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Deaf Rabbits

lenslady

lenslady

Alpha Buck
I bought my new baby home today and as much as i love him, i have a strong suspicion he might be Deaf. I picked up on it straight away. He isn't fazed by the dogs barking or the vacuum cleaner, in fact he isn't bothered by any noise. So i went online and had a look and then i tried several tests. I rattled the food bags, nothing, I clapped near him, nothing, I then put the vacuum on, nothing, i then turned the music load, nothing. I have tried different voice sounds, clicking and he is not fazed. I know he is well because he has been binkying and running like mad, which is quite odd for a baby rabbit that has just left his mother.

So he is either extremely happy and confident to be here or he is Deaf.

If it turns out that he is deaf, will he be ok?

xx
 
lenslady said:
I bought my new baby home today and as much as i love him, i have a strong suspicion he might be Deaf. I picked up on it straight away. He isn't fazed by the dogs barking or the vacuum cleaner, in fact he isn't bothered by any noise. So i went online and had a look and then i tried several tests. I rattled the food bags, nothing, I clapped near him, nothing, I then put the vacuum on, nothing, i then turned the music load, nothing. I have tried different voice sounds, clicking and he is not fazed. I know he is well because he has been binkying and running like mad, which is quite odd for a baby rabbit that has just left his mother.

So he is either extremely happy and confident to be here or he is Deaf.

If it turns out that he is deaf, will he be ok?

xx
Click to expand...

He may well be deaf. It should not effect his quality of life, you just need to make sure that if he ever free ranges outdoors you never ever turn your back for a moment. He would not hear any oncoming danger from a predator approaching from behind.

He may also have a habit of doing 'alarm thumps'. That is thumping to warn of danger. Deafness does not always mean total silence, there can be strange tinnitus like sounds which are variable in intensity and duration. Sometimes these can startle the Rabbit, just as hearing a 'real' unfamiliar sound might. So the Rabbit thumps to warn of danger. As you wont be able to hear what he hears (the tinnitus sounds) you may wonder what is wrong with him.

I would get your Vet to check him over ASAP as it sounds as though he was the runt of the litter (very small and slow to gain weight), so checking his heart and lungs will be important too. The Vet can also have a thorough check of his ears.
 
My indoor rabbit, Boots, seems to have impaired hearing, he doesn't hear some sounds like footsteps etc, but does hear us calling his name in a sort of high singing voice. I always call out to him before I approach him otherwise I make him jump. His eyesight isn't brilliant either, when he first came to me he scanned a lot, but now he doesn't at all. He copes very well, he has a fantastic sense of smell, he can smell banana from 2 rooms away :lol:
 
Jack's-Jane said:
He may well be deaf. It should not effect his quality of life, you just need to make sure that if he ever free ranges outdoors you never ever turn your back for a moment. He would not hear any oncoming danger from a predator approaching from behind.

He may also have a habit of doing 'alarm thumps'. That is thumping to warn of danger. Deafness does not always mean total silence, there can be strange tinnitus like sounds which are variable in intensity and duration. Sometimes these can startle the Rabbit, just as hearing a 'real' unfamiliar sound might. So the Rabbit thumps to warn of danger. As you wont be able to hear what he hears (the tinnitus sounds) you may wonder what is wrong with him.

I would get your Vet to check him over ASAP as it sounds as though he was the runt of the litter (very small and slow to gain weight), so checking his heart and lungs will be important too. The Vet can also have a thorough check of his ears.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that JJ. I feel quite upset tbh, little dear is following me everywhere, and he jumps up my legs while i am at the computer and he makes these strange noises, they sound a bit like quiet grunting noises. Dear of him. Will see if i can get him seen this week, hopefully they will have an appointment free. He would never be outside on his own as he is a house rabbit. I can't believe how he follows me and acts the way he does as he only came home a few hours ago. I really hope he isn't deaf but if he is and he is happy then i am happy. His sight is spot on. xx
 
lenslady said:
I bought my new baby home today and as much as i love him, i have a strong suspicion he might be Deaf. I picked up on it straight away. He isn't fazed by the dogs barking or the vacuum cleaner, in fact he isn't bothered by any noise. So i went online and had a look and then i tried several tests. I rattled the food bags, nothing, I clapped near him, nothing, I then put the vacuum on, nothing, i then turned the music load, nothing. I have tried different voice sounds, clicking and he is not fazed. I know he is well because he has been binkying and running like mad, which is quite odd for a baby rabbit that has just left his mother.

So he is either extremely happy and confident to be here or he is Deaf.

If it turns out that he is deaf, will he be ok?

xx
Click to expand...

Can you ring the breeder and express your concerns, as she may or may not have noticed something relevant? Also ask if he's ever had any ear infections, or suspected ones .....

I am living with a totally stone deaf rabbit at the moment :D

The main issue with a deaf rabbit is that it's easy to startle them. Their sense of smell and sight are extremely sharp, so noticing things out in the garden - predators etc - will be very keen. Especially as predators can often make no noise whatsoever as they approach.

But as you suspect he may be deaf, approach him with caution, as if you surprise him, he may leap off and injure himself. What I do with my deaf one - when he's sleeping and I walk into the room, I try and put my hand on his back before he wakes up and suddenly sees me and reacts. He's totally cool with that, and relaxes immediately.

Your vet can look n your rabbit's ears, but may not be able to ascertain if he's deaf.
 
MightyMax said:
Can you ring the breeder and express your concerns, as she may or may not have noticed something relevant? Also ask if he's ever had any ear infections, or suspected ones .....

I am living with a totally stone deaf rabbit at the moment :D

The main issue with a deaf rabbit is that it's easy to startle them. Their sense of smell and sight are extremely sharp, so noticing things out in the garden - predators etc - will be very keen. Especially as predators can often make no noise whatsoever as they approach.

But as you suspect he may be deaf, approach him with caution, as if you surprise him, he may leap off and injure himself. What I do with my deaf one - when he's sleeping and I walk into the room, I try and put my hand on his back before he wakes up and suddenly sees me and reacts. He's totally cool with that, and relaxes immediately.

Your vet can look n your rabbit's ears, but may not be able to ascertain if he's deaf.
Click to expand...

Ok, I will ring her tomorrow. She hasn't mentioned anything about deafness and i will also ask her if she has had it in her rabbits in the past. My 18 year old son just walked in and i can't be sure if he heard that or it is because his smell and sight is really sensitive. It might be that he isn't but going by my other two, they hate noise and will hide. xx
 
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MightyMax said:
I love binkies :love:

Don't be sad that he's deaf. Be glad that he's come to you, as you know how to protect him and keep him safe :D
Click to expand...

Its weird because he wasn't my original Rabbit and the only reason he was chosen because when in the viewing run, he really seemed interested in me and thats why i ended up choosing him, well he chose me more like. I instantly felt bonded to him. I think I know why now. I am 80% sure he is deaf. Dear of him, he is so happy though, he has even eaten his supper. He will be very well protected and he will have a good life, I promise him that :love:
 
I am so sorry your little one might have hearing problems. You must feel gutted for him. But the bright side is he is happy and healthy and you have him, he has someone so aware to notice this straight away and on the ball and you will be perfect at caring for a little bun who can't hear so well, you can keep him safe from harm :)

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mokwa32 said:
I am so sorry your little one might have hearing problems. You must feel gutted for him. But the bright side is he is happy and healthy and you have him, he has someone so aware to notice this straight away and on the ball and you will be perfect at caring for a little bun who can't hear so well, you can keep him safe from harm :)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Do you know, i have been worried sick about him for weeks. When the breeder said he wasn't gaining weight as she would have liked, I had a weird feeling it was down to his diet and also because there were so many kits to feed. I mentioned Gypsy's and burberry's diet and then she changed her mind. She was very curious about his diet today. I honestly believe he will thrive better here with me and I think she knew that deep down. He is so happy, bless him, he is loving his toys, loving his Hay! He's a gorgeous special boy :love:
 
lenslady said:
Do you know, i have been worried sick about him for weeks. When the breeder said he wasn't gaining weight as she would have liked, I had a weird feeling it was down to his diet and also because there were so many kits to feed. I mentioned Gypsy's and burberry's diet and then she changed her mind. She was very curious about his diet today. I honestly believe he will thrive better here with me and I think she knew that deep down. He is so happy, bless him, he is loving his toys, loving his Hay! He's a gorgeous special boy :love:
Click to expand...
His low weight may be due to too many kits and separate to his possible hearing lack. Maybe you could take him to a vet for a hearing test and see what they think. Or I am not sure if hearing issues can maybe be due to a blockage in his ear maybe? The main thing is he seems really happy with his little life. And I bet you will spoil him so bad, he will have such a rich life :)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 
mokwa32 said:
His low weight may be due to too many kits and separate to his possible hearing lack. Maybe you could take him to a vet for a hearing test and see what they think. Or I am not sure if hearing issues can maybe be due to a blockage in his ear maybe? The main thing is he seems really happy with his little life. And I bet you will spoil him so bad, he will have such a rich life :)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


He is definitely off to see the doctor as soon as i can get him in. He is such a loveable bun. He sat a little quiet for most of the afternoon but kept popping out of his bed to get some hay, at this point he hadn't really touched his food or had a drink. I eventually gave him a bowl of water and he loved it, although his face got very wet! he has now used his bottle and chomped on his food and has eaten it all! His poos are looking good too. his fur looks a bit dirty and there are bits stuck in it and around his feet but i have been grooming some of it out. I have just put him back in his pen and he is biting the bars to get back out :shock: but i don't want him to hurt his teeth. He is back out :roll: I think he loves his new home so far. He's not really had a life because he has been stuck in a hutch and it was a huge hutch i must add but i really do think he was ready for his home. I am going to weigh him regular and monitor his behaviour .

One thing i would like to ask about is in regard to these noises. What are they and what do they mean? xxxx
 
lenslady said:
He is definitely off to see the doctor as soon as i can get him in. He is such a loveable bun. He sat a little quiet for most of the afternoon but kept popping out of his bed to get some hay, at this point he hadn't really touched his food or had a drink. I eventually gave him a bowl of water and he loved it, although his face got very wet! he has now used his bottle and chomped on his food and has eaten it all! His poos are looking good too. his fur looks a bit dirty and there are bits stuck in it and around his feet but i have been grooming some of it out. I have just put him back in his pen and he is biting the bars to get back out :shock: but i don't want him to hurt his teeth. He is back out :roll: I think he loves his new home so far. He's not really had a life because he has been stuck in a hutch and it was a huge hutch i must add but i really do think he was ready for his home. I am going to weigh him regular and monitor his behaviour .

One thing i would like to ask about is in regard to these noises. What are they and what do they mean? xxxx
Click to expand...

Do you mean the little grunty noises? That's usually down to him being an unneutered male. He's 'getting interested' and showing it ;)
 
MightyMax said:
Do you mean the little grunty noises? That's usually down to him being an unneutered male. He's 'getting interested' and showing it ;)
Click to expand...


I think they are yes, i would have to record it for you to hear it. It is a grunt but it sounds soft, maybe mixed with a purr. My other 2 do not do it so this this noise or communication is quite new to me. xxx
 
Grunting can be a sign of sexual hormones but he doesn't seem old enough for that yet. Binx would circle my leg and grunt or honk and try and mount my slipper.

Grunting can also be annoyance too. Thumpy grunted at me when I picked him up, but it was more of protest which didn't last once I had him on my knee stoking the life out of him.

Can you describe the noise in more detail? As they can all sound similar but when you know what your hearing easy to distinguish.

I'm sure Teddy would honk when happy. Was it a honk or a grunt, and what exactly was his behaviour doing :)? Xx

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mokwa32 said:
Grunting can be a sign of sexual hormones but he doesn't seem old enough for that yet. Binx would circle my leg and grunt or honk and try and mount my slipper.

Grunting can also be annoyance too. Thumpy grunted at me when I picked him up, but it was more of protest which didn't last once I had him on my knee stoking the life out of him.

Can you describe the noise in more detail? As they can all sound similar but when you know what your hearing easy to distinguish.

I'm sure Teddy would honk when happy. Was it a honk or a grunt, and what exactly was his behaviour doing :)? Xx

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

He was climbing up my leg the first time i heard it and i also hear it when ever i pet his head, I suppose it could be classed as a honk as it was quite high pitched. He certainly wasn't aggressive, quite the contrast, more babyish if you know what i mean. Its odd as it is new to me too. I will try and record it for you tomorrow if he is still doing it. also when he came home, for the first hour i thought i heard sneezing but haven't heard it since, so that was odd too. xx
 
lenslady said:
He was climbing up my leg the first time i heard it and i also hear it when ever i pet his head, I suppose it could be classed as a honk as it was quite high pitched. He certainly wasn't aggressive, quite the contrast, more babyish if you know what i mean. Its odd as it is new to me too. I will try and record it for you tomorrow if he is still doing it. also when he came home, for the first hour i thought i heard sneezing but haven't heard it since, so that was odd too. xx
Click to expand...
If he was sneezing in the first hour but not since he was likely getting used to your environment, bunnies have very sensitive noses so anything in you home, little particals or scents or dust, anything would be different to his little nose. The honking sounds like an affection thing. It could be due to hightened happyness and excitement from his new home and owner. As he matures he may try hump your foot which can be annoying. Neutering stops this. But if he is a baby, and honking around you it's likely he is very very very happy.

But someone with more experience should be along soon. Ask Jack's_Jane, she is a fountain of knowledge :)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 
mokwa32 said:
If he was sneezing in the first hour but not since he was likely getting used to your environment, bunnies have very sensitive noses so anything in you home, little particals or scents or dust, anything would be different to his little nose. The honking sounds like an affection thing. It could be due to hightened happyness and excitement from his new home and owner. As he matures he may try hump your foot which can be annoying. Neutering stops this. But if he is a baby, and honking around you it's likely he is very very very happy.

But someone with more experience should be along soon. Ask Jack's_Jane, she is a fountain of knowledge :)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I haven't heard him sneeze since about 5ish. I am probably just as anxious as he is but one thing i am confident about at the moment and that is that he has loss of hearing. I might be wrong but I'm sure of it. As long as he is happy and it doesn't affect his quality of life, then i am happy to care for him ;). Gypsy looks humungus compared to him, dear little thing. He will soon catch up in time though. xx
 
lenslady said:
I haven't heard him sneeze since about 5ish. I am probably just as anxious as he is but one thing i am confident about at the moment and that is that he has loss of hearing. I might be wrong but I'm sure of it. As long as he is happy and it doesn't affect his quality of life, then i am happy to care for him ;). Gypsy looks humungus compared to him, dear little thing. He will soon catch up in time though. xx
Click to expand...
You sound like a very conscientious caring bunny mummy, please let us know how he is today. And hopefully the vet can confirm either way his hearing. How old did you say he his? :)

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