I have two male rabbits which I recently put into an enclosure approximately 10 feet x 8 feet x 6 feet x 9 feet and 7 feet high, there's a two-storey hutch in there too. I let them out of the hutch every morning and shut them back in again at about 11.30pm, so they have free-roam all day. Anyway, despite this lovely big run they still try to dig under the gate and fencing to get out! There's logs and pipes for them in the run, I put fresh grass and dandelions on the ground for them everyday as well as the rabbit food in their hutch, and yet all this isn't enough for them!
But anyway, my question is, if I bury chicken wire under the ground around the edges of the enclosure will that stop them digging? Or is there anything else I could do?
Answers:
The only thing you can do to stop them digging through is to have a material on the floor of the enclosure that is un-diggable! Such as concrete.
Your little rabbits are not "ungrateful"! They are just rabbits with a natural instinct to dig (afterall they live in burrows in the wild).
Its nice that you have provided such a good home for them rather than letting them rot in a hutch 24/7.
Over time as your rabbits get older they will mellow out a little bit, and may perhaps stop the digging.
In the meantime, perhaps you could consider having them neutered which will help the raging hormones to settle and get them through the naughty teenage years a little quicker!
Good luck!
I personally would not go for the chicken wire. My Dad tried that with my bunny when I was a nipper, and she was so determined to dig she damaged her paws.
If u make them as pets u have 2 do lot of sacrifcations.
The only way to stop them digging would be to get a metal bottom cage ,,,and just make them a run on the grass during the day,,,,lock them up at night,,,there not un grateful,,just doing what comes natural,,,,
Putting chicken wire would stop them digging, have you considered a hard floor for the time being? Buns naturally will dig.
As said above, they're rabbits. Rabbits dig.
You wanted a pet who wouldn't dig, you shoulda got a guinea-pig.
I dont think that putting chicken wire will stop them because rabbits will dig burrows.
-grins- Digging is what bunnies do. The chicken wire might hurt their little bunny paws! Even if you lay bricks in front of it, they'll just start digging further back. ^^;
They're not ungrateful. They're bunnies.
they could have wild bunny friends they are wanting to get to!
i personly wouldnt use chicken wire because of the possibility of them hurting their paws.
Please dont take it as an insult, they are doing it to pee you off. It is their natural instinct to burrow out. You can place chicken wire it wont stop them digging but it will keep them safe and stop them escaping.
Good Luck
LOL
It's not a good idea to bury the wire under the ground, unless you are prepared to dig a great big hole and get the wire down a few feet deep. If it's just a little way under the surface, the bunnies will either catch the wire with their paws when they dig, and this can sometimes snap claws off. Or even worse, they could dig under the wire, and scrape their backs on the underneath when squeezing through. All in all, I would reccommend leaving them as they are.
My rabbits are just as ungrateful as yours, they also have a huge big run and a big hutch in it, but also feel the need to dig. They have always done this, and seem to think that if they do it around the back of the hutch I won't notice! This is what rabbits would do in the wild, so I just leave them to it, and check the run every morning for holes. You need to fill the holes in or they'll get out eventually, but it won't stop them digging fresh ones!
Although you have pipes and things in the run, are there any places where the bunnies have a roof over their head and can still dig (nothing underneath their paws)?? I put an old plastic beer crate with a door cut in it, and some childrens plastic chairs in the run, and although it won't deter them from digging, it will encourage them to dig in the same place, making the holes easier to fill in. Don't place them too close to the edge or the rabbits will jump out!
The only other thing I would suggest is to put some large concrete slabs under your hutch (not the whole run). This has a few advantages of making the run easier to clean, it deters slugs from the hutches, it keeps the rabbits claws trim so that they're less likely to snap off when they do dig, and it gives them a bit less space to dig! They also like lying on it in the summer when it heats up.
As you've put in plenty of things for them to play with and run in, there's not much else really you can do. Digging does also keep their claws trimmed, but keep an eye out for missing claws - occasionally one of my bunnies has snapped off a claw when digging and blood gets everywhere. It dosen't seem to bothr them, if you hold a cotton pad on to stop the bleeding, just watch for infection etc.
On the bright side, as long as they keep digging, you know there's nothing wrong with them! Good to hear that you're giving them so much space, so many people keep rabbits locked in their hutches. Well done you!
female Bunnies dig as a natural instict, for making a hole (home ) for their youngs
They probably do it because they want to know what's beyond the enclosure...I don't know if chicken wire would work you could try it...here's is something I did with my rabbit Powder you could do if you have a spare room in the house:
I had Powder in a normal cage for a while, she outgrew it and we bought a wired hutch...kinda got too big for that, then we bought a big outdoor hutch (but we kept it indoors...because I'm overprotective) anyway she hated it she chewed on the door, and stomped her feet during the night.
Me and my brother lived in a 2 bedroom apartment and he had a bedroom and I decided to move my room into the living room...and make my old bedroom a playhouse for Powder...we'd let her run and play for hours (and we had a cat litter box which we taught her to use)...after awhile we just placed the wire hutch in the room (with the door open) put the litter box in the room and the whole room became hers...she never tried to dig under the door...never chewed on the walls or borders...it was great. Anyway if you have an extra room maybe try that...hope you get it fixed
its rabbits natural instinct to dig.. ive got 2 females and they are always digging.. 2 male rabbits will always fight aswell. if u use chicken wire then it will stop them escaping but it wont stop them digging.. its not that they hate u and want to escape its just that they do that because in the wild they would have burrows.theres not much u can do unless u put a tray with some mud or sumthing in that they can dig instead.
i do not know any thing bout rabbits
hi with a fence that big no wonder they are trying to get out they maybe think their in jail. only jocking. why dont you make a little avairy for them to stay in when you are not there.before you build the avairy but chicken wire on the ground first and let the grass grow thru it for a bit when its long enough then build the small avairy .they wont be able to dig thru the wire.when you are there you can let them out and then you can stop them digging.i dont think putting wire round what you have just now will help the can dig very deep. oh buy the way males fight a lot. good luck
digging is something rabbits do! I have 11 and im always filling up the holes they have dug.
chicken wire is a good idea. but as they like digging so much and you enclosure is so large, why not give them a sand/dirt box to dig in as well. also think about getting the rabbit some toys! i have had rabbits for many years and i thought it was abit silly to start with, but they really do play with them. old cardboard boxes are the fave thing for mine at the moment. go to your local pet shop or look on the net there are some really nice ones and very cheap to.
keep your rabbits busy by hiding their food. plastic flower pot with food in and hay on top and put it in a different place each day.
well it sounds like you are a lovely pet owner doing all that 4 your rabbits but they are not ungratful it is just a natural instict to digi have to rabbits i love them to bits but keep them inside it sounds like you could do with something to stop them digging or just keep an eye on them i know when my rabbits when they try n chew the wires i just have to stand up n they run of like they know they being naghty lol.
It's natural, you just have to watch them. Rabbits roam very large areas and burrows are very extensive in the wild housing many rabbits (safety in numbers) your rabbits are not ungrateful (they have no concept of this) just enjoy them as pets and see the 'funny' side.
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