Rabbit lifting head back?

[SarahsBunny]

I don’t know how to explain this but i’ll attach a video. My bunny Mocha (1 year old holland lop) has been lifting his head up to either sniff or take a look around. I don’t know if it’s an issue or if its normal? He acts perfectly well and eats and hops around and is very energetic. He hops onto my lap for pets and licks me. He does tricks when i grab the bag of treats and everything else is fine. He gets tummy rubs for digestion and unlimited hay and pellets. I put my ear close to his nose and on his body to check if there’s signs of breathing issues but it sounds normal. Has anyone seen this before? He does this while hes laying down sometimes too or if hes just sitting.

 

[JBun]

It doesn't appear to be related to any breathing difficulty as you'd also likely see mouth breathing and other signs of respiratory distress. Maybe he is just trying to smell something or get a better look at something. Or it could possibly be dental related if something is hurting in there and he's moving his head in the direction of the pain. Especially if you've noticed any other signs of possible dental issues like drooling, odd chewing behavior, or selective eating (not eating things he normally would).

Worst case, there could be something going on internally like an infection or mass of some sort (abscess, tumor). Then there's hydrocephalus, which is the main time I've seen this type of backwards head retraction. But this was in very young rabbits affected by vit A deficiency/toxicity en utero, which wouldn't affect an adult rabbit in the same way. Though there are other causes of hydrocephalus, possibly e. cuniculi.

It's unusual enough behavior for me to believe some medical issue could be causing it. But it could also be nothing serious at all. If it never happened before and he's been with you a while, and it keeps happening or anything more happens or gets worse, or you have any concerns, I'd suggest getting him checked by a knowledgeable rabbit vet. If it is a medical issue, dental problems, ear infection, or e. cuniculi seem the most likely cause to me.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Choosing_a_rabbit_veterinarian

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/New_York