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Question
QUESTION: I have a rabbit that I have to put newspaper down in her cage because her potty box habits are not the best, so she uses her box sometimes, and than uses her cage. I notice she loves to lick the newspaper to the point were it starts shredding its so weird, I don't know if she licking her urine, or just loves the taste of the newspaper, she is a healthy rabbit she eats good, drinks her water and loves her hay and veggies, and her poop and urine look normal. So what would you think is making her do this. One more thing she doesn't play with toys at all, I try to entice her but not interested so I get worried that she gets bored. But when I get her outside in her exercise pen she is a digger, she is always digging her way to China, and pushing the dirt in front of her like she making a trench, then when I put her up I fill the holes up so when she comes out she can do the same thing and she does, but the hole gets a little deeper, she's a character.

ANSWER: Dear Lori,

Some rabbits like to lick newspaper or cardboard because of the taste.  As long as there are no heavy metals in the ink, it should be safe.  Most companies now use soy-based black ink, but you might want to check with your local newspaper company to see what type of ink they use and be sure it's safe.  Colored inks often contain heavy metal residues, and should be avoided.

Digging is a normal activity for rabbits, so letting her out to do what comes naturally is a very healthy, wonderful way to let her play.  If she's destructive indoors, then spaying will help stop that:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

as well as prevent uterine cancer, which is a very high risk in unspayed, unbred female rabbits.

Hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: She is Spayed. I adopted her through the Bunny Bunch in Southern Ca, and I live in Northern Ca. My Parents were on vacation in southern Ca, and so I did a long distance adoption and they picked her up for me, and she came home by motor home. She was in the pound for a year and the pound is a horrible life for any animal. A rabbit horder had to give up there rabbits so that means Betsy would have been euthanized, but the Bunny Bunch rescued her on time, and I wanted to help the bunny bunch, since they had that 500 rabbit rescue in Garden Grove Ca, so I adopted Betsy so another bunny would have a chance for a home too. So I don't know if being in the pound for a year did anything mentally, but now she's in her forever home, and has a much better life.

Answer
Dear Lori,

Thank you for your kindness in adopting Betsy!  As she gets a bit older, she will calm down and possibly stop the licking behavior.  It might indeed be a neurotic behavior left over from her ordeal with the hoarder.

I'm glad she's safe with you now!

Take care,
Dana