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

Nesting Behavior

Contexts

Nesting behavior occurs in the contexts of, reproduction, and environmental changes.

Variants

  1. In wild mouse populations digging can be observed while the mouse is searching for food or for the purposes of burrowing.
  2. In the laboratory setting some digging behavior may be viewed as a stereotypy.  
  3. Digging - Scrape-dig.