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Comunicating with Deaf Rabbits.

Snow-White

Mama Doe
Oliver is as Deaf as a post, no rection to sound at all,
Today to teach him his name and Call him over we have started our own form of bunny sign Language.
For example, his Call sign is rubbing my Index and Middle finger against my thumb.
Has anyone else used a technique like this for their deaf pets?:lol:
 
Nope but my deaf bunny is also blind :lol: so I communicate with my emotions and the aid of other bunnies. But good luck. I hope it works.
 
No I haven't really found a way to communicate with Starbuck, but he is happiest in Muesli's company anyway, and gets all his cues from him :D That said, if I really want him to come over to me, if I sort of slap the ground about half a metre in front of him (not in a hard or aggressive way, in a way that gets his attention), then he will often leap over to see me. :love:

I show my love through touch and food :lol: and not picking him up as much as I can help it.
 
You might want to do something more obvious and recognisable to start with.

My boy is deaf. Being a blue-eyed white, his eyesight isnt good though, and he gets so overexcited by food you cant use it to train him really.

I havent really taught him any sign language, although when he used to launch himself at my face when I was sitting in bed, I'd hold my hand out to him in a 'stop' signal, and he learnt to stop. It only worked as a 'dont jump on me' signal though, it doesnt work in other situations, not that I've needed it in others anyway. I open and close a hand (like toddlers do with both hands when they want to be picked up) for him to come over to me, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, depending on if he can see it clearly and if he feels like it and if he thinks he's gonna be picked up or not.

You can naturally find other ways to communicate, for instance if I want him to move I'll tickle him bum or nudge his bum a few times and he tends to hop forward. If I want his attention when he's facing the wrong way, I stroke/tickle his side with my fingertips and he turns round. He'll also periscope if I put my hand out and then up as if I have a treat, or if I really have a treat, but thats just because he thinks I have food.
 
Leo freaks if he is asleep and he wakes up to find us there but we try and wake him by stomping on the floor making vibrations which works well if no one is in.

We stick our hands down in front of his eyes, not too close though, and that seems to work. Or just in his eye line. I think he puts it on though, he can hear the treat box fine... :lol: but it's probably just the movement and he knows where it is :D
 
Leo freaks if he is asleep and he wakes up to find us there but we try and wake him by stomping on the floor making vibrations which works well if no one is in.

We stick our hands down in front of his eyes, not too close though, and that seems to work. Or just in his eye line. I think he puts it on though, he can hear the treat box fine... :lol: but it's probably just the movement and he knows where it is :D

If you want to check, you could wait till he is asleep, creep up, wait a moment to check he hasnt woken from vibrations, then scream as loudly as you can. Any bunny with hearing will jump awake and run off or freeze, but a deaf bunny like my Barney wont even twitch his ears.
 
So far it seems to be working,
Ollie cant really have a companion until he is neutered so we are the only companions he has, but we have really struggled the last week to make any sort of contact with him, only realising today he couldnt hear us and that was why he was startled with us approaching him, but would calm down after a few moments.
He was having a complete freak out if i went to touch him or rub his face and he hadnt heard me call ,he wouldnt eat or show enthusiasm for the rattle of the food back like all the other rabbits i have ever had.
But we have started going down on his level and using hand signals and Positive reinforcement to encorouage him to approach us. i must admit he has really got the hang of it Partly the signals and partly us understanding his disability:love:
 
If him being startled is an issue, you can work on his trust in you (my bun used to be startled all the time but now he has grown in confidence he never is). But also, stamp, walk heavy footed. They can still feel vibrations through the floor (I assume he is indoors as he's single?) and so are not so startled as much if they feel you coming. Does he have a platform big enough for him to lie on, where he can keep watch if he likes? My deaf bun likes to have a good view of the room and so likes platforms and big storage boxes covered in blankets to jump onto and nap on. Also,just a few common sense tips you've probably thought of: try to approach him from the side or front, and dont touch him till he knows you are there if it puts him on edge, and certainly dont pick him up unless he knows you are there.

Hope this helps :)
 
If you want to check, you could wait till he is asleep, creep up, wait a moment to check he hasnt woken from vibrations, then scream as loudly as you can. Any bunny with hearing will jump awake and run off or freeze, but a deaf bunny like my Barney wont even twitch his ears.

Tried that :lol: I've been right in his face shouting his name and he still sleeps:roll: :lol: tried clapping too but he's deaf deaf deaf :lol: we think it was caused by the stroke though, he was fine before that, poor Leo :(
 
Tried that :lol: I've been right in his face shouting his name and he still sleeps:roll: :lol: tried clapping too but he's deaf deaf deaf :lol: we think it was caused by the stroke though, he was fine before that, poor Leo :(

Awww poor boy.

When I tested Barney it was me and my housemate Abi screaming at him as loud as we could, inches from his face for a good few minutes. Of course I was 99% certain he was deaf by that point, I was just trying to figure out if he had even a tiny bit of hearing. When we stood back up he may have felt the vibrations in the floor because he half-opened one eye and went back to sleep. Oblivious! :lol: Unfortunately for our other housemates, they were not deaf, and came running up the stairs to check we werent being murdered.
 
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