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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Should bunnies have a sleeping schedule/routine?

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    • whitney_g1223
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        I work doubles on the weekends and don’t get off until 11pm. During the week we go to bed around 9-10pm.. So the lights go out around then. No telling if Lily actually goes to sleep when the lights go out but I was just wondering when I get off at 11 on Sunday night is it okay to play for a bit? My boyfriend will get her out a little but he isn’t always there and I hate for her to be in her cage all weekend with no play but I don’t want to form a bad habit of staying up late…. Does that even make sense? Lol 


      • Mocha
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          Rabbits aren’t like humans and they aren’t nocturnal. I forget what it’s called… But basicly they are most active during dawn and dusk. They sleep most of the rest of the day but not on a set schedual. My rabbits are most active during dawn and dusk. For the rest of the day (including late at night when i’m sleeping) they usually eat or sleep. To answer your question, it is fine for you to play with your bunbun at 11 pm. Also make sure that you let your bunny free range and get some excersise each day.


        • Ellekke
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            I think it’s fine to let her out at 11 pm.

            At 11 pm I make my final check of their bunny house, add hay and water. They’re usually upstairs in their ‘bed’ by then. But if they hear me coming, they just run all the way downstairs and beg me to open the cage.


          • whitney_g1223
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              Mocha- because I work doubles I am not able to let her get out and play on Saturday and Sunday. She gets PLENTY of exercise Mon-Fri her cage is larger than the required space so I don’t feel that she is unhappy but when I come home Sunday night I’m eager to see her!

              Ellekke- alright sometimes I just need some reassurance lol


            • LopNessMonster
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                The word you are looking for Mocha is crepuscular! And you are correct. Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk.
                I don’t have a super-rigid schedule myself and some nights I go out. It is better for rabbits to get exercise at off-times than no exercise, and it’s not a big deal if you wake them up. Rabbits are very light sleepers. You can absolutely play with her when you get home. She’ll probably be happy to see you and get some running around time with her favorite human. I try to keep my rabbits away from a routine so they don’t get bothered by changes. I feed them once in the morning and once at night but not at the exact same time each day. Some days I get home from work really late and some nights I get home, let them out for a bit, and then leave to run errands or something. Since they always have hay and water, I’m not worried about them going hungry or thirsty, and since the time I feed them varies quite a bit, they don’t get agitated or nervous if time goes by and they didn’t get pellets. I give them as much running time as possible but some days will have more time than others and some days Nessie gets more time and some days Ollie gets more time.


              • whitney_g1223
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                  Thanks Lopness Monster.. She doesn’t get fed at specific times either. She was introduced to romaine lettuce today and was skeptical at first but seemed to enjoy it. Not as much as she enjoys parsley though! Glad to know I don’t need to keep a schedule for her. We can play whenever we want!! Lol


                • justwildbeat
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                    I wouldn’t say that rabbits need to be on a routine. It’s just that they pick up on our routines and adjust to it. Plus they have all the time in the world to sleep. They don’t go to school or work lol.


                  • Elrohwen
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                      Rabbits will be active around dawn and dusk, no matter what schedule you try to keep them on 😛 Most will be very active and perfectly happy to do things with you around 11pm (from what I can tell, mine are active until about 2-3am and then go back to sleep until around 5am).


                    • whitney_g1223
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                        Justwildbeat- haha you mean Lily doesn’t need to go to work?? How am I going to afford all these toys, and food! Lol just kidding …

                        Elrohwen- that’s what I was telling my boyfriend I know I turn the lights off but there’s no telling how late she stays up! She could be partying until 3AM and I wouldn’t have a clue :p

                        Heads up! – posting an attempted Easter pic on the Easter forum! Go see!


                      • MoxieMeadows
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                          Sometimes I stay up really late and I’ll take my bun out. Like said above, buns usually just adapt to our routines.

                          I think your bun should be fine taken out late once in a while. If your worried about her getting enough sleep, maybe let her sleep in? Ha ha. 


                        • whitney_g1223
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                            Lol MoxieMeadows! She sleeps well from what I’ve seen. I’m just glad they don’t need/prefer a set routine! It makes me feel better to know that.


                          • MoxieMeadows
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                              Yeah, when my bun ‘stays up late’ she likes to take it easy the next day. And you’ll know when your bun wants to go to bed, she’ll most likely go to her sleeping spot and lay down.


                            • Beka27
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                                On days you’re working doubles, you could attach an xpen to the cage so she gets additional exercise space while still being confined in a safe area. And then when you’re home, the xpen can be removed and collapsed out of the way…


                              • whitney_g1223
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                                  I don’t have an XPen yet… bad mom I am! Lol .. But thanks for the advice I will be getting an XPen this week sometime. Because I know she needs it.

                                  Btw I’m so thankful for this forum because before getting Lily I knew next to none about raising a bunny. At my local pet-smart employees aren’t much help. They try! But I don’t want to give her things that are harmful.


                                • MoxieMeadows
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                                    I know what you mean! I will be getting my xpen soon too


                                  • Katie779
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                                      Elrohwen, my Holly is the same! Her most active time seems to be 2am when she starts her bunny 500s. LOL Which is fine with me because the more she runs the later she sleeps the next day (usually until 8-9am!!).

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                                  Forum BEHAVIOR Should bunnies have a sleeping schedule/routine?