Some rabbit owners, observing their charges, suspect that they have vision problems. It seems to them that the animal does not recognize its owner or does not see objects located directly in front of its muzzle. The thing is that the eyes of these animals are structured differently than those of people: they perceive the world completely differently. How rabbits see and whether they distinguish colors will be discussed in this article.
Rabbit looking at the camera
Why does a rabbit need eyes?
In nature, long-eared animals live in deep burrows where there is complete darkness. There the human eye is completely useless. You can’t help but wonder: Do rabbits even see? Over the course of their long evolution, animals have learned to navigate well in absolute darkness. This necessarily affected the structure of the eyes.
Humans use vision to find food. The eared animal needs its eyes more to maintain safety in order to see the predator in a timely manner. The animal's vision is designed so that it can see almost 360o. This is facilitated by large eyes placed high on the sides of the muzzle. A small dead zone remains the space directly in front of the nose and behind the ears.
It's interesting how rabbits see food. Anyone familiar with long-eared animals will have noticed that at close range our pet tries to turn sideways. In addition, the animal is well helped by tactile receptors located at the tips of its whiskers.
Restoring the strength of pets
The rabbit sleeps at short intervals, so it can adapt to any rhythm of its owner’s life.
Many breeds rest during the day when a person is busy or absent. For this reason, it is almost impossible to see young animals sleeping. By paying attention to the characteristic moments, the rabbit breeder can observe how decorative rabbits sleep:
- half sitting or lying down;
- with hooded or closed eyes;
- in the corner of the cage;
- in sawdust or in a shelter.
Rabbits sleep for long periods of time only in familiar surroundings.
Loud noises during sleep can frighten the animal and cause it stress - as a result of this negative factor, its immunity decreases, it often gets sick and eats little.
Features of the structure of the eyes
By and large, the structure of a rabbit's eyes is not very different from this organ in any warm-blooded animal. The large eyeball, located in the orbit, like in any animal, is connected to the brain through a special optic nerve. The internal structure of an apple is completely standard - the lens and vitreous body, as well as the contents of two chambers. All this is penetrated by nerve vessels and protected by a membrane. This structure determines how rabbits see our world.
Unlike humans, furry companions have three eyelids covering their eyes. The two perform functions similar to the upper and lower eyelids in humans. The third serves to protect the sebaceous gland and is located near the inside of the eye. The outside of the eye is covered with a thick coating, thanks to which rabbits practically do not blink.
Rabbit irises come in a wide variety of colors. Among decorative breeds, eyes that match the color of the fur are valued.
Behavior at night
The longer a pet lives in the same environment, the faster it gets used to the constant monotonous sounds and voices of household members. Over time, he stops responding to them.
You can calm your pet at night by recreating its natural habitat. It is worth making a shelter in their home in which he will feel safe. For example, the owner can build an artificial tunnel.
A great way to calm your rabbit is by stroking the top of its head near its ears. To reduce stress levels, you can gently cover his eyes with your hand. A few minutes later the animal lies down, stops shaking and quickly falls asleep.
How do rabbits see?
Like many warm-blooded animals, baby rabbits are born completely blind. After reaching two weeks they begin to see. The long-eared one has monocular vision. In other words, each object is viewed with one eye. The total horizon covers 360o and the intersection occurs in front at 27o and partially behind at 9o. This property determines how well the rabbit sees everything on the sides and behind, but does not distinguish at all what is in front of its nose. To see an object in the dead zone, the animal is forced to turn its head. But everything is clearly visible all around. Anyone who might cause trouble is targeted. Monocular vision helps well to notice the approach of an enemy in time.
Difference from man
In humans, the eyes are located at the front of the head. This arrangement was formed during evolution. Primates obtained food using their hands. In order to see future food and, for example, pick it, it was necessary to be able to examine it itself and the place where it is located, both near and at a distance.
Wild rabbits had a different task. The main thing for them was the opportunity to dodge numerous predators, for whom they themselves could become tasty food. If they had to turn around to look at their surroundings from the side and behind, then precious seconds would be lost.
The location of rabbits' visual organs on both sides of the head provides them with an almost 360-degree view. Rodents are especially good at distinguishing objects located in the distance.
Vision in the dark
Another important feature is how rabbits see in the dark. For an animal there is practically no difference between day and night. His vision works equally well. True, it is believed that a rabbit’s worldview is not as clear as that of a human. Perhaps his vision of the world is like a blurry picture. As soon as the owner picks up a large box, the animal will be confused. The owner's voice and smell are familiar, but the picture is different. When communicating with a pet, this should be taken into account, especially at the adaptation stage. The rabbit is a rather fearful animal.
Of course, rabbits feel absolutely comfortable in the dark. The main time of activity occurs during twilight and the time before sunrise. But we must not forget that rabbits need daylight. Light greatly affects the productivity and growth rate of babies.
Do rabbits need darkness to sleep?
Although many people think that rabbits are nocturnal, this is actually not the case. Contrary to popular belief, rabbits are actually crepuscular animals, meaning that they tend to be more active at dusk, or between dawn and dusk. Their status as predatory animals makes it difficult for them to remain awake during the bright daylight hours. However, it is also difficult to navigate in pitch darkness. The dim light at dusk and dawn is the ideal time for them to go about their business in relative safety.
Color perception
It seems completely natural for a person to look at the world in all its colors. The world is filled with a wide variety of shades of blue, red, green. But it’s not like that for our students. For many years, experts believed that the rabbit sees the world like a black and white movie. There are only shades of gray. But scientists were able to determine that this was not the case. It has been proven that the long-eared eye is able to distinguish between green and blue colors. Accordingly, all their shades and intersections. This is not such a rich world as a person’s, but also not as poor as a solid gray one. However, the question remains open of how animals perceive these colors. Today it is difficult to talk about this.
Another feature of rabbits’ vision can be considered that they practically do not close their eyes during sleep. It is difficult to say whether the video signal is being processed at this time or not, but they sleep very lightly. The slightest movement nearby and the animal wakes up.
From what has been said, it is clear: in order to understand how our pets perceive the world, we need to get acquainted with the characteristics of their senses. This will undoubtedly help you better manage your pets' behavior. Makes communication with them more interesting.
Sleep duration
How long rabbits sleep is determined by their breed, nutrition and general condition. Sick pets rest very often and do not leave the cage for a long time. If a rabbit does not lie down or hide in sawdust for a long period of time, this behavior indicates illness.
When animals want to sleep during the day, this is a normal phenomenon, since they are nocturnal animals.
For fragile rabbits, rest lasts longer. They eat a lot and get enough sleep to gain strength. To fall asleep they need silence and a minimum of extraneous movements, for this reason the cage with the brood is hidden in the far corner of the room or taken to a secluded place.
If the rabbit feels safe, there are no threats to its life, it will sleep long and soundly.
Selecting a rabbit for breeding purposes (rabbit breeding)
According to zoological classification, the wild rabbit belongs to the class of mammals, the order of lagomorphs, the family of hares, and the genus of rabbits. Until recently, rabbits were classified as rodents due to their great similarity to these animals.
Constitution and exterior of rabbits
Head. Males usually have a wider head, more rounded and deeper than that of females, whose head is somewhat elongated, lighter and more delicate. In normally developed rabbits, the head is proportional to the body. A heavy and coarse head or too light and tender, with thin skin showing through on the ears, indicates in the first case a rough constitutional type, and in the second - a pampered one.
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eyes come in different colors: red (albinos), blue, brown, gray, black, etc. Each eye color has different shades.
The neck of normally developed rabbits is muscular and proportional to their body.
The body shape of rabbits varies depending on the breed: cylindrical (chinchilla), stocky (Viennese blue), approaching a wide rectangle (silver). In downy breeds, the body resembles a ball. The bones, whatever their shape, must be strong.
The chest of rabbits of all breeds should be wide and deep; such breasts are a sign of normal health and a strong constitution. Narrow and shallow breasts are a serious defect. The chest cavity contains the respiratory and circulatory organs, so the wider and deeper it is, the better developed the lungs and heart are. Narrow-chested rabbits are easily susceptible to disease, are less hardy and not so beautiful.
Large breed rabbits have a dewlap It reaches especially great development in females. However, its too strong development is undesirable.
The back and lower back should be wide and level. A humpbacked back is a defect in the exterior. A sagging back and narrow lower back indicate improper development and poverty of muscles, and weak bones. The sagging of the back and lower back in pregnant females should not be confused with these disadvantages.
The croup and rump of well-developed rabbits can have different shapes, depending on the breed. The chinchilla and silver have a rounded croup, the black-brown, veil-silver, white giant, Angora downy have a wide and rounded croup, the gray giant has a wide and bony croup. Females' croup should be wide and even. With this form of croup, they give birth easier and better. A chopped or drooping croup is a conformation defect
The belly of rabbits should be voluminous and elastic. A saggy belly is an exterior defect, which indicates improper feeding during the period of growth and development of the body.
The udder and mammary glands should be normally developed. Multiple and high-milk rabbits have more than four pairs of normally developed mammary glands. In lactating females, the nipples reach a length of 0.8-1.5 cm, with a normal length of about 0.5 cm. Poorly developed mammary glands secrete less milk, which affects the development of the young.
The skin characterizes the constitutional type of the animal. Loose skin is one of the signs of a raw constitution, very rough skin is one of the signs of a rough constitution. In strong and healthy rabbits it is strong, elastic and dense. Males usually have rougher and thicker skin than females.
the claws usually matches the color of the hair coat characteristic of this breed.
The hair of rabbits should be thick, soft and kneadable. The shine of the hair is a sign of the good health and nutrition of the animal, the strength of its constitution. Coarse hair with a lot of hair in it and too soft or sparse are undesirable.
The hair color The hair color of adult rabbits and young animals is determined by eye in diffuse daylight.
The live weight of rabbits is determined in a state of average fatness by weighing (before feeding) on a scale with an accuracy of 10 g. By the live weight of adult animals, one can judge their meat productivity and size. The live weight of the young shows how the individuals grow and develop.
Rabbits are examined and the length of the body and the volume of the chest behind the shoulder blades are measured. When assessing a rabbit, first of all you need to pay attention to the exterior as a whole, and then carefully evaluate all parts of the body. Such a comprehensive assessment will allow you to better select an animal with the necessary qualities.
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Characteristics of vision and rest of rabbits
These animals have a peculiarity - they can sleep for only a couple of minutes. Such sleep allows the young to be energetic and remain awake. Eared animals fall asleep not only while lying down, but also while sitting or standing.
Whether rabbits sleep at night is determined by the nature of the pet - this is an animal that must hide from predators. At night it is very difficult to catch the moment when it is dozing - at the slightest rustle the animal wakes up. In addition, many breeds see well in the dark.
Due to the lateral position of their eyes, they have a good view, but rabbits do not see what is happening in front of them. Thanks to wide nostrils and large ears, binocular vision is replaced. Because of this structure, fluffies distinguish only two colors - blue and green.
The rabbit body has one more feature: the animals can sleep with their eyes open. Therefore, it may seem that they are awake throughout the day. Fluffy is most active in the early morning and late evening. He can distinguish objects well in the twilight.
The eyes are wide open during sleep. This allows danger to be recognized in a timely manner. In a home environment, this often happens during the first time after a change of residence. After the move, the rabbit sleeps with its eyes open. However, in order to fall asleep during the day or at night, they need privacy and silence. Feeling safe, the animal dozes with half-closed eyelids.
Congenital diseases: symptoms and treatment
Congenital diseases are diseases with which the animal was born. Rabbits have several of them:
Cloudiness of the eye. In most cases, clouding of the visual organ is congenital. This phenomenon often occurs in recently born rabbits. The defect looks like a light-colored spot (partial clouding) or the entire eye is cloudy. There are no treatments.
Blocked tear ducts - this disease should not be attributed solely to genetics. It can occur due to improper growth of teeth. Researchers say that some breeds of rabbits have been shown to be predisposed to this disease. During the illness, the tear duct, which runs from the ear through the nasal cavity, is blocked. Treatment involves washing the peephole and removing excess fluid from the canal.
Myxomatosis is another common acquired eye disease in rabbits. It is accompanied by purulent inflammatory processes and conjunctivitis. The disease is characterized by the formation of purulent tumors in the eyes. This problem most often occurs in rabbits with non-standard eyelid structure. At the moment, there are only assumptions about why changes occur in the anatomical structure of the eyelid. This can be either a genetic feature or a disease caused by a bacteria unknown to science. The part of the upper eyelid where the eyelashes are located does not have a smooth surface, but has slight roughness. Symptoms: corneal ulcer and conjunctivitis. Irritation of the visual apparatus appears due to the fact that the eyelashes grow incorrectly. Symptoms of the disease can be observed in rabbits until the second week after birth. The treatment used is eye surgery.
