Digging in a corner

Especially different species of jirds and gerbils but also other digging species show this special stereotypical behaviour quite often. The mice dig in a corner of the enclosure for a longer period of time (sometimes for hours without a break), even though there is no bedding any longer.

Usually the cause of such behaviour is an insufficient size of the enclosure. But sometimes you will also find boredom and/or loneliness as a cause of this behavioural disorder.

The easiest way to avoid abnormal digging is to offer an enclosure of a proper size.
If one or more mice already show this behaviour, an enlargement of the enclosure will help when the size is the (only) cause. If you have boredom to take into account new (arranged) furniture or feeding live insects and scattering food may help. Best (and only) help for lonely mice is to get them a friend.
As any other stereotypy the risk of not getting rid of this behaviour is the bigger the longer the cause of it exists. That’s why some mice in big enclosures still dig in a corner. Some individuals show the digging less and less as time goes by, others never get rid of it even though the periods get shorter by and by.

Translation
Angelus Noctis
Proofreading
Jedediah