Scratching litter tray

EmilyJayneHarlow · May 2, 2022

For the past week or so my male rabbits has been constantly scratching in the littler box, and it emptying it out onto my floor

they have loads of toys and boxes to chew and scratch
Everytime he does it I try scatter treats on the floor or remove him from the tray but he just keeps going back at it

any ideas to stop? Stressing me out, not getting any sleep because he can be at it for ages

(Female rabbit in the photo attached

CrazyChickenGirl · May 3, 2022

My doe Opal does the same thing when pregnant. I don’t know why a buck would do it though.

Preitler · May 3, 2022

Bucks dig too, but different to does. Bucks dig in short bursts, fist sized holes, and then do it somewhere else. It's kind of a marking behaviour.

Does on the other hand DIG. Tunnels. Several meters long, at astonishing speed. My 10yo Fury still moves about 5 times her body weight in soil every day. It's a daily chore to take the shovel and fill up tunnels that are where I don't want them.
Sometimes a buck joins in with the doe to work on a warren, but I havn't seen a buck start a serious tunnel on his own.

That behaviour difference pops up with puberty, when I let a litter out at 11-12 weeks I can pretty well tell which gender they are.