My Holland Lop keeps digging out her litterbox🤦🏼‍♀️

[WinnietheLops]

Hey everyone! We need help!

So for the last 2 weeks, my Holland Lop, Winnie, who is spayed, has been digging EVERYTHING from her litter box out. But here’s the catch, she only does it early in the mornings.

It doesn’t matter if we change her litter everyday and leave behind some of her poops so it it doesn’t smell so clean or if we fully clean it. We thought maybe she didn’t like the bedding or the paper pellets anymore so changed that up and that didn’t help. She isn’t running out of hay. She has a litter box that has higher edges to prevent this but she manages to dig out push it all out.

And she really shouldn’t be bored! She has digging toys, a hut to hide/sleep in, has food, water, and toys. She also is free roam practically ALL DAY from 7am-12am. We have to keep her in her play pen overnight, which takes up most of our living room so she has plenty of space because we rent, that was the only condition our landlord had. So it’s not like she’s cooped up all day or doesn’t get attention from us.

I’m going to try the screen in her litterbox next, but honestly with how her attitude has been, it feels like a lost cause already. Especially since she’s marking things again like she hasn’t lived here for over a year already.

We just don’t know what to do. We keep saying maybe she needs another bun to keep her company, but I really don’t want another if their behavior is anything like this out of no where.

Thanks for the ideas and help!

[DanaNM]

The screen should help a lot! They have always helped my diggers. Also a deeper box that makes it harder to kick everything out of.

You could also make her a digging box to give her a better way to exercise that instinct. Digging is very fun for some rabbits. 🙂

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Wick & Fable]

I agree that a screen can be helpful. I used a plastic knitting mesh/canvas (7-count hole size). One of my rabbits sometimes digs in the litterbox, and since the screen is cut to size, it doesn’t budge and can withstand the digging. An important part is the holes are smaller than her nails, so she can’t actually dig up the screen if she tried.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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