There are a few things you can look for to tell if your rabbit is sleeping:.Younger rabbits and those that are pregnant or nursing need more sleep than adult rabbits. Rabbits sleep for up to 8 hours a day, but the amount of sleep they need varies depending on their age, health, and activity level. If you try to wake a rabbit during this stage, they may be confused and disoriented. During this stage, they are completely still and their breathing and heart rate slow down. Rabbits enter a deep sleep only for a few minutes at a time. They usually have a light sleep, which means they can be easily awakened. Rabbits sleep for short periods of time throughout the day and night for periods not exceeding 2 hours. In captivity, rabbits should have a place to hide and feel safe so they can get their much-needed rest. Rabbits in the wild will usually sleep in their burrows during the day to escape the heat and predators. If you find that your rabbit is sleeping more than that, it could be a sign of illness and you should take them to the vet. While rabbits are not nocturnal, they still sleep during the night.Ī healthy rabbit should get around 8 hours of sleep a day. In the Animals Stories you’ve probably read before, rabbits are known to be active and engaging with other rabbits at dusk and there are storylines describing that rabbits spend their time cunning other animals. And if you stay up late at night, you may catch them playing around before they head back to their burrow for the night. This means that if you are up early in the morning, you may see your rabbit out and about getting some exercise. Then they will return to their burrows for a rest during the heat of the day and come out again from 4 pm to 8 pm. Rabbits are early-dusk animals and are active from 6 am to around 10 am or mid-morning. Are Rabbits Night-Owl or Early-dusk Animals? Trying to force a rabbit to be nocturnal would go against their natural crepuscular rhythm and their general natural instincts and could cause them stress. What is crepuscular?Ĭrepuscular means “of, relating to, or resembling twilight.” So, crepuscular animals are those that are most active during dawn and dusk. As long as they are getting enough rest, they will be just fine. So, if you’re wondering if your pet rabbit is getting enough sleep, as long as they are following this natural pattern, they are probably just fine.Īssuming your rabbit is healthy and has a good diet, there is no need to worry about them not being nocturnal. In the wild, it is common to see the rabbits coming out at dawn to graze and then returning to their burrows around dusk.

Rabbits in the wild will also sleep in burrows during the day to escape the heat and predators. This is likely because their predators are mostly nocturnal animals, so being active during those times helps them avoid getting caught. While rabbits are not nocturnals, they have evolved significantly to survive in the wild and their sleep follows crepuscular rythm, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. Rabbits’ adaptations to survive in the wild:.What should I do if my rabbit is sleeping during the day?.Providing Your Rabbit with a Safe and Secure Sleep Environment.How can I tell if my rabbit is sleeping?.Are Rabbits Night-Owl or Early-dusk Animals?.

We are rabbits nocturnal