If you’ve been a rabbit owner, you may have heard advice to cover your rabbits cage at night. This is probably due to the fact that rabbits are more active at night.
However, covering the cage at night could be harmful to your pet. Rabbits need their morning sunlight to regulate their body clock.
1. They are curious
Rabbits are incredibly curious creatures and they enjoy exploring new things, especially when there are toys around to play with. They can be very stubborn and may not want to let you know what they are doing so they might try to hide behind furniture or other objects in the home.
They also like to explore their surroundings and might scout out new places where they feel they might find food or a cosy place to sleep. So, it’s important to make sure your rabbit has a safe and secure cage so they can explore.
This might mean you need to invest in a hutch cover that your rabbit can easily slip on and off at night. This will protect your bunny from the elements and help them to sleep better at night.
If you do decide to get a hutch cover for your rabbits cage, it’s best to make sure the material is breathable. Otherwise, your rabbit could end up chewing on the fabric, which would not only be unhygienic but also dangerous to their health.
One of the reasons why it’s a good idea to cover your rabbits cage at night is that they are likely to become very sensitive to the dark. This is because they don’t have a tapetum lucidum, which is the part of their brain that allows them to see in the dark.
Therefore, they are very prone to becoming anxious and skittish when they can’t see what is going on. This is particularly true if they are an indoor rabbit and have to live in a house where there are a lot of different noises and smells coming from different people, animals and other pets.
Another reason why your rabbit might become anxious is if they’re not getting enough exercise. They love playing and need lots of time outdoors to run, hop and stretch out fully.
They are incredibly social creatures so they need a large enclosure and plenty of toys to keep them entertained. They’ll also benefit from being in company at all times so ensure they have someone to spend time with them during the day.
2. They are scared
Covering the cage at night is a very common thing people do to keep their rabbits safe from predators. However, it is not always the best option and should not be done every time.
Many pet owners want to cover their rabbits cage at night because they are worried about their pets being robbed of their things or attacked by predators. Luckily, rabbits are extremely sensitive to danger and can sense that something is wrong even when they aren’t actually seeing anything.
Rabbits are nocturnal, which means they’re more active at dawn and dusk than they are during the day. They need natural light to regulate their body clocks and be alert. So, covering their cage at night will make them feel spooked and could ruin their health in the long run.
A blanket that covers the cage will also block their eyesight, which is another reason why it’s not always the best idea to cover their cage at night. This would limit their view of their territory and make them more likely to become anxious, so if you’re not sure whether or not it’s the right decision for your bunnies, consult with your vet.
Most rabbits are nocturnal, which means that they’re more active at dawn and dusk and are often asleep during the day. This is why it’s important to allow them to see their surroundings and keep a small uncovered space in their cages so that they can be reassured that they are safe.
Some rabbits are scared of the dark, especially if they don’t have any experience with it. Usually, this is caused by a new sound or smell that they aren’t familiar with.
These animals have a wonderful twitchy nose that is designed to detect danger. They can sniff out a predator’s scent from a distance, or they may notice a new dish in the kitchen that they’ve never seen before.
Regardless of the cause, it’s essential that you try to reduce your rabbit’s fears as much as possible. This includes making sure they are in a secure environment and living with a partner who they can trust and feel comfortable with.
3. They are cold
There are many reasons why you might want to cover your rabbits cage at night but there is no absolute necessity. You should not worry if your bunny does not need to be covered at all – they are generally quite happy and comfortable sleeping in their own home.
Rabbits can be cold in the winter and if you have them indoors during this time, you should keep them well insulated and provide extra bedding. They will also need extra calories to stay warm as they spend more energy keeping their body temperature up.
One way to keep them warm is by giving them a pet safe heat pad such as a ‘SnuggleSafe’, which you can buy in most supermarkets. These last for several hours and are a great way to keep them cosy and warm.
Another option is to get a cardboard box that has a hole in it, and fill it with hay so they have somewhere warm to sleep. You can even put a towel or blanket on top of it to help make it warmer.
It is important that your bunnies have access to fresh water and food at all times if they are in the house. It can be particularly difficult to get them to drink in the winter, so it is vital that you check their bottles regularly and give them a thermal water bottle if possible.
You should also consider using a thermometer to measure their body temperature. This is the best way to tell whether they are too cold or too hot – it can be hard to see in their fur so a thermometer is essential.
A bunny’s ears, nose and toe pads are also useful spots for judging their temperature. This is because they are more exposed than other parts of their body, and this means they have to use their bodies’ natural ways of regulating temperature, such as sweating.
A cold bunny can also develop hypothermia, which is a dangerous condition that is usually fatal. It can cause pale lips, shivering, loss of coordination and low energy levels, so it is crucial to take your rabbit inside to warmth if they feel cold or are showing any of these symptoms.
4. They are hungry
If you have a rabbit, they are very hungry. In fact, they may eat more than you think!
Rabbits eat lots of grass, vegetables, and fruits in the summer. This makes it easy for them to get the nutrients they need without having to spend a lot of time digging for food. But during the winter, they can’t access this source of nourishment and have to find new ways to survive.
This is why it’s so important to make sure that your rabbit is getting enough food. It’s also important to provide them with a safe place to sleep and hide during the day.
The best way to ensure that your rabbit has access to food is to make sure that you feed them at a regular time every day. If your bunny has a schedule, it will be easier to track their behavior.
It’s also important to make sure that they have a large enclosure so they can get plenty of exercise. This will help them stay healthy and avoid any diseases.
You should also make sure that your rabbit has a warm place to sleep during the winter. If your rabbit doesn’t have a warm place to sleep, they might become very ill and die from cold.
Your rabbit will also be very irritable during the winter. This is because they will be constantly trying to find a source of food that they can eat, as well as a place to hide from predators.
If you want to give your rabbit a place to hide and have them feel secure, you can cover their cage with a blanket or fabric tunnel. They can then sleep in the shelter and feel comfortable.
However, you should be careful about covering their cage during the night because they might chew on the blanket. This is a dangerous thing to do because it could result in them ingesting a lot of fabric and this can lead to serious digestive problems like GI stasis or impaction.
In addition to covering their cage during the night, you should also be careful not to turn on any lights. This is because rabbits have a very sensitive retina and can’t see well in the dark.