Digging
Overview and Meaning
Digging is a form of nesting behavior that typically occurs at the beginning of the the nesting behavioral sequence and involves the removal of substrate material from a certain spot.
Description
A series of fast alternating movements of the forepaws scraping back material. This results in the material accumulating in a pile under the abdomen of the animal.
Classification
Contexts
Nesting behavior occurs in the contexts of, reproduction, and environmental changes.
Variants
- In wild mouse populations digging can be observed while the mouse is searching for food or for the purposes of burrowing.
- In the laboratory setting some digging behavior may be viewed as a stereotypy.
- Digging - Scrape-dig.