How To Tell If A Rabbit Is Sleeping?

Last Updated on March 6, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

You can tell that your rabbit is sleeping by looking for the usual signs like no nose twitching, relaxed ears and body, slow breathing, snoring, and a relaxed sleeping position like laying on their side.

The way they sleep would depend on their current comfort level with you or their environment.

Rabbits will only sleep in a relaxed position if they have complete trust in you and your home.

Now that I’ve provided the gist of the article, keep on reading to know the details on how to tell if your rabbit is sleeping:

Signs your rabbit is sleeping

No nose twitching.

The lack of nose twitching is a sign that your rabbit feels safe in its environment.

The reason rabbits twitch their noses is to have a wider range of smell to spot predators.

Rabbits in the wild need to constantly be vigilant in order to survive.

They would even twitch their nose while they slept.

So, if your rabbit is not twitching their nose, or if it’s a slow-twitch, then your rabbit is letting go and probably sleeping.

Relaxed ears and body.

You can tell that your rabbit is sleeping by looking at their body language as well as their ears.

Just like most domesticated pet animals, a rabbit’s ears can tell a story.

Rabbits’ ears are the most important survival tool they have in the wild.

It lets them avoid danger by hearing the predator long before he even sees them.

So, if your rabbit has its ears down, it’s safe to say that they’re letting their guard down and are trying to sleep.

In addition to relaxed ears, a sleeping rabbit would have their body in what we call a “flop” position (more on that later).

Slow breathing

As I mentioned earlier, rabbits that are sleeping comfortably are not worried about predators and only use their nose minimally.

You can tell that your rabbit is sleeping by looking at how they breathe.

Sleeping rabbits have slower breathing compared to awake rabbits whose breathing is so fast it’s almost like they’re shaking.

So don’t worry if you see your rabbit sleeping on its side, not moving.

Snoring

While relatively rare, rabbits do snore sometimes.

You can tell by listening to the weird sounds coming from your rabbit.

It’s usually quiet, so most people wouldn’t notice it.

While snoring is completely normal for rabbits, weird sounds could also indicate dental and respiratory problems.

It’s best to get your rabbit checked out by a veterinarian just to be safe.

Does your rabbit look like a pancake?

If your rabbit looks like the picture above, give yourself a reward, because your rabbit trusts and loves you.

Rabbits only do this when they’re sure that no predators are nearby.

It’s a sign of comfort in their current environment.

Common sleeping positions and their meanings

Loaf

The loaf is when your rabbit tucks its paws underneath its body while sleeping.

This position is the initial position they would take before fully relaxing and doing either the flopped or pancake position.

Flopped

The flopped position is when your rabbit lays on its side while sleeping.

They would usually suddenly fall down when doing this position.

It means that your rabbit is comfortable around you and in their environment.

Pancake

The pancake position is when the rabbit falls on its stomach while its hind legs are stretched out.

It’s another sign that your rabbit trusts you and is comfortable in your home.

What if your rabbit’s eyes are still open?

Rabbits can sleep while their eyes are open.

They can do this because they developed a third transparent eyelid in order to protect their eyes while sleeping.

The reason why rabbits sleep with their eyes open is that they don’t feel safe in their environment.

Rabbits do this because, in the wild, they could be killed at any time if they let go and let their guard down.

While some rabbits are naturally cautious by nature, some do sleep with their eyes half-closed or even fully closed.

It all depends on your rabbit’s personality and comfort level.

What time does a rabbit usually sleep?

Rabbits are crepuscular creatures, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.

Rabbits usually sleep in short bursts all day long, usually after eating.

What I personally observe with my rabbits is that they eat, sleep for up to an hour or more, play, and repeat.

How long do rabbits sleep?

Rabbits sleep in short bursts, usually after eating or playing.

They do this on repeat all day long.

But on average, a rabbit’s total sleep time is 8 hours a day.

Do rabbits prefer to sleep with the lights on or off?

Rabbits don’t care if the lights are on or off; they decide to sleep based on their energy level or after eating and playing for a bit.

But you should still give your rabbit the option to sleep in the dark if they want to by providing a hideaway hole.

This hideaway hole could be as simple as a cardboard box with a hole in it.

This mimics what wild rabbits do when they want to sleep and feel safe doing it.

Summary

Rabbits would sleep differently depending on their current comfort level in their environment.

In the wild, rabbits would sleep with their eyes open and would be alert the whole time due to fear of predators.

Although pet rabbits are not in any danger, their instincts stay the same.

You can tell that a rabbit is sleeping comfortably if there is no or minimal nose twitching, relaxed or downed ears, slow breathing, snoring, and laying on its side while sleeping.

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