Brand New Baby Bunny

[hezzi]

I got a rescue bunny from a local pet store. He's adorable, black and white spotted and tiny. The reason he was a rescue is because he has a tilted neck/head. The owner said he was born this way and that it was a birth defect. He couldn't sell him so unless I took him he would be snake food.
Anyway, everything I've looked up says he might have torticollis. I can't find anything saying it can be a birth defect though. He also doesn't display any of the symptoms of torticollis like rolling eyes, rolling on the ground, or immobility. He eats and drinks fine; actually crawled into my roomate's glass of water earlier to get a drink
He runs around like any other happy bunny, but his head is tilted about 45 degrees (perhaps) to the right.
If anyone has any ideas what this might be and if it's a serious threat to his health please please let me know!

 

[pelletpooper]

poor bunny

 

[hezzi]

It doesn't seem to bother him a bit! He's happy and running around

 

[hezzi]

Here's a pic. of the bunny. It's a bit blurry but you should be able to see how tilty his head is.

 

[Numbat]

Congrats and welcome to the world of slavery to bunnies! A gorgeous lad you have there! Thanks for rescuing him!

Some of our experts should be able to answer your questions.

See you on the boards!

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

i am going to send this link to Jadeicing, who is a member on this board with experience with head tilt bunnies. she has two head tilt bunnies Apple and Ringo and she might be able to shed some better light on your rabbit, and answer any specific questions possibly . I know t here are others in that have head tilt bunnies but i am drawing a blank right now. hopefully someone will be able to chime in too. Your bunny is a cutie thanks from saving him from being snake food.

 

[cloudfan33]

Hello!
You've probably already looked at this, but here is a link (I searched Rabbit Head Tilt on Google lol) :http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html

 

[cloudfan33]

Oh and encouragement and thanks for rescuing your new bunny!! Congratulations on such a handsome/beautiful Bun!!

 

[JadeIcing]

I have yet to hear of it as a birth defect. I would post in the rabbitry maybe a breeder could help with that. My Apple was stepped on when she was a week old.

Librayy link... Head Tilt

My Bunny Ringo's thread (Apple in mentioned there.)... Ringo and his Ongoing Story of Hope

My fosters thread Gabriel's Head-tilt Story

 

[hezzi]

Thanks guys! The more I read about it, the less I think this is torticollis/head tilt/wry neck.
He has absolutely no vertigo or imbalance or problems standing, running around, and playing like he's having the time of his life.
He is currently having fun running off the carpet in my living room onto the tile and scrambling around with the loss of friction, getting back onto the carpet, and repeating.
I guess it's possible he just has a twisty neck?
I'll post in the rabbitry, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[bobismyturtle]

Congrats on that adorable bunny!I'm no help with the head tilt,but I hope its nothing serious.

 

[tonyshuman]

He is adorable. We have a few members with head-tilt bunnies or experience with them, so I'm sure you'll get some good info. Ali has already popped in, and she's probably the most experienced. Others include Randy (ra7751), Little Bay Poo, and Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears. There are others but I am not 100% sure on who, and whether their tilt bunnies are at the bridge or still with them.

I would take this cutie to a vet, since some cases of head tilt can be treated. They're most commonly caused by ear infections that get to the system in their ears that tells them which way is up. A course of strong antibiotics can even clear it up totally. This happened for Stan's Pebbles (I forget his member name). Sometimes the antibiotic doesn't take care of the tilt totally and even if the infection is treated a tilt remains. This is the case for Luvr of wabbits and polar bears' Fluffy and Little Bay Poo's Ronnie, as well as Ali's Ringo. The vet can look in the ear canal for an infection and swab it as well to get a culture.

Good luck, and welcome! I'm so glad you took this cutie into your life and I know he'll have a much better life than he would have otherwise!

 

[JadeIcing]

Yup Ringo didn't clear up but Teresa had head-tilt and it cleared up.