# Ears curling?



## pfaubush (Aug 17, 2009)

Tonight when I was out feeding, I noticed that my NZR doe's ears are starting to curl down about an inch from the tips. They weren't like that last night when I went to feed (dh fed this morning). She is 3 1/2 months old. 

I bought several rabbits from this breeder that was going out of business. I had bought from her before with no problems, but this last time has been a nightmare! It has been one thing after another. 

Would this mean the possibility that she isn't purebred? She looks completely NZ to me and nobody that has seen her has said otherwise. I have a pedigree on her, but it seems that to this particular breeder, a pedigree is only worth the paper it is written on.

Is this something that happens with NZ's and is it hereditary? Does it mean something else and her ears may possibly return to normal?


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## maidservant (Dec 10, 2007)

I've heard two theories on why the ears of the larger breeds sometimes curl. Some say it's from growing too fast (and yours at 3 1/2 months old should be hitting another growth spurt) and some say that it comes from a vitamin E deficiency. I've had a couple purebreds go through this and I would feed them some greens with wheat germ sprinkled over it. Go easy on the greens if she's never had them though, they can give her the runs if she gets too many. Wheat germ is high in vitamin E. All of the ones I had straightened back out to normal after a while. 

Keep us updated though!
Emily in NC


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## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

I also agree with the vitamin E deficiency, although I did have one exception... a NZW I had fostered to a Mini Lop. As it grew, it apparantly noticed that its foster "siblings" all had lopped ears... and the NZW kept trying to lop its own ears, but could only manage the tips. It straightened out as soon as I weaned it into a cage next to other NZW's. LOL

Pat Lamar


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

That is hilarious, Pat! Ah, the power of peer pressure! 

I'd give the wheat germ or wheat germ oil a try, pfaubush. Even if it is only caused by a sudden growth spurt, a little extra Vitamin E won't hurt.


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

pfaubush said:


> Tonight when I was out feeding, I noticed that my NZR doe's ears are starting to curl down about an inch from the tips. They weren't like that last night when I went to feed (dh fed this morning). She is 3 1/2 months old.
> 
> Is this something that happens with NZ's and is it hereditary? Does it mean something else and her ears may possibly return to normal?


I've had some previous experience with this problem. If you have an edition of Rabbit Production, you will find statements that curling of the ear tips can be caused by insufficient Vitamin A. The cartilage won't develop or breaks down. I've also been told that it could indicate dehydration, particularly
in newly weaned rabbits (evidently not the problem in this case).

I've seen this occur in late winter or early spring. Due to the fact that alfalfa at this time of the year has lost the beta carotene (converts to Vitamin A in the rabbit), many diets (for several months) may have been deficient. Many feed mills will not test alfalfa and adjust Vitamin A supplementation as needed. 

When I first encountered this and discussed it with a noted rabbit researcher
(one of the authors of Rabbit Production), I began to supplement a test group with Vitamin A. They responded in an improved manner that the control group did not. I changed feed companies. My feed mill tests the alfalfa and makes adjustments if needed. 

Although there may be other reasons and I'm certainly not saying *YOUR*
particular problem is related to Vitamin A deficiency, I only wanted to provide my experience and the knowledge of noted researchers. Perhaps it
will benefit others in the future. My statements are only in regard to the curling of the ear tips and not for the entire ear lopping! Funny story, Pat!

(I just previewed this post and it looks as if the formatting has gone
nuts! Hope it looks better when posted)


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

No clue if it's a deficiency or not, but I can tell you about the litter of 8 from Mama-san. There's a thread here somewhere here with my first question about the ears...

ANYWAY. First it was one kit. Then they were all upstanding. Then there were two with tips flopping a bit...then it was two others and the first two were fine. I started marking the kits so I could keep track. Turned out all but one of them went through it. Ears would droop for a day or two, then be fine...then a week later..ears down again..then fine.

They were on free choice 16% pellets, and Mama-milk still (but not often). Alfalfa hay and timothy every other day.


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## Devoville (Mar 23, 2009)

I know dogs' ears go wonky when they are getting new teeth. The teeth(roots) are very close to the ears nerves etc. That would explain why Ann's rabbits ears were up one day and curled the next


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