When do rabbits dig holes

As is so often the case with rabbit behavior, there are multiple possible explanations for this. There is a range of further steps involved with the latter explanation.

These will provide insight into what she wants. The act of digging itself remains instinctive. Additional reactions will tell you more. Some rabbit experts have observed that females tend to dig more than males. There are several explanations for this. Some female rabbits will have no interest in digging. Some males will spend their every waking moment kicking up the turf. Most rabbit breeders and aficionados would point toward females as being keener diggers.

Factor this into your pet parenting when you choose to adopt a rabbit. In the wild, a rabbit will likely dig a hole in which to give birth. This is for privacy and security. While a rabbit gives birth, she is at her most vulnerable.

This hole will be designed to keep the baby rabbits safe. If we judge by human standards, rabbits are not the most maternal of animals. Mother rabbits do not stay with, and nurture, their young all day. This is a rabbit protecting her babies. The mother stays away, hoping that any predators that detect her scent will not find her babies. The nest of young will remain in a shallow hole, usually covered.

Their mother will return once daily, often under the cover of darkness, to feed her young. Rabbit milk is high in calories, so one feeding a day is sufficient. This is why nature ramblers discover nests of baby rabbits, and fear they have been orphaned.

This is rarely the case. Their mother will be visiting later, and will provide food and comfort. A domesticated rabbit should not give birth in a hole. If your pet is pregnant, she may start digging on instinct. A pregnant rabbit will nest in her hutch in a similar way to how she would in a hole. If holes appear in your lawn whenever you turn your back, critters are likely responsible.

Remember, cottontails and hares rarely dig. It could be moles that are disturbing your lawn. There may even be snakes living within, so do not place your hand in blind. Alternatively, your lawn may be part of a rabbit warren. Rabbits build elaborate tunnel systems. You may not just have one hole. You could have several, all of which are linked.

Rabbits use these to safely travel for several miles. Take a look at where the holes are appearing. The animals have found a food source, and are creating easy access. Rabbits always like to graze close to an escape route. How to deal with the issue depends on what animals you have in your yard.

To confirm if your visitors are rabbits, check the size and dimensions of the hole. Rabbit holes are usually around cm in diameter. There will also be a lot of soil kicked up around the hole. Rabbits are not tidy diggers. Their strong front paws kick and claw dirt quickly.

Take a look at the hole and the surrounding area. Small droppings and tufts of fur will be a common sight. The grass around the hole will also show signs of nibbling. A bigger hole is unlikely to belong to rabbits. Badgers, or maybe even foxes, could be nesting within. Smaller holes are likely the work of moles. It could be a humble field mouse or rat, though. The only way to be sure is to set up a camera in your yard. I kindly ask that you take action to correct this error. Well, bad advice coming out my mouth would be nothing new, Gregg—and the "Beagle" reporter quoted me close to perfectly.

In fact, I've been telling audiences that American rabbits aren't good diggers for many years now, often reminding the crowd of how we've all found nests of baby bunnies sitting on the surface, maybe camouflaged by some grass clippings, but otherwise out in the open.

If Mom or Dad could dig, I ask, why wouldn't the babies be in a burrow, where they'd be much safer? But, like many things I've repeated over the years in my talks, I can't recall the original source of my information; and your very thoughtful email had me wondering if I didn't get crossed up on this one somehow. The references you sent—both from great sources—didn't help me decide.

The Wikipedia entry made it hard to figure out which kinds of rabbits do what, and which parts of the world those kinds of rabbits inhabit. And the U of C Bulletin was great advice for Californians , but they have eight different species of rabbits, and I couldn't tell how many—if any—were the kind that invade gardens here in the East. And to make things even MORE confusing, the very next paragraph in that California Extension Bulletin reads: "If you don't bury the bottom of the wire fence, you'll need to stake the bottom edge to deter rabbits from passing beneath it" , which is darned close to my advice.

The more I researched, the more confused I became. Then Stephen Vantassel came to my rescue. In his reply to my frantic "help me" email, he explained that while both articles quoted by our questioner specifically state that "all rabbits except cottontails burrow", they fail to mention that cottontails are the most widely distributed rabbit in the U.

Then, eerily echoing a line I use in my talks right after I call the deeply burrowed Bugs Bunny a fraud for his Brooklyn accent , Dr.

Vantassel added that, "European rabbits dig holes; Eastern Cottontail does not. Your rabbit might paw at the carpeting, couch cushion, your bed quilt, or other household item or furnishing. This is unlikely to harm anything unless you let it continue or encourage it.

Repeated digging can cause damage to items. Digging is also a reason that adventures outside in an exercise pen or other containment must always be supervised. If you have a safe outdoor space with dirt available, such as a fenced-in backyard or safe outdoor area for an x-pen, then supervising your bunny for outdoor playtime could lead to dig-time. You might also offer a dig box for your rabbit. Crumpled paper, heaps of hay, clean dirt, small pieces of fabric that lack any nap, and biodegradable packing peanuts are some fillings to consider.

Be sure to keep the box clean, removing any soiled items and completely cleaning it regularly. Curiosity, boredom, stress, fear, wanting attention, seeking a cozy spot to lounge in — any of these and more could be some of the less common reasons why a rabbit digs. Has anything changed in the environment? Have there been any changes in the household — more people or less, more pets or less? Are you interacting with your rabbit a lot more or a lot less than usual?

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