Do rabbits ever blink?
Michael King
Updated on February 21, 2026
Rabbits only blink ten or twelve times an hour. You may never see it because rabbits have a
nictating membrane
The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye for protection and to moisten it while maintaining vision. The term comes from the Latin word nictare, meaning "to blink".
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Do rabbits ever close their eyes?
Rabbits never appear to close their eyes during the day or night. This may leave you wondering if your rabbit ever sleeps. Rabbits have a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane, which is invisible to the human eye. This translucent eyelid closes while a rabbit is sleeping.Do rabbits blink at you?
Rabbits have a well-developed oculomotor system, which is why they can also blink with just one of their eyes. While they won't wink at you intentionally, they may close one eye if something is bothering just one of their eyes. They will keep their other eyes open in this case to stay alert.How do bunnies see humans?
Rabbits do not perceive their owners as other rabbits. Rabbits rely heavily on their sense of sight, smell, and hearing to distinguish humans from other creatures. As a result, your rabbit will most likely discern you as a predator until conditioned to recognize you as a safe companion or bonded partner.How long does it take for bunnies to blink?
Rabbits only blink once every 5 minutesRabbits only blink 10 to 12 times in an hour. That's only once every 5 to 6 minutes! Compare that to humans who blink 10 to 20 times every minute.