It is a common practice for pet owners to share a room with their dogs and cats when they sleep. However, sleeping with bunnies is not very common. This is probably because bunnies tend to be very active, particularly at dawn and dusk.
If you plan on sleeping with your bunny, you should be ready to experience disruption during your sleep because your furry friend may not sleep peacefully all night long.
However, it’s totally safe to have a bunny in the same room where you sleep. As long as she is perfectly healthy, she can sleep with you.
So, let’s find out if bunnies can sleep with you and also look at some tips to make this experience better and more enjoyable for you and your pet.
Can Bunnies Sleep With You?
Bunnies are known as crepuscular creatures because they are the most active very early in the morning and around twilight. Most rabbits sleep in two cycles: one from late morning to early afternoon and the second in the middle of the night just before waking up again at dawn.
If you also have a similar sleeping pattern and you would like to be active at dawn, sleeping with your bunny won’t disturb your sleep.
You can plan to sleep again when your bunny is tired and sleepy. An adult, healthy rabbit may sleep for around ten hours a day on average but in two different shifts. So, before you start sleeping with your bunny, it’s important to learn her sleep patterns so you can both sleep peacefully and wake up fresh.
Rabbits are naturally active at dawn and dusk because they are prey animals. They need to avoid their predators that mostly hunt during bright daylight and at night. To make sure they don’t encounter any predators, rabbits fall asleep during this time of the day and also at night.
How to Make Your Rabbit Sleep Well?
As opposed to humans, rabbits are light sleepers. This means their sleep can be easily disturbed even if there’s very little commotion or disruption in the room. They have to feel completely safe and at ease when they sleep.
If you want to sleep with your bunny, you would want to make sure she sleeps well. If she wakes up frequently, the experience could easily become a source of stress for you.
So, here are some tips to make your bunny sleep well during the night.
Make Them a Comfortable Bed
A warm and comfortable bed in which the bunny would feel safe and cozy goes a long way in ensuring that your bunny sleeps soundly all through the night.
Animal beds are available that come with a padded floor and foam-free filling. They are soft and very comfortable – ideal for small animals like cats and bunnies. They can even be secured inside a cage with the help of straps.
Make sure you get your bunny a warm bed like this where she will feel safe while sleeping. Some people try hypnotizing their bunnies to get them to sleep at odd hours. While the technique is known to work, it is not recommended because it’s stressful and unhealthy for helpless animals.
As a pet owner, you should act responsibly towards your pets and try to provide them with an environment that is as close to their natural habitat as possible.
Leave Them Alone When They Fall Asleep
It’s normal for rabbits to sleep with their eyes half-open. They might not appear to be sleeping at all and you may wake them up. So it’s important that you know when they are actually sleeping and leave them alone to rest.
If you see your rabbit’s nose stops twitching and their breathing slows down and becomes more rhythmic, it’s a sign that she has fallen asleep.
Since rabbits are always on alert to sense danger, they will wake up almost instantly if there is a disruption. So, make sure you don’t make any noise when you find out that they are now deep asleep.
Make Sure They Get Plenty Of Playtime During Their Waking Hours
An active and playful bunny during the day is more likely to sleep peacefully at night. So, make sure you give your bunnies ample space to run around and get tired during the day.
It’s better to let them play and eat at dawn and dusk. During these hours, bunnies are the most awake naturally. If you let them follow their natural living style, they will be able to sleep more peacefully during their less active or lazy hours.
Tips for Sleeping With Your Bunny
If you plan on having your bunny in the same room as you when you sleep, you need to follow some tips to make sure the experience is worthwhile for both of you.
To have bunnies sleep with you, follow these tips to make your bedroom rabbit-proof and safe while you doze off.
1. To prevent nocturnal accidents on your bed, make sure your bunny is trained to use a litter box. This will help protect your sheets and pillows from getting spoiled.
2. If your bunny is sleeping with you on the bed, make sure to put cushions around her so she doesn’t fall off accidentally.
3. Make sure the door is closed so the bunny is not able to wander around the house while you are sleeping.
4. Since rabbits can be allergic to cigarette smoke, make your bedroom a no-smoking zone if you plan on having your bunnies share the room with you.
5. Rabbits do not sweat and therefore they cannot tolerate too much heat. If you plan on turning the heat on, make sure there is some kind of ventilation in the bedroom. Also, keep an eye on warning signs to tell if your rabbit is feeling too hot, such as fast breathing, listlessness, and wetness around the nose area.
6. It is also not a good idea to put your rabbit in an environment where there is a possibility of sudden temperature changes.
7. Cold temperatures are fine for rabbits and they can survive well even in temperatures as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Rabbits are sociable creatures and they love to sleep with other rabbits. It is perfectly fine to have multiple bunnies sleep in the same room.
9. If you have asthma or any other type of allergy, it will not be a good idea to sleep with your bunny or any other pet for that matter.
10. It is usually best to have a separate bed for your furry companion to ensure their safety while you sleep. If you toss and turn in your bed during the night, you may hurt or suffocate her. Moreover, she may fall off the bed and break a leg.
Sleep is important for bunnies just like it is for other animals. However, rabbits sleep in shorter bursts and may not prove to be good sleeping companions especially if you are trying to get a good night’s rest and need peace.
Is It Dangerous to Sleep With a Bunny?
While sleeping with dogs and cats can be dangerous at times, sleeping with bunnies is perfectly safe. Dogs and cats may carry diseases as well as fleas and ticks that cause skin infections. Moreover, they can scratch and bite you while you sleep.
Bunnies are gentle and fragile creatures. They don’t usually bite or scratch. It is, therefore, safe to have a bunny with you in your bed. However, it’s not recommended to get them under the covers because it won’t be safe for them and they may suffocate themselves during sleep.
Moreover, it’s not a good idea to have baby bunnies sleep with you. Always make sure the bunny is litter trained before you let her sleep with you in your bed.
You also need to know that if there is more than one bunny in your room, they may wake each other up and start playing around. While this is not dangerous in any way, it is definitely not something you’re going to like if you’re trying to get some rest.
Wrapping Up
It’s perfectly safe and fine to sleep with your bunny as long as you’re both healthy. However, if you’re having sleep issues and may not be ready to risk losing sleep, it’s better to sleep alone as pets tend to disrupt sleep.
Nevertheless, you can follow the tips discussed in this post to ensure a peaceful night with your pet in the same room as you. Sleeping with your bunny will actually help to deepen the bond you share with this furry companion and will also make her feel more comfortable and safe.
And while it’s safe to have pets around when you sleep, too young and too old people shouldn’t be allowed to sleep with pets. Sleep disruption at this age may lead to other health issues and it is therefore recommended to ensure a peaceful sleeping environment for these individuals.