Hello again. I am somewhat new to rabbits (had them long ago) and I'm re-familiarizing myself with them.
I got a rabbit that is about a year old. Long story short, she was a bit neglected. She's eating and drinking well, and likes to come up to the front of the cage to stick her nose at you.
However, we try to pet the rabbits a couple times a day to get them used to us, but we have noticed that she gets very twitchy around her shoulders, ears and face. Not just like a small twitch, like some rabbits do to tell you to watch it, but as soon as your arm comes near the front half, she flattens against the ground, plasters her ears to her body and tilts her head into the corner and winces with her eyes. As soon as you move your hand away or to her rump end she's normal again. It's very sad.
I have looked her over thoroughly and I don't see any ear mites or surface injuries. I do have a little rabbit experience and I was also a vet assistant for a few years so I somewhat know what to look for regarding those. My gut feeling says it's behavioral. Because you don't even have to be touching her, just near her with your hand, for her to act like this. I think she got picked up by her ears a lot.
But the reason I'm asking is because I'm very worried that she may have some underlying injury or problem that I can't see. I know picking up by the ears is painful. Can she have a permanent injury from it? If it's behavioral, is there anything else I can do to help her realize I'm a nice lady and I'm not going to lug her around by the ears? What do you think?
I got a rabbit that is about a year old. Long story short, she was a bit neglected. She's eating and drinking well, and likes to come up to the front of the cage to stick her nose at you.
However, we try to pet the rabbits a couple times a day to get them used to us, but we have noticed that she gets very twitchy around her shoulders, ears and face. Not just like a small twitch, like some rabbits do to tell you to watch it, but as soon as your arm comes near the front half, she flattens against the ground, plasters her ears to her body and tilts her head into the corner and winces with her eyes. As soon as you move your hand away or to her rump end she's normal again. It's very sad.
I have looked her over thoroughly and I don't see any ear mites or surface injuries. I do have a little rabbit experience and I was also a vet assistant for a few years so I somewhat know what to look for regarding those. My gut feeling says it's behavioral. Because you don't even have to be touching her, just near her with your hand, for her to act like this. I think she got picked up by her ears a lot.
But the reason I'm asking is because I'm very worried that she may have some underlying injury or problem that I can't see. I know picking up by the ears is painful. Can she have a permanent injury from it? If it's behavioral, is there anything else I can do to help her realize I'm a nice lady and I'm not going to lug her around by the ears? What do you think?