Rabbits are creatures of the wild and in order to survive in the wild, they can perfectly adapt to their surroundings. They can sleep with their eyes open too. But what about their vision? Can rabbits see in the dark?
Amazingly, rabbits can certainly see in the dark. Well, at least not in pitch-black darkness. However, when it comes to the vision of rabbits, they can see better than us humans specifically in conditions with half-light. Since they can see well in half-light conditions, they are most active during dusk and dawn.
In an area with poor visibility conditions, a human would suffer. But, fortunately, rabbits are way better. Even with the poor visibility conditions, a rabbit will likely be able to see. Here’s a detailed insight into this.
Can Rabbits See In The Dark? Rabbit’s Vision Explained!
The only animals that can see in pitch-black darkness are nocturnal animals. These include owls, moths, foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, and bats. Rabbits are not a part of this category.
But they have surprisingly good eyesight and can see at night with half-light conditions. By half-light conditions, we strictly refer to early morning and around the time of sunset.
In fact, rabbits are found to be active the most at times like this. When it comes to pitch-black darkness, they are not able to see properly. They see a grainy view.
Even though they cannot see clearly in pitch-black darkness, they still do better than humans. This can give you an idea of how well a rabbit’s vision performs at night.
Let’s dig in a little further and get a more detailed explanation of how a rabbit’s vision works.
1) How Much Can Rabbits See?
We, as humans, have our eyes in front of our faces. We can see what is in front of us and on our sides. We have pretty good coverage. However, rabbits do not have eyes in the front of their heads.
Instead, their eyes are placed on the side of their face. Due to their eyes on the sides, they get a whopping 360-degree field of view.
Despite their eyes being on the sides, they can see what is ahead of them, what is behind them, and what is above them. It also allows them to look at their sides due to the fact that they can see in 360-degrees.
Whereas on the other hand, humans only have a 180-degree field of view. So comparing the two, you can get an idea of how better a rabbit can see.
Now you might be thinking that rabbits can see just about anything due to their 360-degrees field of view. But, nothing in the world is perfect. Despite their 360-degree field of view, there are certain limitations in their vision.
2) How Much Can A Rabbit NOT See?
Rabbits have a blindspot. Just like a blind spot in your car’s side mirrors. They cannot look at the items or objects right in front of their face. This blind spot is specifically under the chin level.
Can’t figure out how it works? Try placing your bunny’s favorite treat under his nose/chin. The poor little creature will simply ignore it because he or she cannot see it. In domestic homes, it will be okay for them.
But, in the wild, it can become a significant nuisance for rabbits. This is due to the fact that rabbits have to watch out for predators in the wild. Due to the blind spot, they cannot see predators like snakes.
It is a major life risk for rabbits since they cannot defend themselves if they cannot see their predator. But, their astonishing sense of smell and hearing helps them cope with their blind spot.
Additionally, it also helps them locate treats.
Fun Fact:
If a bunny senses an immediate threat to life, it will sleep with its eyes open. It essentially helps them defend themselves better.
3) Do Rabbits Have Good Eyesight?
Bunnies have very good eyesight. In fact, it is the key to their survival since they are not that strong to fight or defend themselves. Their only chance is to flee the premises.
Due to their 360-degrees field of view, they can see predators from almost all directions. The only downside to their eyesight is that they cannot look down. As mentioned earlier, the area under their chin is not visible to them.
What’s interesting about rabbits is that they can see in 2-dimensions. This makes it easier for them to judge distances. Due to this, they have no trouble figuring out how far a threat is.
Additionally, they also have a third eyelid. It is referred to as nictating membrane. This allows your pet bunny to stay active and keep its eyes open without risking its eyes.
Fun Fact: Your pet bunny can sometimes go without blinking for a long time. They can blink about 10 to 12 times in an hour.
4) How Rabbits Are In Dim Lights?
By now, you might feel like a rabbit’s eyes are way better than ours due to their vision and 360-degree field of view. This also means rabbits will be able to see things better in low light compared to us humans.
While they may be able to see better in low-light scenarios, there still is a catch. Their vision is not as sharp as in the daylight but it still is enough to help defend themselves better against potential threats.
Still can’t figure out how sharp or blurry an image does a rabbit sees? Let’s put it this way. Let’s say you have a mole on your face. Your pet rabbit will be able to see it in the daytime. But, it will not be able to see it in dim light.
Additionally, their limited color vision can also become beneficial to them under low light conditions. More on this will be discussed in the next section of this article.
5) Do Rabbits See In Color?
In short, yes they can. However, their color vision is limited and they do not see things in color the same way we do. Humans can see the colors blue, green, and red. Whereas rabbits can only see green and blue hues.
This is why they only like the color of grass and feeds on it. Other green veggies can also temp a rabbit since they can see their colors more vivid and vibrant.
Under low light conditions, they do not see sharp images. To make up for their poor focus and blurred field of view, they use other senses like smell and sound.
It helps them differentiate between the good and bad.
6) How Far Can Rabbits See?
A rabbit’s vision is far-sighted, or far-fetched. They can see a great distance to identify potential threats and plan their defense accordingly.
In a domestic household, it does not help much. The walls of her cage and your home will ensure your pet bunny’s safety. He or she will feel comfortable and will not have to worry about potential threats.
But, your pet bunny may still seem skittish. The airplane flying over your property will be far for you, but for your pet bunny, it will feel as if it is about to land on its head. So, there’s nothing to worry about them being skittish.
However, in the wild, it is the key element towards their survival. This is due to the fact that in the wild they can be attacked by predators in seconds. Thanks to their far-sighted vision, they get enough time to thump their foot and flee the premises.
7) How Is A Rabbit’s Depth Perception?
Unfortunately, your pet bunny lacks the ability of depth perception. Their eyes are particularly made to be far-fetched. But when it comes to close-range obstacles, they may get into some trouble.
For instance, your pet bunny may trip over its water bottle or its food container. He or she will likely knock things over due to their lack of depth perception.
Additionally, their vision is also blurry in close encounters. Their eyes are made this way and they are only meant to focus on the obstacles or objects far away from them.
Fun Fact:
If your pet bunny fails to recognize you at times, this may be one of the reasons behind it. You will likely look different to your adorable little bunny and he may seem skittish. To make up for this, rabbits use other senses.
These include smell, hearing, and touch too at times.
Similarly, if you smell different due to a new fragrance you’re wearing, your pet bunny will feel alarmed. To help your pet bunny recognize you, try speaking to it since they use their sense of hearing to identify things.
8) Should I Give My Rabbit A Night Light?
A night light will allow your pet bunny to see things better in pitch black darkness at night. Not only will your pet bunny be able to see, but it will also feel safer, relaxed, and will likely avoid tripping over stuff.
However, there are certain risks involved as well.
Your pet bunny is sensitive to light. Exposing them to too much light over a long period of time will make them feel stressed. As a result, your fluffy friend will put on some excess weight as well.
Your pet bunny needs a balance of light and darkness in its surroundings. It essentially works like clockwork and lets your bunny know about the time of the day.
A nightlight will also make things complicated for your pet bunny if you intend to breed it. Due to this, your poor bunny’s reproduction cycle will be affected, and no pet owner would want that.
A) Other Risks Involved:
Pet animals like rabbits cannot keep track of time. They use light and darkness to figure out when it is time to go out and be the playful little creatures that they are.
When your pet bunny sees light, it will likely hop around and assume it is time to get up.
The major risk of installing a night light to your pet’s outdoor hutch is the fact that it will need electric power to run. If the wires to the night light are exposed, your pet may chew through it.
This is due to the fact that rabbits tend to get bored and in boredom, they may be tempted to chew on the wires.
Additionally, if you keep the lights turned on, your pet will lose track of time. It will likely be active when it is supposed to go to bed and get some sleep.
Their sleep routine will be affected and may end up making things complicated for your pet bunny. This will make your pet bunny anxious and stressed due to the lack of a proper routine or a schedule.
9) How Can I Make My Rabbit Comfortable In The Dark?
If your pet bunny does not feel comfortable in the dark, he or she may be suffering. Your pet bunny will fear going to the cage at night and if you try to force it, it will add up to your pet’s stress and anxiety.
At this point, your pet will need help and should not be left like this. For starters, you can take your pet bunny inside. Let your bunny stay indoors.
Since your pet bunny is comfortable in half-light conditions, you can turn off the lights.
Leave the door to that room open and turn on the lights in the hallway. It is essentially a safe way to help your pet bunny but it will take some time to adjust.
Additionally, for better long-term results, you can help your pet bunny feel secure and safe in the dark. Your pet needs to feel safe to be able to relax. Here are some steps to guide you to help your pet bunny.
A) Accompany Your Pet Bunny:
The easiest way to make your pet feel secure and relaxed is to accompany him or her during the dark. This is due to the fact that rabbits love being surrounded by others. This is why they tend to live in groups in the wild.
The best way to avoid this altogether is to get a second bunny. If your pet bunny has a second bunny to interact with, he or she will likely feel more secure and comfortable in the dark.
B) Entertain Your Pet:
Rabbits are fun-loving animals. They enjoy playing with toys. So, make sure your pet has toys and is entertained throughout the day. This will also make your pet tired and will likely sleep better at night.
C) Get A Hutch Cover Made With Perspex:
It will make your pet bunny feel secure considering the fact that its build material is more rigid than traditional wire. Due to their hutch being more secure, your pet bunny will feel relax and comfortable.
D) Soundproof Your Bunny’s Hutch:
Preventing noise from entering your pet bunny’s hutch will also aid in making him or her feel more comfortable. Soundproofing your pet’s hutch will help them stop thinking about the outside noises of possible predators.
E) Cover Your Pet Bunny’s Hutch With A Tarpaulin:
Using a tarpaulin over your pet bunny’s hutch will allow them to feel more secure and comfortable at night. Its small efforts like these will make your pet bunny get accustomed to the surroundings and feel safer.
F) Give Your Pet A Burrowing Space:
It might replicate their burrowing spaces in the wild since they love to burrow. Your pet will feel safe if he or she has a place to burrow under.
42 Foods To Help Keep Your Rabbit In The Best Of Its Health
Apart from making your pet bunny feel secure and get accustomed to its surroundings you also want to keep it healthy. To make sure your pet stays healthy, active, and lives a joyful life, you need to feed it healthy treats.
When talking of healthy treats, you only need to feed your bunny fresh fruits and vegetables. These will provide him or her with all of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that they need.
Here are some foods that are perfectly safe for your pet bunny and you can feed them.
| Parsley | Cilantro | Carrot tops | Swiss chard | Beet greens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radish tops | Spinach | Endive | Escarole | Fennel |
| Bok choy | Yu Choy | Kale | Carrots | Bell peppers |
| Basil | Strawberries | Blueberries | Blackberries | Raspberries |
| Apples | Pears | Arugula | Romaine lettuce | Butter lettuce |
| Snow pea pods | Cucumber | Summer squash | Pumpkin | Winter squash |
| Brussels sprouts | Cabbage | Broccolini | Dandelion greens |
Other Foods:
Make sure you feed them in moderation and never as a primary meal in their diet. Overfeeding will only take a toll on your pet’s health and provide them with no benefits whatsoever.
Additionally, you also need to wash them thoroughly and slice them up if your pet bunny cannot eat them whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Should I Turn The Light Off For My Rabbit At Night?
The answer to this is “it depends.” As mentioned earlier, leaving the lights off can be better for your pet bunny. But, if your pet bunny is scared of darkness, turning the light off can be a bad idea.
In pitch-black darkness, your bunny may feel insecure. Due to this, he or she will be snuffing around. If you notice any such noises or feel that your pet is staying awake at night, you should avoid turning the light off.
Instead, you may want to leave the lights on. This will allow them to feel secure, comfortable, and relaxed.
2) Do Rabbits Like To Be In The Dark?
Just like the previous question, the answer to this question is “it depends”. Rabbits love being in their burrows. These are underground and are where your pet bunny will feel at home.
However, if your pet bunny hears noises in the background or senses danger, they get anxious and stay up. They will likely feel fear in the dark and will want to be in a dim light condition.
Can Rabbits See In The Dark – Conclusion:
To conclude, yes rabbits have the ability to see in the dark. They may have trouble seeing in pitch-black darkness but other than that they have pretty good eyesight. In pitch-black darkness, rabbits mainly use other senses.
If you own a pet and are deciding on whether you should turn on the nightlight or turn it off, you should simply switch it off. Your pet bunny will not have any trouble seeing at night without his nightlight.
Rabbits typically use their sense of smell and hearing in conditions like this. It allows them to navigate better and poor light environments. In fact, they love staying in low-light conditions instead of staying in a fully lit room.