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Is my bunny deaf?

SuzieBlue

SuzieBlue

Young Bun
Some advice needed please....

This morning I went to give Phoebe her breakfast, and when I went into the room she was washing and was turned away from me. I was talking to her and shaking the food bag (and the door itself makes a noise when opened), but she didn't look round.. But when she eventually turned round and saw me she freaked out! It made me think of a few other times when something similar has happened, and I'm starting to wonder if she's deaf..

She never, ever responds to hand claps when doing something she shouldn't, yet with my buck Nermal and even my chinchilla, this is a really effective way of getting them to stop doing something.

I've been thinking recently that she's been a bit grumpy since her spay, so i'm always trying to talk to her in a soothing voice to put her at ease, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Is there anything I can do or any test the vet can do to have this confirmed? I want to make sure she's not nervous or unhappy because I'm not dealing with her properly.... Help!!
 
:wave: It's worrying isn't it

Rum is deaf as a doorknob :)

We discovered in much the same way as you have, she didn't respond to sounds, or foodbag shaking and is startled very easily by movement.

The vets checked her ears for problems but couldn't find anything which suggests it's either an inner ear problem or just something she was born with.

She's happy enough most of the time, binkying around and investigating, she just gets freaked out if you suddenly move and legs it!
 
I strongly suspect Mischa is too for the same reasons as you described. Vet said it's probably a lasting effect of the EC he had about three years ago.
 
Our french lop Willow is the same. Very easily startled and often if he cant see you shows no reaction at all and then has kittens (or tries to kill you! :lol:) if you surprise him. Our vet has seen him and thinks he's deaf.
ETA I wonder if it's a porblem more common in lops and for Willow we try and always make sure he can see us before we go near him, or move something nearby to get his attention.
 
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Thanks guys.. for the last day I've been watching Phoebe's behaviour and I'm becoming more convinced that she's deaf.. This morning when I did the breakfast drop she was facing the door when I went in and was totally relaxed..

I was wondering if it was more common in lops as well, after some internet research that seems to be the case..

Well, hopefully from now on Pheebs will stop trying to bite through my trousers now that I know to not sneak up on her!!! Poor wee mite.. :)
 
Starbuck, a lop, was confirmed by a vet as being deaf before we adopted him. As has already been said it mainly means trying to approach from the side or front, waiting for him to look if he is busy engaged in something else (like cleaning his ears) before we go up to him, giving more tactile attention rather than talking to him, not making sudden movements which startles or scares him.

Other than this it is not a problem at all and he is a really happy little guy.

Fay, also a lop, is not deaf and can hear noises, but sometimes she appears deaf if her ears are close to her head. She too is easily startled if she is in the middle of say cleaning her ears. She doesnt really hear the shaking of the pellet bowl, whereas our Dutches hear e v e r y t h i n g!!!

But I know she isnt deaf because she does hear and respond to some things. I can actually see when she is listening out for something as she cocks her little ears forward :lol:
 
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