Excessive Swaying and Possible blindness...?

[jujipup]

I obtained a new rattie today and I am noticing things already with him.

First off, he was very calm at the pet store.  Let the lady pick him up, and he let me hold him, fine.  No arguments.  I even knelt on the floor and he didn't run or try to get off my lap.  He's very sociable with humans, and actually stays outside of the box I put in his cage.

Well, we have been noticing that he sways his head.  One of our other rats has done this but only slightly and only when she paused and stared.  He does it any time he's not walking.  He sways REALLY far one way, then really far the other way.  Is there something I should be concerned about here?

Also, I tried getting his attention, and he ran to the opposite side of the cage.  I continued to call, and he ran to the side.  Finally he found out where I was.  I dropped some treaties in his cage falling right in front of his face, and he acted like, "What was that noise?!"  Could he be blind?  Or is this just a hairless thing I haven't heard about or experienced with my other two hairless?

[baileyjane]

Though I can't say whether your new rattie is blind or not, I can tell you that my nakie girl Lily does the sway thing quite often!

[~Fala~]

You might have more experience with rats than me I don't know, but I just got my rats last Wednesday. I really thought one of them was blind because he was showing a lot of signs he was! However the more he settled in the more I am thinking he isn't.

edit:( Does this rat have red eyes or it just appears he does in the picture? )

Does your other rat that swayed their head slightly also have red eyes? With red eyes it's harder for them to see and they often have to sway their head back and forth to focus. I had a gerbil with red eyes and she did this all the time, I always thought there was something wrong with her until I read that it was normal somewhere. (forget it was years ago)

I thought my rat had red eyes at first until I got a really good look at his eye and it was black/brown. From far away it looks black, just in that certain light it was red. He wouldn't ever sway his head as to focus on something, so that's why I thought he was blind. Also when I took pictures of him in some pictures his eyes were red in others they were black. So I am not sure if he is blind or not but since he's acting more and more normal each day I'd say no now.

[windfire]

you might just want to have a vet check him out.

  ""Also, I tried getting his attention, and he ran to the opposite side of the cage.  I continued to call, and he ran to the side.  Finally he found out where I was.  I dropped some treaties in his cage falling right in front of his face, and he acted like, "What was that noise?!"  Could he be blind?  Or is this just a hairless thing I haven't heard about or experienced with my other two hairless?""


if he has trouble finding food you hav e dropped in fron tof him and doesnt focus very well to get to you he may have vision problems.


swaying is how they get focused. but with you saying hes having trouble then i would get him checked.

my hairless has  a scratch on one eye i never knew about till i had her eyes checked.  he may have cloudiness over them or he may need special care and help because his vision is so poor.

most hairless are normal in every aspect except hair.   i have 3 myself. one new one is sick house right now but they are fine.

[jujipup]

His eyes are darker, but do look red if you really look at them.  I think he would of been albino since he's all white.

Thank you for letting me know the swaying is normal to focus.  I'll watch him for a little longer, again, just got him not even 24 hours ago, and see whats up.

[lilspaz68]

Ruby eyes can range from light to dark, but black eyes are always black no matter what light they are in and pinkeyes are always noticeable