to dig is also hardwired into your pet. None of this applies to your pet rabbit. You provide shelter, in the form of a hutch. You protect your rabbit from potential predators. Domesticated rabbits still have the desire to dig. Instinct is a powerful thing, and it cannot be ignored.

Due to this instinct, as San Diego Rabbits explains, digging is fun for your pet. Maybe she makes a beeline for soil and digs in this dirt.

Alternatively, she may prefer to dig up your lawn or flowerbeds. Rabbits can destroy in minutes what took weeks and months to create. Rabbits can dig further underground than you may realize. A typical rabbit burrow in the wild is around a foot deep. If your rabbit is determined to go further, though, she will.

This means that your pet could dig her way under a fence and into the world. This is not a good thing. Domesticated rabbits are not capable of surviving in the wild. They lack the savvy and life experience required to stay safe. Even in urban areas, there will be plenty of animals that could harm her. Local cats, for example, could chase your rabbit.

Foxes may also roam. If your pet discovers the yard of another property, she may dig there. Your pet could also eat toxic plants or weeds. A digging box will also keep your rabbit entertained for hours. You could also consider filling a sandpit with appropriate materials. Digging provides rabbits with mental stimulation, and exercise to keep them in tip top physical condition.

If your rabbit is feeling anxious from perceived threats, or they are overheating in hot weather, digging helps them to calm down and cool off. If you have a yard, it is a great idea to choose a safe area for your rabbit to dig. But, make sure you keep a close eye on your bunny so that they stay safe. Make sure no predators can get them, like birds or cats. Simply get a large box that has plenty of space for your rabbit to move around in, and fill it with a bunny-safe material that they will enjoy digging.

Lots of rabbits also enjoy shredding things. So, filling options include: dirt, paper, hay, paper bags, towels. Digging is a natural behavior for rabbits, both wild and domestic. Why do rabbits dig? One reason probably accounts for most rabbit digging, but a few other reasons also exist. You might have guessed that instinct drives a majority of rabbit digging. Most rabbit species in the wild live in underground burrows that they dig.

A notable exception are cottontail rabbits, which live in nests rather than burrows. Burrows provide some safety from predators and extreme temperatures. A group of burrows where numerous rabbits live is called a warren. All domesticated rabbit breeds are descended from the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus , which burrows, so your bunny pal has burrowing in his or her genes. At first, digging might seem cute. Your rabbit might paw at the carpeting, couch cushion, your bed quilt, or other household item or furnishing.

Not only do they dig, they also cover it with leaves, fur and twigs. These burrows are almost invisible to us human and their predators. These holes basically make up for their hiding places. If they feel like a predator is watching them, they will very conveniently go and sit in them to feel secure. They even hide their young ones in there to keep them protected from predators. The young babies safely sit there in these camouflaged hiding spots. In the wild, rabbit dig burrows to keep themselves safe among too hot or cool temperatures.

Digging helps them get rid of boredom, stress or fear. Sometimes he or she may dig to find a comfortable spot to just lay in. Digging helps give your bunny both a physical and psychological pleasure. Wild rabbits dig burrows and tunnels at different depths depending upon their breed.

They like to hide in places with shade, their burrows also serve as hide-outs. They usually dig around inches deep with random diversions. Female rabbits are more particular about their territories than male rabbits, they are also known to dig more than male rabbits do.

While wild rabbits can be a pest to homeowners, here are a number of ways to keep them away from your yard:.