Rabbits Sleep With Their Eyes Open

Rabbits can, and often do, sleep with their eyes open. Rabbits are able to and frequently do so when they are sleeping. Although they have the ability to do so, rabbits often only close their eyes when they are sleeping if they feel quite secure. Because they never close their eyes, your rabbit may give the impression that they never sleep, but in fact, they are taking a nap right in front of you.

You can tell when your rabbit is sleeping because of certain cues in their behavior. Your rabbit is likely resting if its nose fully stops moving. Additionally, they frequently move their jaws slightly or twitch when they sleep and dream. Besides, instead of being erect or attentive, their ears will be relaxedly positioned down their back.

There are three positions in which rabbits will sleep. They'll curl up into a soft ball and most likely be wide awake while dozing off. The rabbit may even spread out or flop down on its side if it feels extremely secure and at ease. The rabbit may decide to sleep with its eyes closed in various positions.

Rabbits sleep with their eyes open, but why? The main focus is on surviving. Because their light receptors will continue to function, rabbits in the wild keep their eyes open. The signals from the approaching predator will still reach the rabbit's brain, allowing them to react to danger far faster than if they had closed their eyes.