Helicopter rabbits

I thought this whilst looking at Benji's thread but I didn't want to take over, why do some rabbits have 'confused' ears, one up and one down? Is it to do with their breed? So if one parent was an uppy eared rabbit and the other a lop this could happen?

Ruby sometimes helicopters - despite being an up ear bunny. It's caused by stress in her case - the vet can find no physical reason but twice now it's happened. She is helicopter at the moment as she is recovering from E Cuniculi - it's been about 6 weeks so far. Last time she jumped from my sons arms, he wasn't ready and she face planted. The vet could find no physical damage but for the next two months one ear was down!

My two are like this, they're a mother and son. They are supposedly NZ white rabbits so should have uppy ears but I suspect a rogue lop got in the mix somewhere along the way!

Uppy ears are held "up" by a "band" between the ears across the head. Someone more knowledgable will be able to tell us what it's made of but, anyhow, if it grows too long, the ears lop. I guess if it grows longer than to keep ears up but not long enough they both lop, the result is helicopter?

Snowflake often has one ear down, sometimes both. He and his brother are up earred rabbits (dutch x lionheads). Daisy often has her ears slightly down. Her sister, Tessie is up earred. The mysteries of wabbits.

Snowflake;



Frosty and Snowflake;



Daisy;



Tessie;