• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Can Rabbits see colours?

Can Rabbits see colours? I wondered if anyone had any stories for either yes or no... or what colours buns prefer.... if it's relevant.

I'm asking cos WHEN the sun comes out and stays with us for a few days, I'm gonna paint the inside of the wendy house.. it's lovely new wood with a high roof, and lots of light getting in - so it's not dingy, crampy or dark.. but it just looks plain and boring. Their old summerhouse had flowers, grass, mountains, sheep, trees and ladybugs painted inside with the sky sun clouds etc! This was totally random spur of the moment and a bit crazy.. with childrens paints everywhere.. but I was on a roll! And I really enjoyed doing it :D

This time I want to paint the inside to please the bunny residents.. but if they can't see colour I will paint it more for my visual pleasure! So any opinions or examples of what buns see is greatly appreciated!
 
Last edited:
I did read that we have 3 (somethings, that reflect the light and make colour) and they only have 2.. (can't remember what the technical name for it is.. now?) but I wasn't sure from this difference, how many or few colours they could see.. so it's reds they can't?

Thank you.. I was starting to wonder if it was a totally stupid question :oops:
 
Rabbits have 2 types of photoreceptor cells in their retinas, us humans have 3
and no it's certainly not a stupid question! :)
 
Rabbits have 2 types of photoreceptor cells in their retinas, us humans have 3
and no it's certainly not a stupid question! :)

Thems are the things.. photo receptor cells, it was on the tip of my tongue :lol:

Yes ours (filter?) work with red, blue and green.. yet we see all manor of colours.. so if the buns are missing the red receptors... then I wonder what colours this restricts in their vision (red, pink, purple?, brown? colours that need red to make them??)
 
Photorecepters are called rods and cones and the cones receive different wavelenghts in colour. Human eyes have 3 different cones and we receive varying lenghts of red, blue and green wavelengths.

Studies on rabbits indicate that they have sensitivities to colours, blue and green and so they are partially colour blind.
 
This is interesting.

On another note is it a myth that red eyed buns don't see so well? How about blue eyed bun? Fizz has blue eyes, one light and one darker.
 
I know my pink eyed mice used to scan a lot and this is normal their sight isn't good, and my pink eyed piggie Petal has poor eye sight too.. so maybe some truth in this?
 
Found this

Within an eye itself are two items that help us see, they are called cones and rods. The specific role of cones is to receive different wavelenghts of color. The human eye has three different categories of cones, they receive varying lengths of red, blue and green wavelengths. Scientific behavioral studies on rabbits seem to indicate that rabbits have sensitivities to only two colors, blue and green. This would indeed leave them partially color blind.

The other item that assists in vision are called rods. Rods assist us in seeing clearly and in seeing in low light situations. Rabbits have a higher ratio of rods than cones. This would allow the rabbit to see in dim light situations. However, rabbits also have no tapetum, which is what many animals use for night vision. Combined these two would indicate that the rabbit can see well when they are most active, dawn and dusk, and cannot see well at night.


.... so I'm guessing that without the red they can only see mixes of blue & green. Light mixes are additive so I guess they can see yellow too???

Edit - nope just looked it up and red and blue show yellow..... :?:?
 
Last edited:
Back
Top