Rabbits are extremely unique animals and there are many things about them that owners notice which raises several questions. One thing that you may have noticed about your bun is that he doesn’t seem to blink very often; if at all. If you’ve never seen your rabbit blinking his eyes, don’t worry, this is pretty normal.
Rabbits do blink, however, they have a special membrane that covers their eyes, sometimes referred to as a third eyelid. This means that they don’t need to blink as often. This can prove life-saving in the wild.
But there is much more to learn about rabbits’ eyes and how they function so we thought it would be interesting to dive a little deeper.
Do Rabbits Blink?
Did you know that humans can blink as many as twenty times in a minute? This works out at one blink every three seconds – we bet you’re counting your blinks now, right? Well, if you were a rabbit, you wouldn’t be blinking anywhere near as much!
These beautiful creatures only need to blink around twelve times every hour! You might think that this is not a lot, but since a rabbit has a ‘third eyelid’ or as it is scientifically known, a nictitating membrane, they don’t need to blink as often as we do.
Blinking serves as a way to keep the eyes moist and while many animals, humans included, rely on this function, rabbits have their nictitating membrane to do the hard work for them.
This membrane nictitates and this happens continuously, leaving the outer eyelids free to remain open for much longer periods. In fact, if you see your rabbit blinking a lot, this could mean that she has something in her eye – but we will look at that in a little more detail later on.
Just in front of the rabbit’s cornea, the nictitating membrane is located. This is a thin, clear layer that protects the eyes and allows the rabbit to remain visually alert at all times.
If you have ever attempted to approach a wild rabbit, you will likely have noticed how quickly they scurry away. This is because they have excellent 360º vision that remains largely uninterrupted without blinking.
Rabbits have very good vision, especially when looking at things in the distance. This means that they can spot a potential threat very easily. What’s more, they couple this ability with their incredible sense of smell and hearing that helps them to stay safe.
You may have also noticed that your rabbit appears to be sleeping with her eyes open. This can be quite alarming if you are a new pet owner since this is very unusual behavior.
However, thanks, once again, to the third eyelid, your rabbit is able to protect the eyes while getting some ZZZ’s. Again, this helps these prey animals stay safe in the wild. Although the rabbit may not be entirely alert when they are dozing, they do have the advantage of being able to visually detect a threat.
It is very rare that you will see your adult rabbit fully closing its eyes. As newborns, kits do not open their eyes until around ten days. After this, they tend to keep their eyes at least partially open, even when they sleep.
What Does It Mean When A Rabbit Blinks?
As we have discovered, rabbits do not blink very often, so if they are blinking a lot, this is typically a sign that something is wrong.
Most commonly, if your pet is blinking, this will signify that there is something in the eye. Some owners make the mistake of shining a light into the rabbit’s eye to check for debris. However, not only can this frighten your pet, but it may also cause lasting vision problems, including blindness.
If you suspect that your rabbit has something caught in its eye, you should gently pull down the lower lid and wipe the area with a soft cloth. This may solve the problem, but you should monitor your rabbit over the coming hours.
In some cases, the blinking may be a result of minor irritation but it could also be due to the lighting. Rabbits do not like bright lights and their eyes are pretty sensitive to this. If your pet continues blinking, try adjusting the lighting to see if it makes a difference.
If after trying these tips, you find that your rabbit appears to still have some irritation, it is a good idea to have them seen by your vet.
Can A Rabbit See In The Dark?
Since rabbits are prey animals, it is reasonable to think that they must have a heightened ability to see in the dark.
Do rabbits have good night vision?
It may surprise you to learn that rabbits don’t have as good night vision as you might expect. Of course, they can see in the dark and can do so better than us but when compared to other prey animals, they are lacking.
That being said, when you compare a rabbit’s ability to see in the dark with our own; theirs is almost eight times better.
What a rabbit sees in the dark may be relatively grainy but clear enough for them to remain safe from predators, for the most part.
Do Rabbits Need A Light At Night?
Rabbits are crepuscular animals which means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. You will, however, notice that your pet sleeps for long periods in the day and at night. This can lead some pet owners to wonder whether their rabbits need illumination at night.
Unlike wild rabbits, domesticated animals do not have the need to remain on high alert for predators so their need to see at night is not as great. What’s more, they do have some ability to see in the dark.
That being said, some degree of light can be useful for your pet. But this needs to be minimal at night. There have been studies that have shown that rabbits who are kept in light all the time can become unhealthy, particularly where obesity is concerned.
Can Rabbits See TV?
If you pop your rabbit in front of the TV, it may look as though she is watching it intently and while she may notice the movement and some of the colors, she probably won’t be quite as interested in Netflix as you are.
What colors do rabbits see?
It is thought that rabbits may only be able to see green and blue; the rest of their vision is likely in black and white.
What the rabbit sees on the TV will likely be very grainy and not very clear meaning that while they may notice it, they won’t interact with what they see. However, the sounds of the TV may impact the rabbit and it is important to keep in mind that any loud or sudden sounds could frighten your pet.
Some owners will choose to leave the TV on to keep their pets company while they are out of the house. This is fine and may give a rabbit a degree of stimulation provided that the programs do not have loud noises. TV made for small children may be the best option here.
