Bunny is digging and litter in flying!

[Bella's mom]

Hello everyone!

Hope every bunny ( ) is doing well. I was wondering if I can ask you guys for suggestions.

I totally understand that bunnies need and have the urge to dig. I change Bella's cage daily and as soon as I put in fresh bedding in her littler box ( she digs like crazy and it goes flying out like crazy.). She digs in the corners ( it sounds funny and cute as it sounds like she's a DJ scratching records) but she ends up throwing her litter everywhere. What can I use that won't make a stinking mess? If you guys have suggestions I would greatly appreciate it!!

 

[samoth]

Is it a high-sided litterbox (e.g., one made for cats)? Have you tried a soft metal grate atop the litter to prevent digging? (My buns hate these and won't use litter boxes wtih them.)

My buck goes through a digging phase every spring, but it usually passes within a month.

 

[Blue eyes]

What are you using for litter? Don't know if this will help or not, but wood pellets topped with hay may stop some rabbits from excessive digging. If there is tasty hay on top, they may get distracted and decide to eat instead of dig.

 

[Bella's mom]

Is it a high-sided litterbox (e.g., one made for cats)? Have you tried a soft metal grate atop the litter to prevent digging? (My buns hate these and won't use litter boxes wtih them.)

My buck goes through a digging phase every spring, but it usually passes within a month.

Hi there @samoth, thanks so much for your response. I do have a high sided litterbox. I removed her litter and she is using it no problem. I will have to look into the soft metal grate and see if that works. She literally goes to town . Thanks again for your response!!

 

[Bella's mom]

What are you using for litter? Don't know if this will help or not, but wood pellets topped with hay may stop some rabbits from excessive digging. If there is tasty hay on top, they may get distracted and decide to eat instead of dig.

Hi there @Blue eyes. Thanks for your response. Much appreciated. I am using Yesterday's newspaper. I used to top the Timothy Hay on top. Bella would eat the hay and then the litter would fly everywhere...lol. I will try the hay again and see how it goes. I don't think she likes the litter. Every time I put it in she digs and then pees and poops in it where there is nothing in it....silly bunny!

 

[Blue eyes]

Ha! Add lots of hay then. Maybe if more hay is put on top before she eats it, then she won't dig?

 

[Lexi Ward]

My Oliver sent his Yesterday News flying too. He loved to vigorously dig. I got a large corner litter box with a grate on top ....... works wonderful! He is fine with it and no more flying litter!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Maybe another pan full of shredded newspaper. Our little mini Rex used to dig and even disappear under the paper like a submarine and then pop up--so funny. The others dig and also use it like a regular box and it's cheap and easy to change.

 

[JBun]

I also have a dig box full of ripped up and crinkled newspaper for my buns to dig in and a few of them really love it. It's a cardboard box with an entrance hole(can also provide an exit hole) higher up on the box to help contain the contents, the bottom lined with several layers of flat newspaper, then a bunch of strips of crinkled newspaper to get them started. I'll hear them in there digging, ripping and shredding the newspaper even more. They will occasionally use it as a litter box, so I just change the newspaper as needed, and the box as well if it gets soaked with urine.

Blue eyes suggestion to cover the litter with more hay is good as well. If that doesn't work, I made soft screens out of pet screening, to cover my buns litter and prevent digging.

 

[Maria Hansen]

I saw an interesting YouTube tutorial on making a litter box with a regular sized dish pan and a cookie cooling rack as the grating.. have not tried it yet, but it seemed like a cheap alternative to other litter boxes. Does anyone recommend doing a box of sand for digging? I like the idea of the newspaper in a box.

 

[LoveBun]

Hi everyone, I am new to posting and also to having a bunny. My little girl is a mini lop and so much fun but the litter box did become a real problem. I use the wood shavings and then would put the hay on top. Naturally because she loves to dig, I had a mess all over and shavings stuck to her fur. I came across a web sight that sells litter boxes with mesh screens. That has been the best expense I have made. I put the shavings down then the screen with the hay on top. It keeps the hay dry and Rayne dry also. She doesn't dig at it any more and I don't have the shavings all over my house. The mesh is tightly woven so there is not chance of a nail getting caught or a foot. I hope this helps as it sure has been a blessing for me.

 

[Blue eyes]

@ lovebun, you may want to consider trying the wood pellets (as opposed to shavings). Not only do they not stick to fur, but they are much better at odor control.

 

[Bella's mom]

Thanks so much everyone. You are all amazing. All of your suggestions are awesome and you rock!!!
@Lexi Ward
@Nancy McClelland
@JBun
@Maria Hansen
@LoveBun

Thanks a millions. I should try the digging box and fill it with paper and see if that will satisfy her digging. I should look into the mesh and see if that will help. @Blue eyes I did not know they have wood pellets. @Maria Hansen I'll have to look into the YouTube videos! Thanks so much everyone! You're all awesome!!

 

[LoveBun]

Blue eyes thank you so much for the suggestion of using the wood pellets. Although every things is going well at the moment, I may give them a try.

 

[Blue eyes]

@Blue eyes I did not know they have wood pellets.

The wood pellets look almost identical to Yesterday's News but are a fraction of the cost . Less is needed as well since they expand so much. It took me a while to get used to putting such a thin layer of wood pellets in the litter box. (I, too, used to use Yesterday's News)

oh, btw, they can be found at hardware stores (for wood pellet stoves) or at feed stores as horse bedding. (The horse bedding comes as pellets or as what looks to me like crumbled pellets. Be sure to get the ones that look like Yesterdays News [whole pellets])

 

[Joyce Guardado]

Hi there @samoth, thanks so much for your response. I do have a high sided litterbox. I removed her litter and she is using it no problem. I will have to look into the soft metal grate and see if that works. She literally goes to town . Thanks again for your response!!

My Jazzy can’t wait for me to clean her box as soon as I do hay flys

 

[lavendertealatte]

Bunster has started zooming around her litter box but thankfully the wood pellets are heavy enough that not much flies. I second trying that if you still find you have problems.

 

[Bella's mom]

Thanks so much everyone for your awesome advice! Unfortunately my beautiful baby Bella passed Away yesterday afternoon from complications due to her anesthesia. They were prepping her for her spay. We are beyond utterly devastated. My son feels guilty and my daughter can’t stop crying! I’m a bubbling mess and feel so guilty. She was only 7 months and was healthy until she went under! I’m running on 2 hours of sleep and can’t stop crying!!! Please keep my kids and I in your prayers and thoughts because God knows we need it!

 

[Popsicles]

I’m so so heartbroken for you all, can’t believe what happened been thinking of you and your kids and sending you all lots of love xx

 

[Bella's mom]

I’m so so heartbroken for you all, can’t believe what happened been thinking of you and your kids and sending you all lots of love xx

Thanks so much my awesome @Popsicles . You’re so awesome! I love chatting with you all. Thanks for your kind and comforting words!! Means so very much to me xoox