It could have been cats, who think nice loose soil is better than a litterbox.

Or squirrels looking to see if you'd buried something edible. I've even had squirrels dig up newly-planted flowers in more than one garden.

Damnit! They came back and did it all again! I'm wondering if buying a motion sensor would scare whatever is doing it away.

i have a game cam and use it a lot when things are not right in the garden under world.

Is there any sign the lettuce seedlings have been eaten? I would think rabbits would simply eat the seedlings, not dig them up to eat them.

Sections of chickenwire, placed atop the soil, will deter both cats and squirrels from digging -- or simply stepping there.

Growing up, when ever we placed chicken wire over stuff, animals simply put their paws through it and still dug up everything underneath. Don't think that is going to work.

pee around them to repel animals with the predator trace smells

Skunks and 'possums will dig around looking for grubs and such, and birds and mice will eat seedlings. Maybe sprinkle flour around and see what tracks are left behind.

That flour trick is not bad, maybe pancake mix would work as well, haha. I'll see about picking up a big box tomorrow of the stuff.

I think its coons or cats. I agree with laying sections of chicken wire over it.
I can't plant anything outside our fenced yard or something digs it up......every single time. :( They don't eat it.......don't poop on it, just dig it up. I think maybe they're looking for something in the freshly dug soil??

What ever it was, seems to have stopped returning, but maybe because it did so much damage there was so little lettuce left.

Or maybe there is extra road kill somewhere. I'll still check about picking up motion sensors somewhere for the future.