How do rabbits sleep: eyes open or closed, features and duration

He althy sound sleep is a guarantee of he alth, good mood not only for people, but also for animals. Sometimes rabbit breeders think that their pets don't sleep at all. But this opinion is wrong. The animals are very active, so during sleep they can be seen infrequently. In fact, rabbits sleep, like all animals, only with a light sleep. Find out how and how much decorative rabbits sleep.

Features of rabbit sleep

To learn more about the relationship between sleep and the visual organs of a furry animal, you need to understand the physiology and characteristics of the body.

How do people fall asleep?

Rabbits see perfectly in the dark. The wakefulness mode falls on the early morning and twilight. A herbivore in the wild is an object of hunting for predators. Therefore, he has to be on the alert all his life.

One of the main evolutionary features of animals is the location of the eyes on the head wide apart. This allows you to clearly see what is happening around, at the slightest danger to run away from it. It is noteworthy that pets see space well from the sides, but do not notice objects directly in front of them.

In addition to sharp night vision, numerous receptors located throughout the body of the animal help in case of danger. Nocturnal animals are well oriented in space thanks to the antennae located on the muzzle.

One of the main means of protection is the ability to sleep with your eyes open. Thanks to this, they quickly react when danger arises on the horizon. The rest of the rabbit with his eyes closed occurs if he is in a calm environment, nothing threatens him.

Sleep frequency and duration

The duration of herbivore's sleep depends on his age, state of he alth. An adult is enough for 8-9 hours a day to rest. But in a natural habitat, this is extremely difficult. With a lack of sleep, the animal feels unwell, which leads to poor he alth.

At home, decorative rabbits sleep just as sensitively as they do in the wild. Therefore, the owners of furry animals rarely observe them in a relaxed state. Herbivores doze for 3-5 minutes, the slightest rustle can wake them up and quickly orient themselves in space. If the rabbit feels danger, he will immediately run away, hiding in a safe place. In the forest, a big-eared animal, even in its mink, is not completely protected from danger.

It is more common to notice that rabbits sleep in a sitting position. This helps to instantly react and rush to their heels if necessary. Brief naps during the day help to accumulate the amount of sleep that the rodent needs.

When they go to bed

A shy animal has an unusual sleep pattern. Since in nature he is the object of hunting for most predators, he has to choose a peculiar time for rest. Therefore, in search of food and activity, he is selected in the early morning and in the evening. The rest of the time the animal can rest. At night, the rabbit hides in its hole to protect itself from dangers.

Can a rabbit sleep in the same bed as a human?

The physiological feature of eared pets is uncontrolled defecation. A rabbit cannot, like a dog or a cat, be taught to a potty or diaper. Therefore, he has a bowel movement at any time, in any place. Moreover, rodents of this species have one more feature - to eat nocturnal caecotrophs (a kind of feces). Not every breeder will like this action in bed next to him.

The rabbit belongs to the category of nocturnal animals. But at home, the pet often leads the same lifestyle as the owner, that is, sleeps at night.

The disadvantages of eared pets include the fact that they are not able to jump from great heights. Therefore, it will be difficult for them to get out of bed. In lop-eared breeds, long ears also cover part of the view, which impairs visibility around them. Disorientation in space will lead to a bowel movement in bed.

If the breeder is not embarrassed by all these nuances and behavior of the animal, he may well put his pet next to him in bed. But it should be remembered that decorative rabbits are small in size. If you move carelessly, you can simply crush your pet.

What should I do if my rabbit has trouble sleeping?

A twilight animal, getting into a new environment, experiences stress, is in constant tension. For this reason, the rabbit has trouble sleeping. Anxiety can manifest itself not only in young, but also in adults.In order for the herbivore to normalize sleep patterns and sleep enough hours a day, you need to create a quiet and calm atmosphere for him.

Before you get a fluffy pet, you need to prepare its habitat in advance:

After purchasing a cage for an animal, you need to take care of its location. It should be a quiet room without extraneous noise. It is desirable that the radio and television are located away from the rabbit house. The corridor and other walkways are not suitable for a pet. Here the rabbit will not feel safe and will not be able to fully rest.
In the wild, an eared animal hides in a mink. There he feels safe. Therefore, in the cage you will have to build a small dwelling where the pet can rest peacefully. It can be made from boards or a plastic pipe. So the rabbit can hide when necessary and feel protected.
If there are small children in the house, you should explain to them that it is better not to play near the big-eared animal. It is advisable to take a place far from the cage for games.
It is undesirable to make loud noises at night: turn on music, TV. This frightens the animal very much, forcing him to be in constant tension.
It is not recommended to bring down the herbivore mode, disturb when he is resting, or at night. So the animal will not be able to relax and feel safe.

The psychological state of the animal, he althy sleep and wakefulness depend on the conditions of detention, the degree of care of the owner. Before you start an eared animal in the house, you must first prepare a habitat for it, take care of favorable conditions for your pet. If the recommendations are followed, a domesticated rabbit will be able to exist peacefully and please its owner.