www.deafrabbit.homestead.com |
Latest Survey Results |
First of all, THANKS! to all of you devoted rabbit people who completed the survey! The survey, though not scientific, provides a glimpse of ways that we may recognize rabbit hearing loss, the challenges faced by hearing impaired rabbits, and how we may help them to face those challenges. |
1. Are you living with a hearing impaired rabbit now, or have you done so previously? |
2. What signs lead to you establish that your rabbit is / was deaf? Please describe in detail. |
3. Was your rabbit friend deaf at birth or was the hearing loss a result of an illness or accident? Please describe in detail. |
4. What do you find that your rabbit friend does differently than other rabbits? Does he or she do anything differently to compensate in some way for a lack of hearing? Please describe in detail. |
5. Do you do anything different to compensate for your rabbit friend's hearing loss? Please describe in detail. |
6. How do other rabbits interact with the hearing-impaired one? How does he or she interact with others? Please describe in detail. |
7. If there is any other information that you would like to add please feel free to do so. |
Yes... 100% of survey respondents |
Behavioral differences from other rabbits: 33% Physical differences from other rabbits: 17% Unknown / not specified: 50% |
This is an important result. 50% of respondents to date either suspected their rabbit friend was hearing impaired, or were not sure at all how they determined that hearing loss had occurred. This is probably indicative of a lack of information available on this issue. To look at another human being we cannot recognize a hearing loss; we determine this by noting behavioral differences. What behaviors do we look for in rabbits? |
Birth: 58% Old age: 8% Illness: 17% Unknown: 17% |
Less than 1 in 5 respondents noted that hearing loss was the result of illness; more than three times as many had apparently been deaf since birth. |
Adjectives used to describe hearing impaired rabbits included shy, obstinate, stubborn, "spacey," inattentive, and very relaxed. Behavioral differences noted in hearing impaired rabbits included startles easily, unresponsive to sounds or responsive only to loud sounds, responds (including ear movements) only to visual cues, limits its own territory, wanders off by herself more than the other rabbits, and doesn't come running when I open the fridge. Rabbits have differences in personality just as we do, so the factors noted above may not necessarily be indicative of hearing loss. Nevertheless, this is a good place to start. |
Responses included flashing lights before entering a room. Greatly increased the number of hand signs, and body language, now I spend more time "in his face" literally - down on the floor touching him, petting him, stroking and grooming, we have to make sure we are in her line of vision, and if she is up to mischief a firm "No" will no longer suffice so I give the floor a thump which I believe she can feel. Visual communication is as important with hearing impaired rabbits as it is with hearing impaired humans. There is no published "RSL" (Rabbit Sign Language!) so you need to make this up as you go. A hearing impaired rabbit may be more defensive than most and concerned about anything he or she perceives as visual cues of predatory behavior. A few hints: don't make sudden movements, move slowly when at all possible. Try not to show wide eyes or your teeth (grin rather than smile!). As you and your rabbit friend get to know each other better he or she should perceive you as less of a threat, and this may allow you to relax the deliberately non-predatory behavior. |
Interacts easily with other rabbits: 36% Protective / defensive around other rabbits: 0% Interacts easily with humans and other animals 21% Protective / defensive around humans and other animals: 7% A mixture of defensive and aggressive: 7% Unknown / no other rabbits 29% The hearing impairment does not appear to make interation with other rabbits or animals (including humans) problematic, just different. A few respondents were worried about introducing a hearing impaired rabbit to other rabbits, but my experience leads me to believe that after a cautious introduction that hearing impaired rabbits may love to have someone they can trust, love, and with whom they can share the burden of their vigilence and defensiveness. |
Respondents reported such comments as he wasn't missing the hearing he had never had and he doesn't seem to care Perhaps we as humans perceive hearing impairment as much more of a burden than do our rabbit friends. They, just like humans, adapt and learn to live with the hearing loss. One repondent reported that the rabbit talks a lot. This was an unexpected insight and very interesting because it has also been my experience. I wondered if this may indicate that rabbits have a natural ability to audibly express or communicate, but that they may be taught not to do this by their wise, defensive parents. Being unaware that you are making noises would make you more easily found by a predator. Another respondent indicated that her hearing impaired rabbit friend does tend to wander off by herself more than the other rabbits. Interesting. This may be indicative of the defensive nature and a tendency to seperate themselves from others. Vets may not recognize the hearing loss because the internal ear may be intact. Good point, and another reason why it is important for us to learn more about this issue. Another good point: try to avoid approaching deaf or hard-of-hearing bunnies from behind. Visual cues are a hearing impaired rabbit's best defense. It was very important for me to have this insight into his behavior, and it turned out to be important for him, too, in that we now have much more purposeful and happy interaction. Wonderful! Through respect and shared knowledge humans and hearing impaired rabbits can very successfully interact! |
Maggie, Spike, and I welcome your feedback, thoughts, ideas, etc. You can e-mail us at lapin2lapin@yahoo.com |
