Though bunnies spend plenty of daytime sleeping, they are not nocturnal animals. Rabbits are crepuscular. These creatures are more active during sunrise and sunset and are likely to rest during the remaining day.
Baby bunnies, or kits, need plenty of sleep, but they don’t spend more time sleeping than the grown-up rabbits. Most baby rabbits are likely to play, eat, sleep, play, and this cycle goes on. Only when the babies grow, they begin to sleep about eight hours every day. Meanwhile, the adult bunnies’ average sleeping time for a day is between six to eight hours.
Even though bunnies spend more time sleeping, sometimes you cannot guess if they are sleeping or just laying around. Rabbits like to loosen up by resting on the ground, so it looks like they are sleeping. When the rabbits are relaxing, it is a positive thing because the bunnies only relax when they feel comfortable, happy, and safe.
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General Information Of The Baby Bunnies
Baby bunnies have a famous name, which is kits. These kits will play, eat, and sleep all day. In a sense, they are the same as the pups and kittens. The kits will sleep and rest more as they grow. Hence, there is nothing to worry, if you have young bunnies that play a lot. As the kits are young, they tend to be more active and energetic, and when they grow older, they will become quiet.
Many people will bring baby rabbits to a rescue shelter or pet shop when they find them roaming around in the wildlife alone. But, it is not the recommended or the best thing for the kits or their mother rabbit. Even though the kits look fluffy and adorable, humans should not touch them, and if they are confident that the adult bunny is nowhere near, it is okay to pat the kits.
During the day, the mother bunnies are not together with their babies as the kits get only one feeding per day. It is different from dogs and cats. The adult rabbits will feed the kits either before sunrise or at night. The mother rabbit will feed its babies only in that particular timing because human beings and many predators tend to sleep at this time. The rabbits roam away from their burrows, making it difficult for predators to track them with their scent. Hence, the adult rabbits, kits, and their shelters are safe.
In the daylight, bunnies won’t stay in their tunnels or holes, as it will be easy for predators to catch them. The adult bunnies go to find food far away from their borrow and then come back at sunset. But, after the baby rabbits are weaned and search for food by themselves, the mother bunny may or may not come to their litter.
When you find baby bunnies in a burrow, it is better to leave them there. If you want, check the hole from time to time to see how the kits are doing. The baby bunnies feel warm and will look fluffy when their mother feeds them daily.
When you come across kits that look weak, inform the veterinarian or animal rescue homes to know more about the situation. Baby rabbits will start weaning when they reach the fourth week. Hence, after the kits finish weaning, the mother rabbit doesn’t need to feed them every day.
How To Know If A Bunny Is Sleeping Or Not
It is easy to know if the bunny is sleeping or not by looking at the rabbit’s nose. When the rabbit is relaxing or just resting on the ground, the nose will twitch. If the bunny’s nose is not shaking, it means that the rabbit is sleeping.
By looking at the bunny, you can notice the position. When the rabbit is sleeping, the legs will be behind its back, and it resembles a loaf-looking type of posture. If it is resting flatly on the ground, the bunny is relaxing. It is a good thing as it implies that the bunny is feeling safe in the environment.
Is It Possible For Bunnies To Be Asleep With Their Eyes Open?
Of course, it is like a unique ability that the rabbits have. The bunnies can frequently sleep with their eyes wide open. Also, the rabbits can be asleep by keeping their head up rather than putting on their feet like the other animals. If your bunny goes to sleep by keeping its head up and eyes open, you don’t have to worry about it as it is only natural. They sleep like that to be aware of any possible threat which may come during their sleeping time. It makes the bunnies more cautious in the wildlife.
To know more about the bunny’s sleeping posture, have a look at the video below:
Do Bunnies Get Dreams?
Yes, bunnies also dream. Like humans, the rabbits also have a REM sleep cycle. When a bunny is dreaming, it is likely to squirm its legs. It is the same thing that a puppy does when it is in a deep slumber. However, you have to remember that it will only happen if the rabbit is sleeping deeply. When your bunny is dreaming, it means that it is feeling comfortable with the surroundings. When they move in their sleep, you may think that they are awake when in fact, they are not.
Can Bunnies Modify Their Sleeping Habits To Match With Human Beings?
In general, it is hard to modify the bunny’s sleeping patterns. As you know that the rabbits are crepuscular, they are likely to rest when human beings wake up. Hence, when you want to have fun by playing with the adorable bunnies, they will be sleeping. Also, rabbits can sleep both at night and day times.
When you are eager to play with the bunnies during day time, you have to make them sleep more at night. You can use a blanket to cover its pen so that the rabbit feels comfortable, safe and will slowly doze off. It is not that easy because the bunnies have sharp instincts, making them asleep even during the daytime.
What Type Of Bedding Should The Bunnies Need?
Bunnies love to rest on fluffy, comfortable, and delicate things, so give them plenty of soft pillows and blankets. But, you should only give them blankets and carpets which are free from toxic substances. Some bunnies try to eat the pillow and blanket, so make bedding with hay or straw. Out of these, it is better to place your rabbit on straw bedding. When you give them hay bedding, they will eat the hay, which is expensive to you as you have to buy extra hay every week.