Is it possible for a rabbit to be afraid of the dark?

[Vane]

So i have noticed that my bunny seems to be afraid of the dark especially the hallway. During the day she will go from the living room and to my room, which are connected by a hallway, and just go where she wants to go but at night she just stays in the living room. Sometimes we take her into my room at night before bed and leave the bedroom door open so she can leave when she wants to but I leave the lights in the rest of the house off. When she finally wants to leave she will just sit in the doorway looking out into the hallway for a few minutes and either look at me occasionally or come back into the room and won’t leave. She only leaves if I turn on the lights or if I walk out with her and walk her to the living room. When I walk her out she does not leave my side until we get closer to the rug and then she just runs to her area in the corner of the living room or her hiding spot. She is fine if we turn of the lights when she is in the living room but doesn’t like walking around in the dark. Could she be afraid of the dark and do any of your bunnies act similar to mine in the dark?

[Mikey]

She might have a hard time seeing in the dark. Rabbits dont really have that great of eyesight. Is it possible to get a few nightlights placed around your house for her?

[Yilina]

Hi there!

I am fairly need to the bunny world, but I have read that bunnies can indeed be afraid of the dark. I know some people put very small nightlights for the bunnies to see during the night. Have you had her for long? Maybe when she gets used to the house she will feel more comfortable.

[tobyluv]

One of my bunnies, who we adopted nearly 4 years ago, has always been afraid of the dark. It’s not so much of a fear, as the situation that Vane described, but it’s more of an anxiety. The day we got her, we noticed that as it got dark, she started getting anxious, and would look around nervously. She is still like that. My bunnies usually spend their days on the screen porch (which has protective grids over the screen), unless it’s too hot or too cold, and that’s where she seems the most anxious. As soon as it starts getting dark, we have to turn on the porch light, then they come in soon afterwards. When we go to bed, we turn on 3 nightlights, one in the room she sleeps in (with her companion) and 2 others in adjacent rooms.

[sarahthegemini]

This is really interesting to me, I never thought that could be a possibility. I always thought bunnies had good night vision!

[tobyluv]

In my rabbit’s case, I don’t think it’s due to poor vision. It seems that she thinks there are things out there to get her when it gets dark. I don’t know what went on in her former home to make her be so anxious about the dark, or what kind of creatures she thinks may be lurking in the dark. Certainly nothing has ever harmed her here. All we know about her is what the shelter told us – that she was a magician’s rabbit. She is a ruby eyed white New Zealand.

[Oreobunn]

This is curious. Bunnies are a pray species so they are super cautious, and pet rabbits are domesticated so perhaps your bunn is not used to the dark like a wild rabbit or a rabbit that lives outdoors in a pen or hutch and so it makes them nervous not knowing what could be hiding that might hurt them? I might not be right. It seems kind of strange. But they also like social interaction so perhaps they sense the quietness at night and it makes them want to be less active around the house. But these are my random ideas. I agree with Mikey to try some night lights possibly as an experiment

[Vane]

i’ve had her for almost two years now so she is used to the house I will have to get her a night light and see if that helps.

[Vane]

It sounds possible. Sometimes it does look like she is scanning the dark haha. I will try the night light and see if that helps, thanks.

[Author]

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