Rabbits naturally have erect ears. However, in Aries rabbits, the ears are pendulous and often larger than average. Aries are very popular as pets. Unfortunately, the animals suffer greatly from their hanging ears. The auditory canals are kinked, which means that they have poor hearing and that the natural secretion of the ears cannot drain. This leads to infections in the ear.
Due to the length of the ears, injuries occur again and again: the ears drag over the ground, the rabbits step on them and come into contact with sharp-edged objects. They can also quickly show signs of frostbite because the ears have such a large surface area that a lot of heat is lost here; the temperature in the ears cannot be regulated well. Frostbite can also occur because the ears often rest on the cold ground.
How do floppy ears affect rabbits?
In addition to injuries and frostbite, which the ears suffer quickly – which causes pain for the rabbits – and the often occurring ear infections, the animals also have problems with communication. Rabbits’ ears are a big part of their body language repertoire. Rabbits cannot communicate in a species-appropriate manner with their floppy ears.
The hearing ability of the animals is also limited. Rabbits are prey animals and rely heavily on their senses to spot predators in good time. Rabbits with floppy ears have significantly worse hearing. Their field of vision is also limited by the position of their ears.
Rabbits regulate their body temperature especially through their ears, this is also limited in ram rabbits.
Finally, floppy-eared rabbits can’t move as well as their prick-eared counterparts. They often step on their ears, the weight of the overly long spoons pulls on their heads, causing the animals to jump and hop less and move less in general.