Litter Box Digging

Question
My rabbit is 6 months old and already spayed. She just started digging in her litterbox and dragging it around her cage and it is keeping me up at night. What can i do to stop her from this? Is there something i can put on the litter box to make her stop?

Answer
Dear Brianna,

Although she is spayed, she is still very young.  The lack of hormones still won't completely get you clear of the "terrible teens" that all young rabbits (and humans, for that matter) go through at puberty.  Rabbits are quite active at night, so this is normal behavior for her.  She's just bored.

Question #1:  How big is her cage?  If she is restricted from moving around much, her litterbox violence will continue, and there won't be much you can do about it.  She is letting you know she's bored and needs more room to run around.  If her cage/pen is any smaller than about 36" square *and* at least 24" high, then it's too small, no matter what her size.

Question #2:  Is she litterbox trained, and is your house bunny-proofed?  The very best way to stop her nighttime rants is to let her have free run of the house, or at least of a large room/area where she can feel free to explore and be mistress of her domain.  Rabbits, like any other intelligent animal, don't like to be caged.  And they'll let you know about it.

Our rabbits are never caged.  They run free in a rabbit-proofed house, have a ball while we're asleep though they make minimal noise, and we have no trouble with destructiveness because they are so interested in running around and exploring.  

If there are baseboards that are a favorite "chew toy", you can temporarily protect them until she's out of her "terrible teens" by tacking a strip of untreated pine molding onto the spot where it's inviting to chew.  She can chew to her heart's delight, and you can just replace the molding when it's worn out, and even remove it when company's coming over.

There are lots of ways to protect the house from the activities of a rambunctious young bunny.  One of the best is to contact your local rabbit rescuer and set up a "blind date" with some of their neutered, adoptable boys.  Having a companion will keep your girl entertained and not lonely (another reason she's acting out), and everyone will be happier.  There's nothing cuter than a bonded pair of bunnies snuggling!  And she will love you just as much or more.

You can find a rabbit rescue group near you here:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

Hope this helps.

Dana