Could Lola be deaf?

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kukupecpec

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Lola is my mini lop. She is cute and cuddly and sweet as can be! I got her from a group of college girls who spoiled her rotten but then moved into an apartment that didn't allow pets. Lola is an explorer and a jumper. They were not sure how old she was when they got her so my best guess for her age is around 2-3 years. Lately, the last couple months (I've had her for about 6 months), I've noticed a change in behavior. It's only been 6 months so she may just be finally totally settling in to our home, but I thought I would ask here first before running off to the vet.
Lola sleeps most of the day. When she sleeps, she sleeps on her side, head down, floppy ears flopped in all directions. She does the cute collapse into sleep move. She she does this it looks like she is dead! It terrified me the first time I saw it, I thought she had keeled over in her cage! I can't always see her breathing, and she is very still most of the time. I tried calling to her, clapping, making all manner of noises to wake her up to make sure she is alive but she never gets up unless I actually touch her or shake the cage. Is this normal "comfortable" bunny behavior or could she actually be deaf, or going deaf? Since I have noticed this, she seems less active than she was when I first got her. She'd never been much of a toy lover, she likes to dig at fabric a little but not destroy, and she will occasionally take a nibble of something but she's not a big chewer either. She mostly just sleeps and eats.
 
The behaviour is called a dead bunny flop. Most bunnies will suddenly flop down onto their side, sometimes roll over onto their back and enter an almost coma like state and often don't move when you approach. Generally noises disturb Bandit from his if they're loud enough, but it could depend on the bunny. I don't think there's too much wrong, she just sounds super relaxed :)
 
She could be not reacting to your noise because she's used to the general atmospheric noise of TV, people talking, moving stuff, etc? Try sitting by her cage for a while, at a quiet time when there's no background noise. When she gets used to you being there and just goes about her own bunny business ignoring you, make a sudden loud screech. Bunnies, even very relaxed and lazy bunnies, will be freaked out by this. If she doesn't react, you'll know she's deaf.
 
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Dead bunny flop, and yes they do appear dead. You're not the only one it scares half to death, most of us bunny owners have to double check, as they make it so convincing :p All normal rabbit behavior.

Her being less active also can be a pretty normal thing. When rabbits are in a new home or area, they are pretty busy exploring and mapping it all out. Then they do their bit of play, then they settle down and are comfortable and may not be quite as active as they were at first.
 
I'm so glad to hear that is fairly normal behavior!! We love Lola to death, I know you aren't supposed to have favorites, but she takes the cake lol. And I'm glad to hear that she really is comfortable! I love having an indoor bunny, we had the outdoor "hutch bunny" when I was a kid and this is just so much more fun. I'm a huge sewer so I've been making all kinds of new things for Lola. She likes to dig a little but I totally lucked out, she doesn't destroy fabrics.
Thanks for your reassurance!!!
 

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