Rabbit still having digging and territorial behavior after being neutered!

[mschoonover11]

Hi. My bunny was neutered this Tuesday and is making a full recovery
But lately, he’s just been showing many territorial/ digging type behaviors that he did before he was neutered. The first behavior I saw was digging in his litter box . The second behavior I noticed were the territorial poops and a couple of them were moist and smelled like the stinky poos from an unaltered male.

I am currently keeping him in an x-pen just while he recovers and it’s right next to my bed. Last night I could not sleep at all because he would continually bite the x pen and would try to yank it . He’s also biting the end of his cat sized litter box and it’s super loud at night. I don’t know if it’s the hormones but he was always a really hyper and destructive bunny, so I got him neutered for that reason. So basically, my question is: how long does it take for a rabbit’s hormones to die down after being neutered?

Thank u so much if u respond

[sarahthegemini]

Digging is a natural normal bunny behaviour. He won’t stop digging  because it isn’t hormonally driven. As for poop marking, many buns go through a post neuter craze which means their hormones go a little crazy before they settle. It usually settles within a month or so.

[BinkyBunny]

I agree with Sarah – some of this may be elevated due to the post surgery hormone boost.  Also, bunnies may react to discomfort or to having an unusual scent on them, (from vets, vet techs, all that was associated with surgery), by digging and/or marking.  The marking should settle down and the veracity in which your bunny digs or chews on things may settle.  But if your bunny was a digger prior, then I also agree, you just may have a “digger”. Just part of the the bunny’s personality.  I have a digger currently.   She will chew, dig and move blankets around, she will dig at hay, dig at the floor, dig at the couch if given a chance.  (And she’s at least 8 years old) 

Here are some solutions I have found — not to stop digging, (as she enjoys it),  but to help redirect it. 

Litter Box Digging – I have a screen that I put over the litter to prevent her from digging out her litter box. Some people have been successful with covered litterboxes. 

Blankets to Destroy– IF your bunny doesn’t consume cloth when digging and chewing, then this is a great way to wear them out.  You have to REALLY watch/supervise to make sure that is the case as consuming a bunch of cloth would be very dangerous.  My bunny chews a thousand little holes in blankets making blanket confetti out of as she does this.   Then she pushes and pull, digs until she flops in exhaustion.  

Make a Diggy Box:  There are several ways to do this.  I like just getting a plain cardboard box, cut out two entrances and add shredded paper.  If you bunny is likely to pee in the box, then you might find a small plastic laundry basket instead of using a cardboard box.  It can be a bit messy as the paper comes out of the holes, but it does let your bunny get out his diggy instincts.   

I know there must be others here who have “Diggy” bunnies.  They may have more suggestion.   

[mschoonover11]

Thank you for the replies!

Toby has amde a full recovery and is not digging anymore!

And BB, Toby also makes holes in blankets and I get scared that he’ll ingest most of the blanket

[mschoonover11]

I also made him a Diggy Box which he really enjoys

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