Dumping feed hay!?!?

My doe started to dump her hay every night or while I'm at work so each night it's out if her cage.
She only did this around the time that my black satin started to be late in pregnancy and requiring a top off day and night so I think its learned behavior even though they are stacked on each other with a divider between blocking the view.

I've started to say to bad and still only add hay each morning (tough love) but I don't want to cause harm if she is dumb enough to keep doing it going up to half a day without hay.

What should I do to stop this behavior? The satin no longer is mowing down her hay so she only needs it every other day but yet this one STILL pulls her hay and pushes it out her cage into the poop trough below.

Culling is out of the question since I only have two breedable does as of now.
Thanks!

maybe put a side feeder on the cage so she cant pull it out more than one straw at a time?

golden rabbitry":25f2pvxa said:

maybe put a side feeder on the cage so she cant pull it out more than one straw at a time?

Click to expand...

Thanks but it is. I built the cages and used the same side wire 1"x1" for the hay feeder and j-cliped it on. That's the thing she is having to work at it to dump all the hay.

Could it be she needs toys to keep her busy? Besides crap apple wood there isn't much for her to do.

To keep mine busy when they show excess energy I give them tree branches to gnaw on, willow, ash, apple, forsithia etc, it helps when the branch is somewhat in their way so the can use their energy to rearrange things and gnaw them to bits.

Anyway, mine go through phases of activity, sometimes it's gnawing, then digging, whatever, most times it settles after a few weeks.

Preitler":3tn8cyh6 said:

To keep mine busy when they show excess energy I give them tree branches to gnaw on, willow, ash, apple, forsithia etc, it helps when the branch is somewhat in their way so the can use their energy to rearrange things and gnaw them to bits.

Anyway, mine go through phases of activity, sometimes it's gnawing, then digging, whatever, most times it settles after a few weeks.

Click to expand...

I gave her some cat toys and saw her play with the one with a bell inside.

She has crabapple branches in her cage she has chewed on but still lots of bark left for her and usually she doesn't do much. (when in around)

Didn't think of blocker her way with the branches thanks! Usually I place them out of her way or above so she has to reach up and pull them free.

Hopefully it is just a faze.
Thanks

In my rabbitry, I supply clean cardboard all the time. This gives the polish rabbits something do dig at, chew on, and generally tear up. They need something to get their emotions out on. If they don't have something constructive to do like cardboard destruction, they may have nowhere else to vent their energies.
I have one buck that is obsessed with doing a dig session on the grass pile anytime I harvest fresh grass and put it in his cage. He will even roll around in it. Your doe may be trying to create a grass pile to dig in and roll around in.

I suggest trying cardboard (clean and no metal or plastic) as well as harvesting some fresh broadleaf grass for her to play in.
My personal experience is that typical lawn grass holds no appeal to rabbits. They do love the broadleaf grasses though.

AristocratsWI":3i6ucbe8 said:

In my rabbitry, I supply clean cardboard all the time. This gives the polish rabbits something do dig at, chew on, and generally tear up. They need something to get their emotions out on. If they don't have something constructive to do like cardboard destruction, they may have nowhere else to vent their energies.
I have one buck that is obsessed with doing a dig session on the grass pile anytime I harvest fresh grass and put it in his cage. He will even roll around in it. Your doe may be trying to create a grass pile to dig in and roll around in.

I suggest trying cardboard (clean and no metal or plastic) as well as harvesting some fresh broadleaf grass for her to play in.
My personal experience is that typical lawn grass holds no appeal to rabbits. They do love the broadleaf grasses though.

Click to expand...

Good idea thanks! I gave her a cardboard tube and she threw it around some but being thick it takes her time to destroy it. Cardboard sheets are an even better idea since I can get it at work and have some here!!! Its free so worth a shot.

That makes sense about a pile because I saw today she isn't directly grabbing the hay and shoving through her cage she pikes it up first and eats some also. However the feeder spot is in the corner so she can't freely roll on it. I could see the idea where she might want to.

I'll add some chunks of my clean cardboard. Thanks!