If you have a domestic rabbit by your side, you may have wondered at some point if they sleep, because it seems that they are always awake. They are lovable animals with curious behavior, regardless of breed or coat type.
Obviously advices do sleep, but they sleep differently than other more popular pets. In this article on our site we explain all the details surrounding your rabbit's dream and we explain why it is so. Read on to find out everything about resting your rabbit:
When do rabbits sleep?
Do rabbits sleep at night or during the day? Rabbits are crepuscular animals, which means that their period of greatest activity is first thing in the morning and last thing at night. These are the ideal times to play with him and practice fun activities.
You should know that the rabbit owes its survival to its permanent state of alert, for the same reason it takes advantage of the hours of lowest activity, that is, noon or midnight to take a nap, always discreetly.
We see this behavior above all in wild rabbits, although over the years and the domestication of these animals this may change. Now that you know what time rabbits sleep, let's learn how rabbits sleep.
How does a rabbit sleep?
Do rabbits sleep with their eyes open or closed? The truth is that rabbits that still don't feel comfortable with their new home are able to sleep with their eyes open, one more way to remain alert to any danger. It will be difficult for you to observe him sleeping during the first weeks since perhaps due to the cage and the noises of the environment he does not adapt completely. It should be noted that this can cause you stress.
As the rabbit begins to feel more comfortable and confident in its new residence, you can enjoy watching it sleep peacefully. So rabbits sleep with their eyes closed when they feel 100% comfortable with their surroundings. Of course, you will need time, comfort and a very quiet area where you feel comfortable.
Where do rabbits sleep?
You already know what time rabbits sleep and how they do it, but do you know where rabbits sleep? If we talk about wild rabbits, the answer is easy and simple: they live in burrows, so we find them living underground with other rabbits of the same species.
They are used to living together and in safe and quiet places, so helping a rabbit to sleep is simple if we provide a quiet space accompanied by a good dim lighting at home. It is very important that you relate that space to a zone of trust so that you feel comfortable. Also, only rabbits sleep at night if they are housebroken.
How long do rabbits sleep?
It is difficult to determine exactly how many hours rabbits sleep per day, since it will depend directly on their state of mind: calm or restless. However, the most common thing is that the rabbit usually rests between 6 and 8 hours a day, being able to sleep up to 10 in ideal calm and quiet conditions.
As you can see, this is a mammal that likes to relax and sleep, whenever it feels comfortable enough to do so.
How to put a rabbit to sleep?
As we have already mentioned, rabbits are used to spending much of their time in underground burrows and, being crepuscular animals, they may not sleep at night or, at least,they don't have the same sleep schedule as we do.
For this reason, here are some tips on how to put a rabbit to sleep in case it gets restless during the night.
- Exercise him: if you play with him and he gets tired, he will be more relaxed at night.
- Do not put them in a cage: inside it they will find a space where they can chew on the bars and make noise to entertain themselves.
- Noinclude j noisy toys.
- Cover the top of the cage with a blanket: This will provide you with a dim light that will let you know that it is time to sleep. In addition, it also relaxes you.
Curiosities about how rabbits sleep
Now that you know that rabbits sleep with their eyes open according to their degree of confidence in the environment, here are some curiosities about how rabbits sleep.
- They can snore when sleeping: although only a small minority usually do it, if you notice that your rabbit starts snoring and never before had done, don't hesitate to tell your trusted vet.
- They may have twitches: Rabbits' sleep can be interrupted by sudden movements, but this should not alarm you. If they are sleeping deeply and peacefully, it is very likely that they suffer from these spasms.
- He can stretch beside you to sleep: if he has bonded with you and feels comfortable by your side it is normal for him to lie down your side when he goes to sleep.
Now that you know how rabbits sleep, it is also important to know how and why abnormal growth of rabbit teeth occurs, a very important he alth issueprevent rather than cure.
In addition, you will also find on our site useful information about your care, diet or illnesses. Find out here everything about the rabbit to offer it the best care in its day to day.
