Theodore’s Deaf!

[Hokankai]

 So I am reasonably certain that Theodore is very deaf, haha. He startles very easily when approached from above and even after talking to him for awhile. I tested it with a clicker, clapping behind him, screaming, etc and he didn’t respond. 

I did some reading up and I’m actually pretty excited about having him be deaf, is that weird? Now that I KNOW he’s deaf, I make sure to approach from in front, scratch the floor to get his attention, and he comes right up to me and bows! Having him be deaf will be great when we move into a house with dogs as he won’t get startled.

Anyone else have deaf bunnies?

[blackfang]

I’m deaf..

My holland lop is deaf, too.. or hard of hearing, I guess.

[BinkyBunny]

 I do not have a deaf bunny  but I do know that other members do or have suspected so.  Here is a link to a previous discussion that you may find helpful. In that thread I also posted some links to articles about deaf bunnies.  https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tab…fault.aspx

[LittlePuffyTail]

My lop, Bindi Loo, is at least very hard of hearing. He’s had many ear infections which has narrowed his ear canal. Sometimes it seems like he can hear loud noises but other times I’m not so sure. Pretty much nothing wakes him up when he’s sleeping unless I blow on him or tap his floor. He’s adjusted well to his limited hearing though.

[peppypoo]

It seems recently that several lop owners are saying that their bunnies are hard of hearing. It makes sense that you’re glad to find out he’s deaf, so now you can learn how to communicate with him more effectively .

[bunnyfriend]

My Wilbur is deaf, she’s a Holland Lop. It doesn’t really effect her much other than that I think it has made it more difficult for us to bond and she’s more skittish.

[Jenner]

Maybe it’s just those big ears hanging down causing all the lops problems!

[Hokankai]

It probably is, haha. Theodore’s a Holland Lop too. I lifted his ears and the opening is very small…I couldn’t even stick my pinky into his ear. He’s already opening up really well, and is only flighty if he gets touched without being able to see where it’s coming from. He seems like a very happy boy though and we’re both happy we can effectively communicate now

[MimzMum]

I believe Mimzy was made deaf by a bad reaction to antibiotics. I’m afraid I haven’t adjusted much as I still talk to him like he can hear me. He has already compensated by looking around for me and being sure he can see me when he suspects I’ve come near. I’m just glad fireworks don’t bother him anymore.
Sadly he’s going to be at a disadvantage around other animals, so I’ll have to be his ears in those situations.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m afraid I haven’t adjusted much as I still talk to him like he can hear me.

Me too, Bindi still gets lots of my “bunny talk”.

[bunnyfriend]

Same, I talk to Wilbur like she can hear.

[Elrohwen]

I think deafness is much more common in hollands than anyone realizes – every thread I can remember about a deaf rabbit has been a holland. My own boy is hard of hearing (I don’t think it’s totally deaf, but he’s definitely not normal). My mini lop has stellar hearing, so I don’t think it’s just the lopped ears. Otto’s never had any health problems, so his issue must be genetic or something.

I don’t do anything special with Otto, but then he’s very laid back. Some deaf animals become more skittish, while I think Otto’s deafness has made him far less skittish – if he can’t hear it, it doesn’t bother him. He’s now used to me tapping him on the shoulder or bum to get his attention and just turns around instead of startling. Otto will walk right up the running vacuum and nose bump it. lol

[bunnyfriend]

Strange thing is, I am pretty sure Wilbur was able to hear when I first adopted her as a baby. She’d bite something she shouldn’t, I’d clap, and she’d stop and look up.

Wilbur LOVES the vacuum with a passion. Anytime I use it she goes up to it and bumps it like Otto does. And then she’ll just start binkying. I don’t understand why. Totoro goes running underneath the bed. Sometimes I accidentally suction her because she’s always in the way!

[Hokankai]

Maybe she likes the vibrations it makes? Haha

Yeah I got Theo at 1.5 years old so who knows how long he’s been deaf. It’s unfortunate that breeders aren’t working on breeding that out of them though

[Malp_15]

My Nate is deaf. He is a Holland mix, he has airplane ears I don’t know how long he has been deaf, I got him at about 3 years old. He has chronic respiratory issues and I’ve read that, that can cause hearing loss. So who knows what caused it? He has adjusted so well it took me 2 months to figure it out! He lived at the clinic for 2 weeks before nook him home to, so you think we would have noticed He seems to have gone the opposite way and just become super chill. NOTHING startles him and he will just flop in the busiest part of the house without a care in the world

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