Quick Take
- Rabbits don't just dig for shelter. There's a specific survival move they make in summer that most people have never seen. See the survival move →
- Shade alone isn't enough for a rabbit to beat the heat, so their approach goes a step further than that. See how they beat the heat →
- The spot a rabbit chooses to dig matters more than the digging itself, and the reason behind that choice is smarter than you'd expect. See why location matters →
- That shallow hole a rabbit digs serves more than one purpose, with cooling down being just the beginning. See the scrape's full purpose →
With the heat of summer coming up, we’re all doing our best to stay cool—not just humans, but wild animals too. For example, rabbits have their own way of staying cool in the heat by digging down into the cooler soil underground. This Instagram post by @coolbarrels shows a rabbit making its bed, and it’s cuter than you’d think. Read here to learn more.
To stay cool in the summer, rabbits spend time in scrapes or burrows to avoid the sun.
©Sumaira35/Shutterstock.com
How Rabbits Cool Down
The video is an interesting look at how rabbits spend their free time. While it’s common knowledge that rabbits dig burrows in the ground to rest and nest in, they also dig around for other reasons. One reason is to form something called a scrape. Scrapes are shallow holes in the ground that rabbits might dig instead of a full burrow. The rabbit in the video above is a perfect demonstration of what digging a scrape looks like. It is pushing away and packing down loose soil to make a comfortable resting spot. Rabbits perform this deliberate action for a few reasons. One reason is that it may be the start of a full burrow. Another is that it creates a temporary spot to rest. However, in the video above, the rabbit is digging to cool down.
Rabbits have thick coats of fur that make hot weather extremely uncomfortable. To help cool down, digging a scrape offers more benefits than simply resting in the shade or grass. For one, a small burrow or scrape can provide insulation from the heat and protection from predators. The ground just beneath the surface is also likely to be cooler and more comfortable for them. Sometimes the location of the scrape is most important. The rabbit in the video was smart and dug a hole in the shade, making it the perfect place to rest out of the sun’s harsh rays. Overall, the rabbit is clearly trying to make the most out of the harsh summer weather by creating a comfortable spot to relax.
