Sleeping situation

[PoppySunshine]

Here’s a little background before I ask my question.

I adopted an 18 month old Rex rabbit named Poppy back in August, and it has been a long while since I’ve owned a rabbit.  And to be honest, I didn’t realize there was so much to their diet.  But that aside, I’m really enjoying having a rabbit.  

Poppy was in a shop pretty much all her life, and so had constant light.  When I got her, I put her in a hutch in the garden, but that only lasted for a short while, as I felt she would be depressed outdoors and all alone, even though she got out for exercise during the day.  Poppy joined me in my room, she had a fencing pen and had her own pen.  The light remained on, always, for her.  Recently she’s upgraded to her own room, it’s a small room, but big for her.  Here comes my questions…

I’ve only just started turning the lights off at night, will she be OK even though she seems use to the light?  And at night time, should I put her inside her hutch and not allow her to have the run of the room?  She really does like sitting/laying on top of the hutch.

Kind regards,

PoppySunshine

[Roberta]

First, does she have a window in her room that lets in any natural light ?
My bunnies are all inside and they have lights out just like me when it’s time for bed.. I think this helps them stay with natural body rythms as it would be very confusing with 24 hrs of light. There are things bunnies like to do in the dark or at dusk and dawn, such as noisy frolicking and bun 500’s.
Providing there is nothing Poppy can get into to cause herself harm there is no reason she can’t stay out in her play area… Mine are only confined if I am not in the house to supervise (and even then they manage to get up to mischief)

[Sarita]

I never leave the light on for my rabbits. They seem to get enough light from outside if they need to actually see anything.

[tanlover14]

I never leave my lights on my buns either. We have a small light we leave on constantly in the kitchen but they are fine with just that and they are housed in the dining room so that doesn’t even really give them any light.

[Deleted User]

On another forum someone else posed the question wether a rabbit needed lights on? My first reaction – I always think about bunny’s in the wild, so ‘no’. BUT, I had to laugh at myself, I have a nightlight in my kitchen in case I get up through the night to make a cuppa and guess where Henry is located? Yes, the kitchen/dining room. Silly me, lol….
As to leaving Poppy free in her room at night, as long as she can’t hurt herself and cause any damage that you would have an issue with – go for it! In the last couple of weeks I’ve stopped locking Henry in his house at night, but I have boards up at the bedroom doorways so he can’t get in and wake us at 4am! (another reason the nightlight came in handy – it gives a soft glow and helps us see and reminds us the boards are across our doorways, (I’ve tripped over it a few times now, doh!) Dam rabbit!).

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