How and how much rabbits should sleep, features of rest and possible problems
A healthy sound sleep is a guarantee of health and good mood not only for people, but also for animals. Sometimes rabbit breeders think that their pets are not sleeping at all. But this opinion is wrong. The animals are very active, so you can rarely see them during sleep. In fact, rabbits sleep, like all animals, only in sensitive sleep. We will find out how and how much decorative rabbits sleep.
Sleep features of rabbits
To learn more about the relationship between sleep and the visual organs of a fluffy animal, you need to understand the physiology, characteristics of the body.
How do they fall asleep?
Rabbits can see perfectly in the dark. The wakefulness mode occurs in 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 widely from each other. This allows you to clearly see what is happening around, at the slightest danger to run away from it. It is noteworthy that the pets see the space well from the sides, but they do not notice objects in front of them.
In addition to acute night vision, numerous receptors located throughout the animal's body help in case of danger. Nocturnal animals are well oriented in space thanks to antennae located on the muzzle.
One of the main remedies is the ability to sleep with your eyes open. This allows them to react quickly when danger looms on the horizon. Resting a rabbit with closed eyes occurs if he is in a calm environment, nothing threatens him.
Sleep frequency and duration
The duration of a herbivore's sleep depends on its age and state of health. An adult individual needs 8-9 hours a day to rest. But in natural habitat it is extremely difficult. With a lack of sleep, the animal feels unwell, which leads to poor health.
At home, decorative rabbits sleep as lightly as in the wild. Therefore, the owners of fluffy 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 senses danger, he will immediately run away, hiding in a safe place. In the forest, the eared animal, even in its burrow, 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 run away if necessary. A short nap during the day helps 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 kind of time for rest. Therefore, in search of food and activity, he gets out early in the morning and in the evening. During the rest of the hours, the animal can rest. At night, the rabbit hides in its burrow to protect itself from dangers.
Can a rabbit sleep in the same bed with a person?
The physiological feature of eared pets is uncontrolled defecation. A rabbit cannot, like a dog or a cat, be potted or diaper trained. Therefore, he has a bowel movement at any time, anywhere. Moreover, rodents of this species have one more feature - they eat nocturnal cecotrophs (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, it 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 fold-eared breeds, long ears also obscure part of the view, which impairs visibility around them. Disorientation in space will lead to a bowel movement in bed.
If the breeder does not bother with all these nuances and behaviors 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. With a careless movement, you can simply crush your pet.
What if your 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 have a normal sleep pattern, and he slept enough hours a day, it is required to create a quiet and calm atmosphere for him.
Before starting 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 with no extraneous noise. It is desirable that the radio and television be located away from the rabbit house. The corridor and other passageways are not suitable for a pet. Here the rabbit will not feel safe and will not be able to fully rest.
- In the wild, the eared animal hides in a burrow. He feels safe there. Therefore, you will have to build a small dwelling in the cage, where the pet can rest peacefully. It can be made from boards or plastic pipes. This will allow the rabbit to hide when needed and to feel protected.
- If there are small children in the house, you should explain to them that it is better not to play near the eared animal. It is advisable to take a place remote from the cage for games.
- At night, it is undesirable to make loud sounds: turn on music, TV. This scares the animal very much, forcing it to be in constant tension.
- It is not recommended to knock down the herbivore's regimen, disturb when he is resting, or at night. This way the animal will not be able to relax and feel safe.
The psychological state of the animal, healthy 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, the domesticated rabbit will be able to live in peace and delight its owner.
