Rabbits do blink, but you won’t often notice it.
It’s because rabbits can naturally blink their eyes in such subtle ways that you might not even understand when they do so. Besides, their blinking rate is very low compared to other animals.
Amazingly, rabbits have a third eyelid, also known as the nictitating membrane. That’s why the blinking in rabbits is called nictitating or nictating. They blink with this membrane, unlike humans, who blink with their upper and lower eyelids.
If you’re curious to know more, find out the reasons, problems, and other facts in the following segments of this article.
Do Rabbits Blink Their Eyes?
You may expect your pet bunny to blink like you and I do, closing and opening the eyelids frequently. But rabbits, as we’ve mentioned earlier, don’t do that.
A rabbit typically blinks twelve times per hour, whereas humans blink about twenty times per minute. You can see a huge difference here, which must clarify why you don’t see your rabbit blinking more often.
So, the answer to the question of whether rabbits blink or not is that yes, they do. But the function and way to do it are different for them.
Rabbits possess a nictitating membrane in their eyes which works as a transparent curtain between their eyeballs and regular eyelids. Bunnies swipe this membrane to keep their eyes clean, moist, and comfortable.
Hence, a rabbit’s blinking is usually known as nictitating. For this nictating function, rabbits don’t blink their eyelids like humans or other animals.
However, that raises the question, what if rabbits do blink their eyelids? It simply means something isn’t right with your bunny’s eyes. There must’ve been some debris or dust stuck in its eyes.
How Many Eyelids Do Rabbits Have?
Bunnies essentially have three eyelids. Two of them are what you see in them externally. However, the third eyelid is what we’ve just mentioned earlier, the nictitating membrane.
This membrane is a vital part of the rabbit’s eyes because it enhances and maintains good vision in them. Since rabbits have comparatively larger eyes, their corneas cover up to 30% of the entire eyes.
The nictitating membrane works as a shield to keep this significant cornea area clean and protected. Eventually, this enhanced vision in rabbits helps them notice the preying animals from afar.
Third Eyelid Problems in Rabbits
There are a few problems related to the rabbit’s third eyelid that you should be concerned with. Leaving these problems untreated may make your rabbit lose its vision.
So, let’s find out some common issues with a rabbit’s third eyelid in the following:
- Cherry Eyes: Cherry eyes refer to that problem when a rabbit’s third eyelid prolapses. The third eyelid will protrude in this condition. Your rabbit may not feel pain due to this, but a surgical procedure will be mandatory to reverse the condition.
- Cysts: Cysts in the rabbit’s third eyelid is often a result of cherry eye surgery. This, too, will require a surgical intervention to resect the cystic wall.
- Accidental or Deliberate Poking: If your bunny’s nictitating membrane is prodded by someone or another pet, it may be dislocated or damaged. You must see a vet’s expertise to fix this problem.
- Infection: Your bunny may develop an infection in its third eyelid, leading to inflammation. Here, you’ll notice its inflicted eye bulging while profusely discharging tears.
You may classify the above problems from minor to major significance; however, you mustn’t take the risk of neglecting any of these issues at all if encountered in your pet rabbit.
The eyes are very sensitive organs in both humans and animals. So, you should seek veterinary expertise at your earliest when you see something amiss in your rabbit’s eyes. Or else, things may go from bad to worse.
Is a Rabbit’s Repetitive Eye Blinking a Matter of Concern?
As we’ve said earlier, rabbits blink hardly twelve times per hour; it’s a matter of concern if your bunny’s excessively blinking its eyes.
The reasons behind this frequent blinking could be:
- Some dust, dirt, or grit that’s somehow stuck in your furry companion’s eyes, making it blink repetitively in an attempt to sweep the object off
- Bright light in its room that’s flashing in its eyes, making it difficult for your bunny to keep its eyes open; hence blinking
- Trauma due to being poked by something or a pet in the house
- Infection which is irritating your bunny’s eyes due to inflammation
If you figure out that the above aren’t responsible for your rabbit’s irritable eyes and constant blinking, you better call the vet for proper examination and treatment.
Is a Bunny’s Good Vision Dependent on Nictitating Membrane?
Yes, it is. As the nictitating membrane is a protective shield in rabbits’ eyes, rejecting any foreign object from entering the cornea, its role in maintaining the rabbit’s sharp sight is irreplaceable.
Find below how the nictitating membrane helps in rabbit’s vision:
- A rabbit’s cornea covers about 30% of the area of its eyes. The cornea allows light to enter the eyes while projecting the sight on any object outside. The nictitating membrane keeps the cornea clean while the vision is sharp.
- Rabbits need to keep their eyes open even in sleep to protect themselves from predators or external threats. The nictitating membrane discounts the need for blinking eyelids in rabbits, maintaining constant vision.
- Rabbits don’t possess a good vision. Their night vision is poor, and they’re somewhat colorblind. However, the nictitating membrane constantly keeps their eyes clean while boosting their vision in low lights.
So, it’s needless to say that the third eyelid or nictitating membrane is a crucial part of the eyes in rabbits, which supports them to survive both in the wild and in their domestic lives.
Why Do Rabbits Sleep with Their Eyes Open?
Your furry friend keeps its eyes open while sleeping; by now, you might know why. Of course, it’s again that third eyelid in action.
The third eyelid or nictating membrane always does the trick for rabbits. That transparent curtain-like layer covers the rabbit’s eyes even when they’re asleep. For this reason, you might wonder whether they sleep at all!
But it’s natural in rabbits to keep their upper and lower eyelids open while covering their corneas with the membrane while asleep.
Bunnies do this due to a sense of safety. They try to stay alert about any danger lurking around the corner, even when they’re sleeping.
However, it’s not like rabbits don’t close their eyes at all. Sometimes, you might see your rabbits sleeping with their eyes shut like any other animal. This is mainly because the bunny’s comfortable while feeling safe in your house.
Don’t worry if your adorable bunny hasn’t reached that state of comfort in your house yet. It takes time for bunnies to adjust to a new environment.
Do Bunnies Close Their Eyes?
Rabbits about seven to ten days old naturally keep their eyes closed. Nonetheless, the young and adult rabbits close their eyes too, but rarely.
Below are a few instances when adult bunnies may close their eyes:
- If your rabbit has some medical problems, its eyes may remain closed.
- If your bunny has tired out for the day, it might go into a deep sleep with its eyes closed.
- Your rabbit will relax and close its eyes when you’re petting and grooming its body.
How to Make Your Rabbit Open Its Eyes?
If your favorite bunny isn’t actually capable of opening its eyes due to medical conditions or other reasons, it’s a concerning issue. You must know some home remedies to make its eyes open.
Below are a few steps on how to open your rabbit’s closed eyes at home:
- Step 1: Pat your rabbit to make it comfortable and relaxed.
- Step 2: Take a soft piece of fabric or cotton pad. Dip it into warm water and press the excess water out.
- Step 3: Gently hold your rabbit’s head and softly press the wet cloth or cotton pad below its closed eye(s). Avoid applying any pressure while doing so.
- Step 4: Hold the cloth or cotton pad as long as the crust build-up doesn’t soften.
- Step 5: When the crust is loose enough, gently wipe them from below the bunny’s eyes.
This will temporarily do if your rabbit hasn’t developed any critical optical condition. If the crust build-up persists after wiping the eyes clean, consult a vet for guided advice and treatment.
The vet might prescribe rabbit eye-drop to prevent this problem from recurring. The eye drop may improve the dry eye condition in your bunny.
Also, make sure to clean your rabbit’s eyes regularly when you’re grooming it. Keeping their eyes clean can prevent many eyes or third eyelid problems.
Figuring out If Your Rabbit Is Losing Its Eyesight
If your rabbit is actually going blind, you wouldn’t realize it unless you’re an experienced rabbit owner. Many expert rabbit moms and dads sometimes miss out on determining what’s happening with their coneys’ eyesight.
But we’ll put you at ease by sharing common reasons that may damage your rabbit’s eyesight.
Your bunny may go blind if:
- the eyesight problem is genetically inherited
- your bunny has developed an internal tumor or abscess
- your bunny’s eyes got hit or poked, followed by trauma
- your bunny has aged
- it has glaucoma or parasites
Rabbits are partially color blind already, having dichromatic color vision. They can only identify two colors; green and blue.
However, if you want to make sure whether your bunny is completely blind or creeping toward that unfortunate fate, follow these signs—
- Your bunny’s eye area may show some surefire signs, including dilated pupils, red eyes, swollen eyes, receding eyeballs, etc.
- Your rabbit’s walk and other movements are sluggish.
- It’s frequently getting rolled over by bumping into objects in its path.
- It’s jostled at the slightest noise.
- It’s leaning against the walls lately.
- It shows signs of fear when someone is approaching.
How to Care for Your Blind Rabbit?
Your blind rabbit will become helpless in your house upon being left untreated. It won’t be able to eat or drink while not locating the proper place for releasing bowel or urinating.
The eye condition will worsen, and it might put your poor bunny through immense struggles. That’s why learning to care for a blind rabbit may enable you to nourish your bunny in its blind state.
Find below some essential tips to care for your visually impaired rabbit:
- Consult a vet if your bunny has glaucoma or cataract to apply the prescribed medication.
- Keep poisonous herbs, vegetables, or fruits away from your blind rabbit’s living space and hutch to save its life. Remember, rabbits will chew on even in their blindness.
- Try to keep the floor around its residence as even as possible so it doesn’t bump into objects and hurt itself.
- Always feed and groom your bunny timely. Also, don’t forget to apply medication to its eyes as prescribed while cleaning them with soft fabrics.
- Avoid applying perfumes of strong fragrance as it irritates the rabbit’s nose and ears, the two most sensitive and active organs in the absence of their sight.
- Maintain the regular check-up of your rabbit by a vet to administer proper medication and care.
Keeping up with the above tips and tasks will ensure a comparatively safer and happier life for your bunny when the poor soul is in distress.
Final Thoughts
As you’ve now learned why and how rabbits blink their eyes, you must be careful enough to look after your bunny even more seriously.
Being careful with the third eyelid also gives you the responsibility of regularly grooming your rabbit. Make sure you keep its eyes clean to prevent any disease that may lead to the loss of its eyesight.