Rabbits often captivate people with their amazing behaviors that involve back-and-forth movement of their bodies, jumping, head tilting to one side, and many others. This slight tilting is usually accompanied by abnormal eye movement and neck twisting, giving rise to concerns about what is happening to these furry animals.
Rabbits tilt their head due to ear infection, brain swelling, head injury or trauma, parasitic infection, abscess or tumor, and for better investigation. They take a few to several weeks to recover, but a few adapt to survive with a tilted head when hand-fed by owners.
This behavior is also known as torticollis or neck twisting, in which their heads move to one of the two sides and remain there until the problem gets resolved. From curiosity to concerns about their health, understanding the reason for this abnormal behavior can offer valuable insights into the well-being of the rabbits.
What causes head tilts in rabbits?
Head tilting in rabbits can be a short-term behavior, but sometimes, it gets frequent, depending on the reasons. It can be an infection or infestation of nematodes that cause twisting of their neck or movement of their head sideways.
1-Ear infection
One of the most common reasons for head tilting in rabbits is an ear infection when one of their ears is severely infected with yeast or any bacterial strain.
This behavior is usually seen when they have a severe infection in the inner ear, which plays an essential role in maintaining balance or equilibrium.
Moreover, swelling of soft tissues in the ear and inflammation can make your bunnies move their head sideways. They lose balance, and equilibrium gets disrupted due to it.
Their tilts will be toward right side if the right ear gets infected. Proper treatment helps treat infections that can get more severe if left unattended for long and pose survival problems.
Furthermore, appropriate antibiotics can help rabbits recover from this situation or other related symptoms. You should deal with the root cause to bring their twisted neck back to its original position.
2- Head injury or trauma
Head trauma and injury can lead to internal bleeding and damage to the brain. This damage results in an increased pressure within the skull.
The pressure causes imbalance and affects the coordination between the brain and the body. This way, it causes tilting, so you should pay attention to your pet if you find it with a tilted head.
This trauma causes dysfunction of the vestibular system, and the rabbits begin to circle around. They lose orientation to move, in addition to the rotation of the head to one side.
A few months before, I found my bunny with a rotated head when I visited its cage to say hello in the morning. But it made me worried because its head was not at the correct position.
I took it to the nearby vet after waiting for 2 hours as I supposed it to be a temporary behavior. The vet told me about the injury on my bunny’s head, which was the reason for tilting.
3- Parasitic infection
It can occur due to a parasitic infection in rabbits that is probably Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi). It causes brain swelling and eye problems in domestic rabbits.
In addition, this parasitic organism, or E. cuniculi disrupts the functioning of its nervous system and kidneys after the intracellular invasion. It is common in bunnies, but symptoms appear later or not.
E. cuninculi enters the body due to the consumption of contaminated food or water and spreads in the body through the bloodstream. It invades brain cells, weakens the immune system, and causes tilt.
You can get an idea of the E. cunicula infection if the bunnies lose appetite, drink less water, show abnormal movement of eyes, and have seizures, in addition to neck twisting.
4- Abscess or tumor
An abscess or tumor is one of the possible reasons for head tilts in rodents. It is found in the brain of rabbits, too, which causes disorientation and affects the functioning of the nervous system.
A few pathogens, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and others, are responsible for abscesses in the head and behind the eyes. It is challenging to deal with these abscesses that increase recovery time.
In some cases, it is challenging for the rabbits to recover from these severe tooth or eye abscesses and tumors if they are not noticed at early stages.
Take help from professional vets to start proper medication. Some lucky ones recover when they get a combination of antibiotics to deal with bacterial infections.
5- Better investigation
This behavior can be a part of their investigation, as these curious creatures twist their necks to get a better view of their surroundings. It can help see objects that are hidden behind something.
Rabbits can also hear the ground vibrations by touching the ground with their ear. So, they move their heads sideways to approach the ground surface.
In addition, it is a method of exploration that satisfies their natural curiosity. Also, it helps them gather more information about the object or environment by examining it properly.
How long does it take rabbits to recover from head tilt?
The time taken by rabbits to recover from head tilts depends on several factors. However, one of the most important factor determining the recovery time is the cause of the tilt.
The type of treatment and the severity of symptoms also determine this time. Immediate treatment can help prevent severe conditions and permanent tilts.
However, some rabbits can recover in only a few days to weeks if the symptoms are not severe or the infection is not more than a few days old.
A few of them take several weeks to recover from the secondary infections that can occur if the primary one remains unnoticed and untreated for long.
In addition, their responses also vary according to species type. A few recover quickly if their immune system fights off foreign particles efficiently.
Furthermore, their age, gender, and health conditions also have a direct influence on recovery time. The younger ones can fight off diseases and infections better than adult rabbits.
Can rabbits survive with a tilted head?
Generally, the rabbits survive with a tilted head as they adapt to live in this condition if the pet owners help them manage food selection, eating, drinking, grooming, etc.
They usually perform these tasks by themselves using their mouth and vision. However, they need help when their heads cannot maintain balance on the body and move to one side.
I got help from a vet when my bunny went through such a condition. The vet provided some medications to continue its treatment and guided me to take care of its needs.
It remained lying on the ground and sometimes tried to regain footing but fell after rolling. It recovered from the tilted position after 2 weeks of proper care and attention.
The wild species cannot survive mostly because they cannot get such help in maintaining their lives. They become an easy prey for the nearby animals.
However, it can also get worse in domestic rabbits, but early initiation of treatment ensures their survival. Some physical therapies and medications can help save their lives, and their necks do not remain in twisted positions anymore.
I saw my friend in the neighborhood using a rolled towel to provide support to its neck. It was comforting for the bunny as it provided a little lift to their heads.
How to prevent head tilting in rabbits?
Head tilting has a significant impact on the lifestyle and lifespan of rabbits. It is hard to focus on objects and eat food when their head has moved toward the right or left side.
It results in loss of balance, as they begin to bump into different objects that come in their way while walking. In addition, their eyes start to show flickering movement in this condition.
It is essential to prevent it by keeping their cages or habitats clean. It helps reduce the chances of infection and parasitic attack, as contaminated places are a major cause of disease transfer.
In addition, you can also keep them protected by keeping an eye on their behavior. Take them to a vet for a regular checkup, even if you have many pet bunnies.
Provide a good balanced diet to improve their immunity or strength so that they can fight off infectious diseases and pathogenic organisms. Make sure to prevent trauma by keeping them away from sharp objects and electrical equipment.
Do not keep a large number of rabbits in the same hutch, as they create more fuss and produce more poop. Keeping them separate helps ensure a healthier and active lifestyle for rabbits.
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