Deaf bunnies

[Monkeybun]

Got a question for my favorite bunny people.

How can you determine if your bunny is deaf?

Me and my hubby are starting to think little Squirrel might be deaf. he doesn’t react to sounds that we an tell. Not the pellet bag crnkling, not us clappign our hands when he is naughty, not the treat box… And he startles easy. If he doesn’t see somethign coming, he freaks when it appears in front of him.

he does react to the vacuum, but that may just be that he can feel the vibrations in the floor. He usually doesn’t get spooked by my hubby, who walks heavier than me, but often I find myself startling him.

So what do you think?

[mocha200]

I have found Mocha being like this too! I will walk in the room talking and he will be flopped on the floor and doesn’t realize I am there until I am in front of his face, and then he freaks out!

He can here me when I call them for veggie time and pellet time though.

Anyway just thought I would let you know, Maybe it is a Holland Lop thing.

[RabbitPam]

It probably would take a vet’s tests to determine if he is deaf in one ear but not the other.
That said, I think you could do a controlled experiment to determine if he is totally deaf. I would suggest closing yourself in a room with him, sitting quietly while he gets comfortable also. (Don’t sit on the floor so you don’t make any vibrations.) Don’t allow any other distractions, like another person or bunny, and try to do this at a time where you could be alone with him. Might need to do this in a bathroom.

When he’s not facing you and you’re both relaxed, let out a high pitched squeal – the kind we suggest making if a bunny bites and hurts you, so the sound would be of a bunny in distress if he hears it. Be sure he doesn’t see your face move, so maybe look away into a mirror so you can see him but he can’t see your mouth move. Watch to see if he reacts at all, from looking your way to being startled. If he reacts, he probably has some hearing.
You can try a clicker training technique, too. Again, when no vibration or movement is seen or felt, but say a command, like “Come here” and when he moves toward you, give him a treat fast. Then only say it again, not visibly. He will learn that those words mean a treat. If he does it when you speak, treat him. Do NOT treat him if he experiments by coming without you saying it. In clicker training they will do that, and learn that they do not get treats for coming, only for obeying the verbal command. It might help determine if he hears if you create a reward for it.

[bunnyfriend]

I’m dealing with the same thing. Wilbur doesn’t respond to calling, bag crinkling, clapping, snapping, or even the vacuum when she is sitting right next to it. I scare her a lot because she won’t notice I’m in the room even though I’m making loud noises and calling her name. When I took her to the vet for a check up the vet did some snapping behind each ear (Wilbur couldn’t see her) and Wilbur didn’t respond at all. My vet told me that that is not a sure way to tell, that a way to find out positively would involve electrodes and stuff, something that she said would be unnecessary and possibly painful? I don’t know much about it and she didn’t really explain further. Is your bun a lop also? Mine is a lop (about 3 pounds) a couple days after her spay she suddenly gained partial control over her ears and now it’s making it difficult to tell if she can hear or not because she swings them backwards and forwards all the time making it seem like she’s hearing but she still doesn’t really seem to respond to things.

[MimzMum]

I’ve been suspecting Mimz is deaf since my hubby ran a bandsaw under the bunny room window this summer. It scared the heck out of Pip & Fiver (who began thumping) and me as well, but Mimz just sat there washing his face, cucumber-cool.
I think his recent allergic reaction to TMS may have caused it, but I don’t know for sure. He USED to be able to hear treat bags and my voice, so I know it’s not from birth.
I also believe we’re seeing this mostly in lops.
I keep talking to him like an upright blue dummy though…I keep hoping he’ll regain some of his hearing, but so far…nothing.

[Monkeybun]

Hmm it does seem to be a lop thing, so far. My Squirrel is a Holland lop. I’ll give him little tests, see if he reacts to anything.

[BinkyBunny]

 I don’t have any experience with this but what I’ve just read about it (quicky google), that even laid back bunnies will typically be startled or at least show some affect if you create a high pitched sound and see if your bunny notices. 

I also found this response from Dana Krempel regarding a similar question http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-…-think.htm

On cats, rabbits and more site it mentions this about hearing loss: 

 ”A deaf rabbit will startle easily and be frightened by the sudden appearance of someone he didn’t hear coming. For a prey animal such as a rabbit this is especially frightening. Approach a deaf rabbit slowly, from a direction where he can see you. K. Marie Mead discovered that a deaf rabbit is unable to pick up vibrations from some flooring (tile on cement slab) as well as they do from others (wood), and developed a system of hand claps to communicate with her rabbit Kali.”  Full article source: http://www.catsandrabbitsandmore.co…cial_needs  (13th paragraph)

I also found this — a flickr discussion where someone is trying to figure out if their bunny is deaf – may be helpful http://www.flickr.com/groups/bunnyl…540581290/

This is written by another person about their deaf bunny and how she discovered it.  Very interesting articles and some of the information may ring true with your situation. http://www.ohare.org/vol2_1.htm#deaf

 

 

[bwild]

The flickr one isn’t working for me, BB

[BinkyBunny]

I just fixed it…try again..

EDITED TO ADD..uh…and again.. I had to fix it a SECOND TIME.  Sorry.  Some strange glitch!  It should work now. 

[bunnyfriend]

Thanks BB for the links! Helpful!

Monkeybun: Have you had any luck with the “tests” yet?

[blackfang]

Posted By Monkeybun on 11/05/2011 04:25 AM

Got a question for my favorite bunny people.

How can you determine if your bunny is deaf?

Me and my hubby are starting to think little Squirrel might be deaf. he doesn’t react to sounds that we an tell. Not the pellet bag crnkling, not us clappign our hands when he is naughty, not the treat box… And he startles easy. If he doesn’t see somethign coming, he freaks when it appears in front of him.

he does react to the vacuum, but that may just be that he can feel the vibrations in the floor. He usually doesn’t get spooked by my hubby, who walks heavier than me, but often I find myself startling him.

So what do you think?

I’m deaf.

Yes I can feel the vibration in the floor if someone vacuum.

When I was a baby, my parent grabbed two pans and banged them to make a noise behind me. I didn’t react.

 

So. Try using two pans and bang them behind her/him. It will be loud enough.

If your rabbit didn’t react then yes squirrel is deaf bunny.

 

I want deaf bunnies

[Elrohwen]

I think most lops have “selective deafness”. Haha.

Does he swivel his ears around? I would assume Otto was deaf if I didn’t see him move his ears to pick up sounds.

[LBJ10]

Elrohwen – Haha! Leopold has selective hearing too. If I’m yelling at him, telling him “no”, then he completely ignores me. If I have the treat bag though, he will drop everything and come running.

[Elrohwen]

Haha. Sounds like Otto! I thought it was funny how many lop owners commented on their lops seeming deaf – they’ve all got us fooled 😛 Though unlike some of the lops mentioned, Otto doesn’t startle at all – he’s just off in his own little world and doesn’t really care what I’m doing.

Hannah breaks the trend though – that bunny is so tuned in to what I’m saying and raising my voice just a little makes her nervous (even if I’m not talking to her). I guess she didn’t get the memo.

[TriBun]

Sorry if I’m repeating, I didn’t have time to read the whole thread. I personally think lops have hearing problems. It makes sense because ears are shaped to collect sound waves (thus the swirly shape of human ears). In a lop their ears are folded over, essentially covering sound wave collection, just like cupping a hand over your ears would. Loppy ears were developed through human breeding. It is not a trait that developed in nature. A lop-eared bunny wouldn’t survive in the wild, cause it can’t hear!

*steps down from soap box*

I don’t remember if Squirrel is a lop, Monkeybun?

And yes, my lop has hearing problems too.

[Monkeybun]

Yes, he’s a holland lop.

Hubby whistled really loud behind Squirrel the other night while Squirrel was busy grooming. It freaked the other 3 out, but Squirrel didn’t twitch an ear. So…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

It was Dave who figured out Chuck was deaf and the vet confirmed it. When we adopted him they didn’t mention it, so perhaps hadn’t noticed or didn’t see it as something that would impact him.

Dave was vacuuming (a site you write home about let me tell you haha) and he just looked at me and said ‘this rabbit is deaf’. Chuck was sprawled on his blanky and totally asleep. He never reacted to the vacuum or any other noise. I think a sure fire test is a bunny who is at the vet and doesn’t react whena dog starts barking! But certainly it quickly became apparent once Dave noticed and the vet agreed.

You know, for Chuck it was only an issue because he had no site; He still did fanastic but it would have been a blessing if he’d had one sense wth which he could take in the envionment. It really isn’t a biggie on its own. My parents dog is deaf and after her initial adjustment (none of us adjusted, we all still talk to her) she’s just fine.

[MimzMum]

I agree with you K&K, still, when you’ve lived with a bun who used to be able to hear, it is still hard to accept. I keep thinking of all those silly little songs I used to sing that he can’t hear now…of course that may be a blessing for him. Lolz…
I do keep wondering if it’s temporary…that maybe it’ll come back I know he probably doesn’t miss it, but for the treat bag crinkling. But since Pip (who lives right above him) makes a ruckus at the crinkle sound, he’s figured out what’s going on!

[Monkeybun]

I sing Squirrel songs too. Like..
“Squirrelly man, squirrelly man, does whatever a squirrelly can”

lol

[Elrohwen]

We had a dog who became deaf later in life and it didn’t bug him one bit. He could never figure out which direction we were going to come from and would sit looking happily the completely wrong way, until we came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. Haha. He was silly.

I do think it’s gotta be a lop thing. I’m glad at least one of my two can hear – she’s the one who gets into more trouble anyway 😛

I also wonder if it’s a holland thing. Anyone here have mini lops that can hear fine?

[Jessica Rabbit]

My Holland lop is not at all impressed by sound! Squeals, screams, crinkles, bells, etc – there is no response. He’s also very mellow in general – he doesn’t startle easily, and always seems to expect us coming. That could be some hearing, or it could be lights, shadows, vibrations, who knows. His ears are extremely expressive, but they don’t seem to move in response to sound, more in response to stimuli in general. His ears will perk up when it’s salad time but I can clap my hands right next to his head and the only response i MIGHT get is “oh, cool, she’s right there, I can hump her”.

Thanks for this thread! It’s not just Harvey, it’s just a lop thing

[RabbitPam]

Posted By Monkeybun on 11/07/2011 10:58 PM
I sing Squirrel songs too. Like..
“Squirrelly man, squirrelly man, does whatever a squirrelly can”

MB, when I was a teenager my Dad called me and my friends “Squirrelly Girls.”  I think you qualify. 

It does sound like litte Squirrel may be deaf. – Onset of hearing loss due to bad singing, MM - 

[LBJ10]

Haha! My husband will have theme songs for our pets! He is so weird! Glad he’s not the only one who does it.

[bunnyfriend]

Posted By Monkeybun on 11/07/2011 10:58 PM
I sing Squirrel songs too. Like..
“Squirrelly man, squirrelly man, does whatever a squirrelly can”

lol

Bhahahaha 

 

MimzMum: I feel the same way, I just tried clanging pans behind Wilbur and nothing. I talk to her all the time and I’m still hoping she can hear me. 

[MimzMum]

Pam…I’m hurt. Really, I used to have a decent voice. Years of yelling at the kids, radiation therapy and menopause changed that…or I’d have been tempted to try out for X Factor.
Lol…my dad used to call me and my school friends ‘canaries’ because we stood on the concrete stoop in front of the music room and jibber jabber. xD

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