Rabbits are adorable animals, easy to care for, and perfect for families that have children since they seem very funny. Additionally, they will surely keep the little one entertained for a while. But you must always remember that the vital thing is the welfare of the animal. Don’t forget to teach the child guidelines for living with it. They need to be aware that rabbits are not toys and are easily stressed. If you have a rabbit at home, you may have noticed that it seems that they never sleep. Or, at least, they do not sleep at all. The reality is that all rabbits, regardless of their breed, size or age, sleep. But, it is true that they do so somewhat sleep differently than other pets.
If you are interested in knowing how rabbits sleep and curiosities about their sleep, keep reading this article. Because here we answer this question to help you understand these peculiar animals.
Do rabbits sleep at night or during the day?
Rabbits are known as twilight animals. This means that the first thing in the morning and last thing at night will be when they are most active. This because they are easy prey animals, o their survival is based on staying alert to any suspicious movement to run to their refuge.
For this same reason, they take advantage of midday and midnight to sleep for a while, always staying minimally alert. This happens especially in wild rabbits. But over the years, rabbits have adapted to live with humans. This could change a little, depending on the personality and the need for the sleep of this. If you notice any abnormality in your rabbit’s daytime sleep habit, it may be sick. So don’t hesitate to go to the vet to make sure.
How they sleep
The first thing to keep in mind is that, if you have a rabbit as a pet, it is necessary that you know its habits and needs well. Both for eating and sleeping and other important aspects. Here, we tell you about what the rabbit dream is like:
Where rabbits sleep
Rabbits sleep in inhabiting burrows, so they sleep and live with others of their species underground to be protected, going outside only to eat, drink, search for others of their kind or change the location of their burrow. Therefore, it is vital that you provide a safe and quiet refuge where they can rest, since this will depend on whether your rabbit feels comfortable and sleeps more, or the opposite happens. The usual thing is to put some accessories such as a house and a bed for rabbits in their cage or room. Since they are places that you can use as a burrow and be comfortable.
How many hours do they sleep?
It is difficult to know exactly how many hours the rabbits sleep a day since, as we have said before, it will depend on the rabbit’s personality and how sure they feel at home. Rabbits sleep about six to eight hours a day, although it is known that a pet rabbit that feels safe and comfortable in its environment can sleep up to ten hours. Thing that wild rabbits cannot afford since they are most of their life on alert so as not to be devoured by predators.
Do rabbits close their eyes when they sleep?
An interesting fact is that these animals have the ability to sleep with their eyes open , this is another survival mechanism that they use especially in the wild, in case a predator comes to be able to see it and get to safety. Domestic rabbits can also sleep with their eyes open, this is usually because your pet does not feel safe, because they have not yet adapted to the place, a cage change, noise, illness or stress.
How to help a rabbit sleep
If you offer your rabbit a quiet place, where they can relax and there is no danger to them, you will see that they begin to sleep with their eyes closed and even with their legs stretched, totally relaxed. You can see your pet asleep in position Sphinx or completely lying down, everything will depend on the confidence that the environment produces. Another point to consider is lighting, the light should be dim. Too bright or excessive light can stress them out and keep them active. They won’t feel comfortable sleeping.
Facts about how rabbits sleep
Now that you know that rabbits do sleep, although sometimes in a peculiar way, and how they do it, you will surely be interested to know certain facts about how rabbits sleep :
- Some rabbits feel more comfortable if a dim light is put on at night. Such as those designed for children’s rooms, this is because in nature they are used to sleeping at noon. You can test if yours likes more like this, or not.
- Rabbits can snore. And if you notice that your rabbit has never snored and suddenly started snoring, go to a veterinarian. Specifically, one that is specializing in exotic animals or small mammals. This is possibly due to a problem in the nose or airways. However, if you have already gone to the vet and they have confirmed that nothing is happening, do not be alarmed. Some rabbits snore and it is totally normal.
- Rabbits sometimes spasm or make unusual movements while sleeping, especially when they sleep soundly.
- If your rabbit has created many ties with you and their trust is full in you, you can see that they occasionally stretch out next to you to sleep, in fact, many rabbit owners have claimed that their pet sleeps more peacefully and longer. Next to you than anywhere else.
How to sleep with them
Although sleeping with your rabbit can be very fun and curious, there are a number of things to keep in mind:
- Make sure to cut the rabbit’s nails before taking them to bed with you. They may be scared and scratched, or even bite you.
- It can cause health problems due to bacteria on its coat or parasites, as would happen with any other animal that is not well controlled for health. For this reason, be sure to keep in order aspects of your health care such as vaccines, deworming, hygiene, etc.
- It can cause an allergy, as some people develop it after a few years. This type of allergies, in fact, are caused by the mites that inhabit the hair and skin of the animal. This is something that happens with other animals and even with people. In many cases can be controlled with hygiene and other basic habits.
- If your rabbit doesn’t want to sleep with you, don’t force it. It will get stressed and may stop trusting you. Also, if this happens they may even be tense and sleepless.
- Also, keep in mind that the bed is not very high and avoid moving around a lot. A good option is simply to rest a few moments with them on the sofa. Or with cushions on the floor after letting them run around and play in a safe area of ​​the house and they are tired.
