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Chewing ears

R

Reva

New Kit
Hi all, not sure if this is a health or behaviour topic. My Netherland dwarf has had treatment for mites in his ears. However, his girlfriend has started licking/chewing his ears and the skin is now exposed. I separate them at night, they live in a large shed, but I can't watch them all the time when they are together. I am worried he may get an infection if she doesn't stop this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I don't want to split them up completely as they are totally bonded and in love.

thanks
 
Reva said:
Hi all, not sure if this is a health or behaviour topic. My Netherland dwarf has had treatment for mites in his ears. However, his girlfriend has started licking/chewing his ears and the skin is now exposed. I separate them at night, they live in a large shed, but I can't watch them all the time when they are together. I am worried he may get an infection if she doesn't stop this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I don't want to split them up completely as they are totally bonded and in love.

thanks
Click to expand...

Has the Vet checked that the ear mites have resolved and that there is no secondary infection ? What treatment was given ? The girlfriend may be over grooming the ears if she is picking up on something being wrong.

If your Nethie had ear drops this could cause the girlfriend to over-groom his ears.

Has separating them at night helped at all in breaking the cycle of over grooming ?
 
Thanks for your reply. He was given a lotion to put on the back of his neck.
Got another treatment next week, so I guess I will have to take him back to the vet.

She still chews his ears when they are in the garden, he doesn't walk away from her. Not sure why he lets her do this. I may have to separate them until his treatment has finished

Thanks again
 
My male bun overgrooms my female bun. She seems to enjoy it too unfortunately. We’ve never separated them, but we have tried positive reinforcement and lots of different hays amongst other things.

However if continues. So you have my sympathy!
 
Hi Zigzag, thanks for your reply. My concern is that she is completely down to the skin, there is no fur left and i am worried it may lead to an infection. I have thought maybe she has mites as well, although no symptoms, so should I have her treated?

Completely in the dark here, the female is quite new, we have had the male since 4 months old, he is now 7 and has had 2 other girlfriends who never did this.

thanks again,
 
Personally I would get the Vet to take a look at both Rabbits, your Doe will need mite treatment .Unfortunately you may need to separate them to allow fur regrowth on your ND’s ears and to hopefully break the over grooming habit. Then you can start to rebond them again. They hopefully wont have to remain apart for too long.
 
Thanks, that may be the best idea. Hopefully she will stop when the treatment has finished,

best regards
 
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