# is my rat blind??



## ChristinaMetal (Feb 16, 2013)

She is an albino, all white, red eyes. I got her just the other day and a 2 story cage with a ramp for her. She just runs around on the bottom floor. So I put her on the 2nd story and she was running back and forth on it for about 30 minutes. I tried putting her on the ramp but she for scared and ran back up it to the 2nd story. I also triedhanding her a treat and she would just sniff around it. she bit my finger instead of the treat. It wasnt hard, didn't hurt or anything so I it know it wasn't on purpose.
this is my first rat so bare with me if these are just silly questions.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

No such thing as a silly question! Welcome to the forum and welcome to the world of rats!

First off, she needs a friend or two, but let's focus on your question for now.

It is very possible that she is blind, or very nearly blind. Rats with light eyes tend to have very poor eyesight. Observe her and watch to see if she stops and "sways". This is a behavior of attempting to bring things into focus.


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## KelseyShea (Jan 20, 2013)

I found this, hope it helps.
http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatVision.htm#AlbinoRatVision 

My rat, Pip, is white with red eyes as well, and she is constantly swaying her head back & forth in order to see better.


P.S., if you haven't considered it already, please think about getting a friend for your girl. They do much better when with a companion.  Best of luck!!


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## ChristinaMetal (Feb 16, 2013)

Thank you! She does sway her head a lot. And I will definitely think about getting her a friend.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

Also (if she's not blind and just has bad eyesight) if she's never been in a 2 story cage she might not have figured it out yet. My babies took like half a day until they realized there was more than one level.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Jackie said:


> Also (if she's not blind and just has bad eyesight) if she's never been in a 2 story cage she might not have figured it out yet. My babies took like half a day until they realized there was more than one level.


Exactly. One of my girls lived in an aquarium until I rescued her at somewhere around 5 months, and I have to move stuff around in the cage initially because she wouldn't climb or go up to the second or third level for food or drink (I normally keep my food and drink on the top level), but after about a week she started exploring and now she's my most adventurous girl! Just give her a little time.


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## mistymornings18 (Aug 13, 2012)

I second giving her time. None of mine acted like they knew what to do with a level cage as they came from an aquarium. Give her time to get used to it and she may be hard of seeng as well. Hope you plan on getting her a friend. That'll help her come out of her shell as well. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## PeachPeach (Jun 22, 2012)

Definitely get her a friend, they are SO much more outgoing and content with another rattie. My first rat was solo, a decade ago, as I wasn't convinced another rat was needed. In short, it was. He ended up somewhat aggressive and neurotic, almost entirely becauseit couldn't handle him enough to meet his social needs. This time around I have three rats and the difference in their responses and temperaments compared to my first is shocking. The only explanation, given they were also not handled much as babies, would be having company. 

And yes, albinos are nearly blind when they're young and many can go completely blind with age. That's what whiskers, noses, and general curiosity are for! Most do just fine despite their altered senses


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## zurfaces (Jan 16, 2013)

I have a pew and while I think she is pretty blind she does a good job. I just make sure to not change her cage around too much because it does take her awhile to get used to it. I also don't let her free range not because I'm afraid she will hurt herself but because she fear poops if she can't feel me near her. I will let her out onto my lap at my computer or on the sofa but she can sit on me for as long as she wants. If she wants to free range it is on her own time and she never wanders too far. I let her sister play on the stairs and she has a blast but my pew just sits on the same level and sways and poops.


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## Willieboo (Oct 22, 2012)

I don't have a PEW, but I have a ruby-eyed fawn, and she still has pretty poor eyesight. Whether the eyes are dark red or pink, I heard that rats with red eyes in general tend to have eyesight that's a little poorer than dark eyed rats (as the others have probably said). 
Might be difficult to tell if your rattie is fully blind or just has bad eyesight. Swaying a lot is a sign of poor eyesight. My ruby-eyed Lou, I noticed as she's grown, will sway for quite a long time, very slowly, if I'm sitting idle somewhere near or coming into the room from the corner before she approaches the bars because she has a hard time telling what's moving (I think at least). I was also tipped off to her bad eyesight when she came out to play, got excited, and would run head-on into walls and boxes. I kind of have to keep an eye on her a little for that, but otherwise she does fine with the eyes she has and uses her nose mostly to lead her. 
I free range my rat with bad eyesight, and she's perfectly okay in a rat-proof room with supervision. They learn their commonplace environments (like the cage and playplace) fairly well fairly quickly.
No worries; your rat will learn her environment and learn you as well, with poor eyesight or not. C: Congratulations on your new rattie!


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