recently my rabbit has found her claws and has bin digging everywhere, she dug a large burrow which i had 2 fill in, then she dug another on- same again, she broke her run getting out of it and not i have 2 fix it, then she chewed the fence and dug a hold under it.
Needless 2 say im in trouble if she carries on doing this, has anyone else had this problem with rabbits, if so what did you do?
2007-09-10 05:43:51 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
i leave her out coz shes a rabbit and needs 2 get out lol
2007-09-10 05:50:17 · update #1
i shud have said, my garden is fenced off so nothing can get in and out
2007-09-10 05:54:50 · update #2
she isnt pregnant shes the only rabbit i have
2007-09-10 05:56:04 · update #3
i take it all ure rabbits live in a 6 x 4 ft run? dont u think they shud b out and about, they are creatures 2 ppl
2007-09-10 06:11:48 · update #4
Hi, if you have the time and the space i think you should abandon the idea of the 6 x 4 run. In reality it just isn't big enough for bunny.
I had the exact same problems with my 2 but eventually just gave up trying to contain them in a run. They now live free range (i'm home 90% of the day so i have no worries about foxes etc, when i go out i pop them in the gararge)
Firstly i filled in every hole they dug, dug down a good 2 foot along the bottom of the fence and stapled heavy duty chicken wire along the fence and folded it down into the hole and then covered it over.
Then i got reed screening and covered my trellis holes up and as it is tall it heightened the fence so pretetors can't gain access easily (if at all now).
Then i cleared out my garage and put in a litter box (which they use) and also put down shavings, straw and hay (garage is in effect their hutch
). They also have lots of toys to play with and things to hide in / under .If you want to do similar and can't give up or don't own a garage then a dog kennel would suffice (or an old cupboard, anything really as long as you can modify it with a secure "fox" proof entrance/ false back)
My rabbits now have the freedom of my entire garden with the safety of the garage, i have no more digging or stressed bunny BUT i also have no plants!!!!!
I know it sounds excessive but the more room (length , width and height) you can give your bunny the happier it will be and the less damage it will cause.
If all else fails you'll have to buy or make a couple of runs to put together.
Good luck!!
PS dont forget, rabbits can jump about 4ft in height from a standstill (i have 2 French lops and have measured the heights they have scaled)
I would like to point out that keeping a rabbit on concrete is very bad for them! if they spend too much time on the concrete they can develop very nasty pressure sores as their feet and legs are very bony. They need the cushioning of grass / mud / sand / bedding. These sores are very painful and normally need to be treated with steroid cream and need to be kept on softer ground. (been there got the tea shirt and the cream, my 2 girls arrived with them and they had been kept in a run on oncrete! it took over 2 months to clear them up)
PPS
also would like to point out that runs with a wire bottom are also painful on bunnies feet , can pull off claws and can cause open sores too
2007-09-10 10:34:20 · answer #1 · answered by loopyhoop 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Digging is a rabbits natural thing to do. They dig to make a den to get away from the heat and vermin(these are other animals that will eat them). You can't take this out of a rabbit, that would be like trying to teach a Border Collie dog to not herd a flock of anything.
You can dig a trench and put the fencing for the rabbit in the trench and cover it with dirt. The rabbit will then dig but not under the fence.
I do breed rabbits and have about 20 loose in the yard, I also have 40 acres so I'm not in the city.
2007-09-10 06:16:54 · answer #2 · answered by Suzy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well I'm more than a bit confused by your wording? Does your rabbit have free roam of your garden? Or does she just get out of her run by digging?
If your rabbit has free roam, you could try putting rocks/gravel down in her favourite dig spots to discourage her. If she is escaping from her run because it is broken, fix it. She may be 'breaking out' because she is bored. Buy her some toys/tunnels etc or better still get her a bunny companion.
I let my rabbits free roam my garden for around 3 hours a day. I keep an eye on them though, and when they go back in their hutch, I do a quick check of the garden for any burrows. Any I find, I fill in with rubble.
2007-09-11 08:32:41 · answer #3 · answered by skip a heartbeat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know a whole lot about rabbits, but would it be possible to put in a fence that goes down under ground a little ways? I don't know how far down they can dig, but that's the only thing I could think of...
2007-09-10 14:38:52 · answer #4 · answered by Love 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits are natural diggers but she could be bored..Rabbits are extremely active creatures make sure your run is large enough it should be 6ft x 4ft and give her toys, bits of large pipes, go to a hardware shop for those, pet shops sell loads of toys for rabbits, even an odd bit of loo roll cardboard that she can throw around or cricket balls.
Or maybe she needs a friend.. Guinea pigs are great...
2007-09-10 08:50:14 · answer #5 · answered by sarah m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do you leave the rabbit running around outside all the time? Rabbits shouldn't be kept outside if the temperature is above 84 degrees or if it is humid. Also, it will continue to dig and might get out of the fence. You need to watch it while it is outside and then bring it inside for the rest of the time.
2007-09-10 05:48:49 · answer #6 · answered by Madison 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
You seem to be a little awol here... you are saying that you are in trouble cos your bunny gets out and digs holes, then you are saying that she is alway out and will remain so...
Firstly a friend of mine had two very expensive rabbits that foxes got in under a run that was specially built for them, and killed one of them...
Secondly, You are having a laugh if you think that she cant get out from under your fences...
And ya know what, all this digging she doin already is her getting loads of practice to do just that...
Be careful
2007-09-10 11:02:02 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you should never leave a rabbit outside unless they are in a large baby play pen with shade, water, food, and shelter. and even then they have to be supervised. they shoul not be out if the temperature is over 80 degrees. she could find a prickly weed and get thorns all over her, could go over or under the fence, eat something poisonous,die of heat stroke,or be carried off by a bird of prey.
2007-09-10 06:57:32 · answer #8 · answered by barrelracer448 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
rabbits should not be aloud to have the free roam of the garden, for one reason, rabbits with the free roam tend to be less friendly than ones who dont have the free roam as they develope more of a wild instinct,
i would never let a rabbit have free roam of the garden unless i was outside with it, it would be too easy for cats to come in, or for your neighbour from down the block to be flying their nice little harris hawk that takes a liking to your rabbit. it isnt worth the risk. i would keep the rabbit either confined in a run (on hard standing such as concrete etc which will also keep his claws down) or keep him in his hutch unless you are out with him.
it is far safer to do this than let him have the run of the garden when you are not there with him. and also if you was out there with him, he wouldn't be able to dig would he because you could keep an eye on him.
i have 8 rabbits, that are kept happily, and might i add, safley in their own 4 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot hutches, (1 rabbit per hutch) they have enough room to stand up, trun around, and have a mad run about if they so wish, they each get out to run round each day, and all are happy and friendly and healthy.
i know not everone agree's with the idea of keeping rabbits contained, but i myself would rather see them safe and happy in a hutch, rather than with their head at one side of the garden and their half eaten body at the other. but i guess that is just my opinion
2007-09-10 05:53:21 · answer #9 · answered by animallovinggirlie 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm sorry, I can't fix your problem, but I thought I'd mention that our backyard has a 6ft privacy fence all around it, and the neighborhood cats get in with no problem. A fence will also not stop snakes, bees, biting ants, or predatory birds. You are asking for your rabbit to be injured or killed if you continue to leave her out there unsupervised.
2007-09-10 05:59:33 · answer #10 · answered by Mandy 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋