# Red eyes affect rats?



## Lach2016 (Oct 30, 2015)

I have noticed that my red eye rat is more scared of the little things that happen around her. Is it because she can't see well? Or is it just because she dosen't know her surrounding? I'm trying to trust train her and her sister which is a black eyed rat who seems more outgoing and adventurous.


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## Akkia (Oct 26, 2015)

Rats with red eyes or even some dark ruby eyes do have a more difficult time seeing. Most red eyed rats are all nearly blind; not completely, but close. You may notice them even swaying their head side to side to get a better sight of things.


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## Lach2016 (Oct 30, 2015)

Akkia said:


> Rats with red eyes or even some dark ruby eyes do have a more difficult time seeing. Most red eyed rats are all nearly blind; not completely, but close. You may notice them even swaying their head side to side to get a better sight of things.



That's what I thought she is scared of every little noise I make. I'm not sure what to do with her.


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## Akkia (Oct 26, 2015)

A close friend of mine has an albino rat that does the same thing. She is a very timid rat that likes to do a very set routine when it comes to things. It really freaks her out when she is taken somewhere she isn't familiar with. I would just try to keep things simple with her and take it slow. Get her used to your voice first off and soon, she will learn to trust that. My friend's rat will come to her name if she calls it, but not if I do lol.


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## RatEmporiumToronto (Jun 10, 2015)

They can have issues with sight but should not necessarily make her uncomfortable. This simply means that the timidness should not last for long if you are patient and loving with her just like any other rattie!  Keep her feeling comfortable! If you are worried about her eyesight just do some extra proofing of the area to compensate but possibly she just needs a little bit of extra love for the time being to settle in!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

We've had two black-ruby eyed rats that we have worked with outdoors, one washed out and the other stays very close to us... Neither have ever become as competent as their normal brown eyed counterparts.

Black-ruby eyed rats don't seem to have too much trouble indoors but outdoors where the spaces are vast their handicap becomes more apparent. On the up side I suppose they can take more sunshine than pink eyed rats because their eyes are darker, but they don't seem to become nearly as confident of competent outdoors. Our girl Misty passed her final true shoulder rat exam, but she stays right by us when we go outside, whereas Cloud with normal eyes weebles around exploring. Indoors we can't tell any difference, both rats seem to see just fine.

I just wanted to add one footnote, rats do need to learn how to see. It seems odd but rats don't seem to be born with a good grasp on the vision. They need to see things several times before they learn to recognize them. Every rat we first take outdoors will run to any house they see, after a few times out they learn which one our house is. Similarly they learn to distinguish one person from another. Maybe human babies learn to use their eyesight in a similar way, but the more times a rat sees something the more it will be able to identify it.

Best luck.


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## Emma13 (Aug 8, 2015)

My sister's rats are the same - one with red eyes who has always been more timid and nervous and one with black eyes who is unstoppable and in your face every chance she gets  However, just recently the red eyed rat has suddenly become way more confident and is almost rivalling her black eyed sister for speed, agility, and spunk. We've had them since July, so it took some time for her to adjust and learn her environment, but now she's like a completely different rat!


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## MyrtlesMom (Oct 7, 2014)

Oddly my red eyed rat is very outgoing, but now I know her head sway isn't from her slightly lopsided ears xD she seems to be doing it more and more lately.


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