Rabbits are some of the most amazing creatures you will ever see. Their little hops, little fast nibbles, and cute face surely melt our hearts.
Welcoming your new pet baby rabbit home is one of the best feels.
Adjusting with your rabbit can somehow be a challenge for both you and your pet. You may encounter some really weird things happening to you or your belongings.
One common thing that many new rabbit owners mention is that their bunny keeps digging at their clothes or other stuff such as couch or bed.
As soon as you pick them up, you will notice that bite into your clothes.
In some cases, the digging could be so hard that it can damage the clothes.
In this article, I will list down the most common reasons why your rabbit bite at your clothes and what to do about it.
Why do Rabbits Bite/Dig Your Clothes?
There may be several reasons for your pet bunny to bite your clothes.
Your rabbit might want you to pet her or maybe she wants to get away from you.
Rabbits may dig at your clothes if they have anxiety, fear, frustration, anger, itch, hunger, or pain in the teeth.
It can also happen due to stress or some other condition.
Let us discuss some of the reasons why rabbits chew clothes:
They are Rabbits, Biting Clothes is a Habit
One logical explanation of this is that they are rabbits.
Rabbits are natural diggers and chewers and it’s in their very instinct to chew or gnaw and dig.
The domestic rabbits are descendants of European rabbits and they like to dig into the grounds.
So if you see your rabbit doing it occasionally then it’s fine.
To Maintain their Teeth
The teeth of the rabbit grow about 4 to 5 inches every year.
It is so important for them to chew something so that their teeth might not grow any bigger.
You can get a special discount on chewing toys for rabbit teeth by using our Amazon affiliate link.
It is very suitable for small pets.
The chewing levels the upper and lower incisors. Continuous chewing on hay and other things can grind their teeth to normal length.
Rabbits May be Frustrated
Yes, this could be the reason. Rabbits love their alone time and value it. If you tend to disturb their aura of peace, they will get irritated and frustrated.
For today’s question, Why do Rabbits Dig at Your Clothes? This point is important.
This frustration will lead them to anxiety and they will dig on your clothes, sheets, towels, or sofas.
They may even bite you or put scratches on u with their tiny sharp nails.
Confinement to the Cage Can Make Them Aggressive
Rabbits do not appreciate being confined to a cage all the time.
They want space to play and things to dig and chew.
If you do not let them out of the age, they will get aggressive and once they are out they will surely put holes in your favorite shirt.
Rabbit Needs your Attention
There are some animals that express themselves by meowing, roaring or barking. Rabbits do that by digging and chewing.
It might be a sign that they need you to love them and pet them. Go near your little baby and pat him on his head, feel his skin, and let it rest on your lap.
Rabbits may chew or dig on your lap for attention.
They Want to Get Away
Rabbits are shy and cute but you need to understand that they do not want you every time cuddling and playing with them.
When your love for them increases, they do this digging as a defense mechanism. Let them go away before she hurts you.
They Miss the Rugs/Carpets
Rabbits do love digging on the rugs and carpets. They want their tiny feet sunk deep into the fabric and their teeth grinding them swiftly.
If their play area is amiss with rugs then they will start to come up to dig your couch, blankets, towels, and even your own clothes that you are wearing.
Here is an Amazon discount link to the grass mat for your rabbit.
They May Need to Pee
Well, you do not know when your baby rabbit needs to go to the washroom. You just let it play on your lap.
But if suddenly, if she starts to dig into your clothes vigorously, then it means that she may have the urge to go to the washroom.
Let her be and let her answer nature’s call.
They Dislike How you Smell
Quite odd! But yes some rabbits do not like the way you smell.
If you have applied some strong cologne you may see your rabbit get away with you because of that.
Adding to this, rabbits hate the smell of garlic.
If you have garlic odor on your hands and you play with your rabbit with those hands, he might give a good digging on your clothes to run away.
Your Rabbit is Showing You Superiority
As cute as they might look, male rabbits sometimes want to show you that they are dominant over you just like other animals do.
Male rabbits also mark their territory by peeing on to the house.
So if they claim you as their territory they might end up digging on your clothes or even biting you.
They want to Observe
It most probably happens to newer pets. They like to observe things, grounds, and everything around the house.
Digging into those things might be a part of it.
They would want to take a closer look as if the material they are digging is worth it or not.
Rabbit Wants to Play with You
It might be a sign that they want you to play with them.
They will scratch on your lap or chew your clothes so that you may run around with them.
Rabbits sometimes want you to get down on the floor so that they may run around and hop over you and show how playful and fun they can be.
They Want You to Cut their Nails
If they are continuously digging on the clothes, check their nails.
They might be showing the sign that their nails are too big and they need attention.
Apart from getting your attention, this could also be a way for them to try and get rid of long nails.
They May be Impressing the Female
Well, this can be the reason.
Rabbits do a lot of digging and chewing as a sign to show their female that they want to mate with them.
Also read: Can You Declaw a Rabbit?
How To Stop Rabbits To Dig Into Your Clothes?
Okay so here were some of the reasons for this behavior. Now let us see what to do to stop the rabbits from digging up:
Show Signs Of Disliking
Rabbits are intelligent creatures. They will feel if you are angry with them. It is important that you show them signs of anger
You can pat a little slap on their head to make them stop. You can also turn your back towards them to show them that they disapprove.
The rabbits will leave their digging hopefully.
Provide them Some Playful Things
You should provide your rabbit with some colorful and playful stuffed toys. A rabbit loves to play with their toys and it would stop their aggression.
They can play with a toy for up to weeks until they get bored of it. Try adding new toys for them to play and they will spare your clothes and couches.
Give them a Rug
As mentioned earlier, a rabbit loves to walk and dig on the rugs. Buy them their own designated rug and let them enjoy it.
You can also give them a grass rug. They are easily available and they will provide a natural environment for your rabbit.
Confine them to Limited Places
You might want to confine your bunny to limited places. Do not let it enter the room where most of your valuable things are; to avoid any possible incident.
If they still dig on clothes after you stop them. Put them in a cage for some time.
They will realize what could happen if they do the digging on things they are not supposed to do.
Look After the Nails
You should check if their nails are bigger and at once opt for trimming them.
It is best if you do not do it yourself and take it to the vet.
De-Sex the Rabbit
Spayed and neutered bunnies are more playful and less aggressive. By de-sexing them you would see a good difference in their behaviors as well as their diggings.
Distract Them
Whenever you see your rabbit digging on the clothes, try to distract them.
Run after them in a playful way or toss a carrot or some hay for them to chew and play. They will surely forget about what they were chewing before.
Bunny Proofing Your Home
Last but not least, make a bunny-proof home.
Keep all the sockets and wires closed or away from your rabbit’s reach or that might kill them.
Put your things out of reach of your rabbit. Do not put any crystal ware on the table that can break on the ground and damage you and your bun.
So, you see it is not that difficult to take care of your bunny. They just need a little care as every other animal pet would.
Love them and make them feel at home. Your kind brought up will lead her to be a perfect cute bunny. Happy day!
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