Quiet and active times.

[Kellyann]

When and for how long does your rabbit sleep, or have downtime? Mine goes into his "bedroom" around 9 or 10am and stays fairly closed up until 6 or 7pm. He comes into the front room and chills on the floor for a couple of hours. Then he comes to life. Those two hours of doing nothing but sitting meatloaf style is vry stressful to me. I always feel he is sick or something is wrong. But then I'm a chronic worrier.
Also it has been really hot here, 30C and we have no a/c. After 9pm he becomes active, eating, pooping and running laps around the room till I get tired at 12 or so and put him back.. Mind, he doesn't "bink" as such. Our floor is too slippery to get any traction.
Just asking.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Some will sleep quite a bit and others, not so much. Each one is different. Our avatar Nikki was a world class sleeper.

 

[Kellyann]

Thanks. I must remember they are all individuals!
(\~/)

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

Our 1 yr old Holland lop, Charlie keeps a similar schedule. He is active in the early (5am) when I get up for work. Starts napping 9 or 10 ish. Till late afternoon. Active in late evening 9-11. Wants treats, attention, may zoom.

When and for how long does your rabbit sleep, or have downtime? Mine goes into his "bedroom" around 9 or 10am and stays fairly closed up until 6 or 7pm. He comes into the front room and chills on the floor for a couple of hours. Then he comes to life. Those two hours of doing nothing but sitting meatloaf style is vry stressful to me. I always feel he is sick or something is wrong. But then I'm a chronic worrier.
Also it has been really hot here, 30C and we have no a/c. After 9pm he becomes active, eating, pooping and running laps around the room till I get tired at 12 or so and put him back.. Mind, he doesn't "bink" as such. Our floor is too slippery to get any traction.
Just asking.

 

[Imbrium]

30C is 86F, which is in the danger zone for rabbits (anything above around 27C they start becoming susceptible to heat stroke). Mind you, the low end of that spectrum is taking into account that some bunnies are very used to air conditioning/climate control and will have an appropriate coat for a cool climate, so they don't handle heat as well. Assuming your AC didn't *just* go out and you simply don't have one, your rabbit will already have a thinner coat suited to a warmer climate, in which case I'd say the real danger zone is more like 32C.

As long as they don't undergo a massive climate change (bringing an outdoor rabbit into a heated home in the winter or an indoor rabbit out into the sun in summer), rabbits are generally comfortable at the same temperatures as their humans. Of course, at 30C the humans are presumably a bit uncomfortable (I know I would be!) and he probably is too. There are things you can do to help him cool off, though. You can freeze water in a large soda bottle or plastic jug and give him the ice pack to lay against, provide cool tiles for him to lay on (these can even be chilled in the fridge or freezer), mist his ears with cool water, add some ice cubes to his drinking water and/or provide him with a fan (making sure the cord is out of reach, of course).

All of that said, rabbits ARE crepuscular - most active in the twilight hours (around dawn/dusk). At least, that's the theory - domesticated rabbits tend to be pretty active in the middle of the night as well. All rabbits seem to prefer to sleep through the warmest part of the day, so his activity and behavior are completely normal. My four loaf and flop, watching TV or sleeping, all day long like they're trying to win an award for "Biggest couch potato." Two hours or more of sitting like a meatloaf (possibly sleeping with eyes open) during the day is 100% normal and nothing to stress out about.

 

[Kellyann]

Thanks so much! So great to hear these experiences. I realize that 30c is pretty hot. I spent all day trying to keep him cool with fans sweeping the room, icey pop bottles, damp cloths on his cage etc. I am making mental notes of his daytime routine and NOT weighing him constantly. I'll stop worrying soon. He has had two trips to the emerg vet this year (possoble stasis) and recently had his teeth x-rayed and burred smooth. So he is all good!

 

[Imbrium]

It sounds like you're doing everything right to help him be more comfortable. As long as he's eating, drinking, pooping up a storm and active at his "normal" hours, you definitely shouldn't worry yourself about sloth-like behavior when the sun is up .

 

[Kellyann]

 

[Imbrium]

He's a "muppet"! Looks like a dust mop with ears, lol. Stinking cute!

 

[samoth]

My rabbits took to my schedule pretty quickly. They head to their respective sleeping places when I turn out the lights and head for bed around 11:00pm and I don't hear anything from them all night.

They're awake and up before I get up around 6am, but not super active before then -- more kind of mulling around and waiting for breakfast.

My guys are most active around 8am-noon, and 7pm-10pm, with some variations for time and seasonal changes.

I keep the house around 23C in the summer, 20C in the winter, and don't fluctuate the temp (some people set their controls to be higher/lower at night/day; I don't).