Rabbits have something known as the Totstell reflex - when they’re put on their backs a significant proportion (but definitely not all) of them will freeze up, making procedures such as clipping nails or tooth examination much easier.
This “reflex” is thought to be a defence mechanism similar to the one that Cecil describes - and indeed has been showShown to significantly decrease chances of a fatal attack by a predator. Because the rabbits appear to be so calm, lots of owners believe in “trancing” their bunnies as part of cuddle time - however effects on cardiorespiratory rates and cortisol levels after a Totstell reflex has been initiated suggest that it is stressful in rabbits.
There is something known as a vasovagal reflex exhibited by many animals (it is what causes heartbeat and metabolism to slow right down during dives in marine mammals, is thought to be one reason why some people survive submersion in water for much longer than the three minutes that the brain can normally manage without oxygen (although the fact that the water is often freezing cold is probably a greater reason) but can be used to “trance” iguanas. Close the iguana’s eyes and rest a finger gently on each eyeball (through the eyelid). Gently let go of the iguana then slowly remove your fingers - as long as you don’t make any loud noises and continue to examine the iguana gently it should stay still for (up to) many minutes. This was told to me by Dr Fredrick Frye; an eminent herpetologist; I haven’t had an iguana as a patient since finding that out so I haven’t tried it.
****I recently wwell about 8 yrs ago moved from Philly to the quiet pinelands of New Jersey. I have always loved bird, so my husband bought me 6 beautiful chickens. My friend, who has lived here all his life, did the same thing to one of my chickens. He actually put it to a slow rest. fortunatly it did wake up. I think it has to do with repetive motions too. I was amazed. Then I tried it and it worked.
I have seen this done on baby chicks, and have done a similar trick with lizards, but the process was turning upside down and gently stroking the belly. After a few seconds the lizards wiggling hands start to slow down and stop. The last one I did (40 years ago) stopped moving, I set him on his back (on a rock), then left to eat my sack lunch. After lunch, I returned to find the lizard still there, motionless. I turned him right-side-up and he (or she) ran away.
Over the summer this year (2008) a series on sharks covered people who figured out how to hypnotize sharks. While the term “hypnotize” can be debated, the results are stunning. (ref. this YouTube video - a snapshot of the series when they tried the method in “the wild”)
My grandfather told me a tale about hypnotizing chickens on a farm where he grew up in Puerto Rico. I e-mailed him to ask him for more details (he told the tale when I was a kid).
Is it possible the shark just likes having its nose rubbed gently?
Ever seen a cat when you start rubbing that spot right in front of its tail? They will stop whatever they are doing (walking by, eating, anything) when you start rubbing that spot. I wouldn’t call it hypnotized, but I can hold a cat in thrall by lightly touching it there, almost any domesticated house cat.
I came in here specifically to mention rabbit trancing.
Our little Mini Rex Peekaboo had a big dingleberry attached to her behind, so yesterday, I tranced her long enough to snip the fur connecting it and get it off her.
It was hard to tell if she was stressed by the trancing. Her heart was beating quickly, but in a rabbit that size, it always beats quickly. What’s more, she made an unusual sound - almost like a pigeon cooing - that I had never heard before. It was barely audible, though, so I wasn’t surprised I’d never heard it.
Yes; don’t get me wrong. Its a very useful reflex and one I use myself as a means of restraint - it has to be less stressful than having them struggle (which can lead to <i>really</i> serious back injuries in bunnies, and for minor procedures probably less stressful than sedating them. I just wouldn’t advocate it as a bonding exercise.
A Dr. Curt Connors once experimented on an iguana using a bio-enervator machine. Owing to an unfortunate hardware fault, the whole operation went pear-shaped when the iguana acquired, amongst other skills, the power of hypnosis. The beast employed this facility to hypnotise the doctor at will, so that it could get on with its life without Connors watching what it was doing all the time.
So, don’t accept any iguanas as patients. Especially if there’s a bio-enervator machine in your surgery.
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Cite: Spectacular Spider-Man Comics #32-34 (July-September 1979).
