Why Do Rabbits Dig Holes? 4 Best Reasons To Explain Why!
If you have rabbits as pets, you may be curious why do rabbits dig holes? Most animals have unique behaviors and characteristics, which is why they are known. Digging is a characteristic of rabbits.
There are significant reasons for these characteristics like they want to have a safe place to sleep or hide from huge animals which try to eat them.
In the wild, rabbits tend to make a defense action, which is to hide if a giant animal tries to hunt them.
Furthermore, the hole will also keep their bodies warm and cozy every time.
In this article, we will discuss the reasons for a bunny’s digging. We will elaborate things in detail, and we’ll add more learning about rabbits.
So if you are ready, let’s get right into it!
Why Do Rabbits Dig Holes? 4 Reasons
If we think about bunnies, the very first thing that will pop up in our minds is the orange carrot, which they love.
More so, we would also associate these animals with digging.
But, do you know why do rabbits dig holes? Let’s take a look at major reasons for digging behavior in rabbits.
#1. Primordial instinct
As you can see, rabbits that live in the wild tend to live in burrows to survive and have a comfortable place to sleep.
You have to understand that even when bunnies have been tamed, it would be their habit to dig holes because this tendency won’t vanish in them.
So if you see your cottontail digging, it would be entirely normal for them to do so.
Furthermore, wild rabbits will fill in some leaves to make the hole camouflage with the environment and become more realistic.
#2. To trim their nails
Digging holes will surely help in trimming down the continuously growing nails of bunnies. This behavior will file the nails, which will grow long enough to cause problems if neglected.
You need to understand that a well-groomed bunny will be happy, and you will also love how neat and clean it would look.
You should also be very observant of the digging because it can mean that a vet’s grooming is needed.
You must do this because the long nails can injure your pet if not filed to become shorter.
Be sure to take care of your bunny to avoid issues from arising in the future. It is easier to prevent the problems in the first place than to correct them.
#3. To reduce boredom
Since rabbits are curious creatures, they do hole digging when they are bored.
So to help your cotton tails fight boredom, they tend to dig out holes to keep themselves busy and occupied. You can know more about this topic in a similar article why do rabbits dig
It is a recreational activity for them because they can have the stuff to do, even one in the cage. By that, the digging will help maintain the mental stability of your pet bunny.
More so, it would be best if you keep your pet moving with exercises to make their immune system robust. It is also a way to make your bunny healthy.
#4. To manifest discomfort
You need to understand your bunnies’ actions from time to time because it is not only about digging holes for comfortability, but also it can be a sign of discomfort.
Let me tell you a story.
I have a bunny, and his name is Thumper.
Whenever he feels alone or wants to get my attention, he will dig holes if he sees me. In that scenario, I would immediately know that he wants my attention and care.
The digging tells me that he wants to play, so I will let him out for a few minutes to play.
I think Thumper is super adorable when he does that, and it makes me happy every single time!
Read on to have the information that you need.
What Can I Give My Rabbit to Dig In?
Your garden cannot be entirely a safe place for your bunny to dig aimlessly. You have to consider the possible dangers around your pet, so you need to know the safe places for your pet to explore.
You cannot just let them go on their own because you surely know that regrets happen in the end (and that is one thing that you specifically do not want to happen!).
For example, large plant pots, card boxes full of shredded paper, and litter trays filled with soil are some of the secured places for digging.
You can choose between one of these choices and give your pet a nice area.
You must be aware of this matter so that you can have a high level of assurance of your cottontail’s safety whenever it wants to dig holes.
If you are a hands-on keeper, you are sure of your pet’s welfare, and you will not worry if it’s in danger because of the hole digging.
How To Stop Rabbits From Digging In The Yard?
Domestic rabbits are not your problem when it comes to the holes in your yard, but wild bunnies are.
It would be best if you learned how to trap and remove them not to be stressed out about the increasing number of holes in your property. Learn more here how to trap rabbit
There are some baits and traps which will help you do the job easier so you might want to browse the internet for a quick tutorial.
All you have to remember is to try not to kill the rabbit because it can be a crime depending on the country and area.
It would be best that you are careful with your actions because all you want is to lure away the bunnies harming your yard and not to kill them.
More so, keeping them away will have fewer chances of harm to your plants, so you might want to devise a good plan to keep the wild bunnies from trespassing.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why do rabbits dig holes, and you must be attentive enough to know the main reason for it. As a rabbit owner, you have to understand a bunny’s curiosity because it can also be looking for your attention. Since it is an instinct for bunnies to do the digging, you do not have to be surprised about it.
Digging is also recreational for domestic pets because it is a way for them to fight the cage’s boredom. Their mental health is also as important as their physical health, so you must make an effort for it. A rabbit can be seen happy if you will give it something where it can dig in, and I am sure that you, as the rabbit keeper, will also be pleased about it.
I hope you learned a lot in this blog post “why do rabbits dig holes?”, and thank you very much for reading.
Good luck!
