Rabbits are fantastic pets, but if this is the first time you've shared your life with one of these small mammals or you don't have much experience caring for rabbits, it's normal for you to have doubts about their habits and needs.
In order to provide your furry friend with the best quality of life, it is important that you learn about how rabbits sleep and what the conditions of their cage should be to guarantee a good rest. In this article on our site we tell you everything you need to know about the sleeping habits of rabbits and we solve the frequent doubt of whether it is good or not to cover the rabbit's cage at nightKeep reading!
Do rabbits sleep with light or without light?
In the wild, rabbits are animals with twilight habits, which means that their peak activity occurs at dawn and dusk, when they emerge from their burrows to eat, play and socialize with other members of their species. During the central hours of the day, as well as at midnight, the rabbits remain hidden in their burrow, where a dim light reaches them, and they take advantage of these hours to rest and sleep. However, these small animals never get to sleep for many hours at a time because, being the favorite prey of a large number of predators, they are constantly on the lookout, even when they are inside their shelters.
In the case of domestic rabbits, their habits and behavior vary slightly compared to their wild relatives, as they live in an environment where they generally feel free from danger and have the opportunity to relax and sleep more often Still, they remain primarily animals twilight, so the most common thing is that your rabbit wants to play and interact with you first and last thing in the day, while he will prefer to rest the rest of the day.
Regarding lighting, to guarantee your furry a quality rest you should avoid placing his cage in an area that is too bright, because direct and intense light will not allow May your rabbit rest properly. On the other hand, complete darkness is also not recommended, since the animal will have more difficulty seeing its surroundings clearly and, if it is not able to monitor its surroundings, you may feel insecure and stressed (remember that rabbits are easy prey in the wild). The ideal in this case is to locate its cage in a quiet space and provide it with dim lighting, similar to what it would receive inside its burrow in the wild.
Should I cover the rabbit cage at night?
The decision to cover or not cover the rabbit's cage at night will depend mainly on where it is located. If, as in most cases, the rabbit's cage is inside the house and the animal sleeps indoors, it will not be necessary to cover its cage at nightThis is so because inside the home the temperature remains stable and a nest or house for rabbits inside the cage is enough for the animal to sleep in it without getting cold. In addition, as mentioned in the previous section, it is best to offer the rabbit a dim light while it rests, like the one that naturally enters through the window. Covering the cage, especially if you do it with a thick blanket or sheet, you would be preventing the passage of both light and air, so there would not be good ventilation either.
However, if the cage where your rabbit sleeps is outside and you live in a cold area, yes you should protect your furry from low temperatures covering its installation at night, especially in the winter months. Rabbits are animals that are very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and, in addition, rain or unexpected hailstorms can endanger them and make them sick. In case you have a large rabbit hutch or pen with a covered area and an outdoor area, you should fill the interior space with hay, shavings or straw, thus creating a kind of artificial nest or burrow. During the colder months, you can also place blankets in this space. If, on the other hand, your rabbit sleeps in a standard cage, it is preferable to keep it indoors at night.
Of course, even if you cover the rabbit's cage at night, be careful with how and with what you do it, because you must not forget that it is essential that there is good ventilationand, if possible, let some dim light into the installation.
What do I do if I don't cover the rabbit cage at night?
In the event that you sleep in a cage with stable temperature conditions and dim lighting and, therefore, there is no need to cover your rabbit's cage at night, we recommend that you follow the following tips to guarantee your furry friend the best rest possible:
- Create a Burrow: Rabbits in the wild sleep inside burrows to protect themselves from predators. For your rabbit to feel safe, it is important that you cover this need by providing enough hay, straw or wood or paper chips so that the animal can make a nest and take shelter inside it. You can also choose to put artificial burrows in your facility or sheds, which you can buy or build yourself. When the rabbit is resting in its den, never wake it up or disturb it, as it could lose confidence in you and its surroundings.
- Place the cage away from drafts: the cage must have good ventilation, but it should never be located in spaces where there are strong drafts, as this could make the animal uncomfortable and even make it sick.
- Avoid noisy places or passageways: Just like us, a rabbit needs quiet in order to relax and sleep. Placing its cage in areas of the house where there is usually a lot of hustle and bustle, such as the living room or the kitchen, can be very stressful for the animal, since the intense noises make it startle and it cannot rest. In the same way, you must make sure that other animals such as dogs or cats do not have access to the rabbit's cage, since the latter will see them as potential predators.
- Create a good bond with your rabbit: a quality rest does not only depend on the place where your rabbit's cage is located, but also of the relationship that he has with you and with the rest of his tutors. If the animal trusts you and knows that you are not a threat to him, he will be able to let his guard down and sleep while you are present, he may even fall asleep in your arms or take a nap with you on the sofa! Do not miss this other article in which we explain how to know if your rabbit loves you.
- Observe him while he sleeps: To know if your rabbit is getting quality sleep, it is important to observe him while he sleeps. If your furry rests with his eyes closed, in a sphinx position with his hind legs cocked, or lies completely on his side, it means that he feels enough confidence in his surroundings to relax completely. However, if you notice that the animal is constantly alert, hardly ever sleeping or sleeping for very short periods of time, it may be stressed. A visit to the veterinarian will be necessary in this case to rule out any pathology and discover the cause of his behavior.
Now that you know that it is not necessary to cover the rabbit's cage at night, it is important to point out that it is not positive to keep the animal inside its cage 24 hours a day. It is essential that you can get out of it to exercise and interact with household members. Likewise, it is always advisable to dedicate an exclusive space for the rabbit and place the cage there, in this way it can remain open so that it can come and go whenever it wants. In this other article on Rabbit care we talk about it in more depth.
