White albino hamsters with red eyes (description and photo)

An albino white hamster with red or pinkish eyes causes ambiguous and conflicting feelings in people. But, despite the exotic and even frightening appearance, a hamster with red eyes, except for appearance, is practically no different from the rest of its brethren.

Albino hamsters: a separate breed or not?

The opinion that hamsters with a snow-white coat and red eyes belong to a separate breed is erroneous. After all, albinos are found both among the Dzungarians and among the representatives of the Syrian breed.

It is quite difficult to meet albino hamsters in their natural habitat, because because of the light fur, the animals are not adapted to survival and often become victims of predators.

It took several years of hard work for breeders to bring out rodents with a white color, and such experiments did not always end successfully. The first white hamsters, bred artificially, did not differ in good health and long life expectancy. In addition, albinos behaved aggressively and often bit their owners when trying to pick them up.

Finally, after lengthy breeding work, scientists managed to breed white hamsters that did not have serious health problems and had a friendly, peaceful character.

Miniature rodents with a dazzling snow-white fur coat and bright red eyes are quite rare even now, therefore they are especially appreciated by breeders and are popular among fans of unusual pets.

Why do hamsters have red eyes?

If we talk about albino hamsters, then the red or pinkish color of the eyes of these animals is considered the norm and is due to the absence of melanin pigment, which is responsible for the color of the fur and the iris. In rodents whose body does not produce melanin, the coat has no color, and therefore is snow-white, and the eyes have a bright red tint, since their shell is transparent and blood vessels are visible through it.

But sometimes it happens that the eyes of a small non-albino pet acquire an unhealthy reddish color. Why does this happen and what treatments can be used to help a furry pet?

Blindness

Red eyes are characteristic of rodents suffering from congenital or acquired blindness. It is not difficult to identify a hamster blind from birth: the baby hardly moves, does not react to movements and does not frolic with his fellows.

A healthy animal can become blind due to injury or infection in the eye. If the owner notices that the pet’s iris has become red and pus is secreted from it, you should contact your veterinarian and not start the disease, which can lead to complete blindness.

Dust irritation

The cause of redness can be dust that has got into the eyes of a rodent. This often happens when a hamster is allowed to roam freely throughout the apartment. In this case, it is necessary to wash the pet’s eyes with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or chamomile decoction.

Infection

Also, redness of the hamster’s eyes can be caused by an infection. This happens especially often if the owner forgets to change the bedding in the rodent’s cage and does not carry out general cleaning in it. A frivolous attitude to the health of a pet can provoke the development of conjunctivitis in him, and then a long-term complex treatment will be needed.

In the event that the animal’s eyes are reddened and purulent discharge oozes out of them, you should not try to cure your pet on your own. Especially it is impossible to bury drops intended for people into the eyes of a hamster. Only a qualified specialist can prescribe the appropriate treatment and help the animal cope with the disease.

Albino Hamster Health

Regardless of the breed of white hamsters with red eyes, they are all predisposed to visual and skin diseases. Albinos are more likely than regular-colored rodents to suffer from cancerous tumors. Also, in snow-white animals, ulcers or papillomas can form on the skin.

Albino eyes are very sensitive, especially to sunlight. Therefore, a cage with small pets should be placed where there is no access to direct sunlight. You can not expose these unusual animals and stress. Scientists have found that albinos are more difficult to tolerate fear and stressful situations than their counterparts with a normal color.

It is quite difficult to give an exact answer to the question – how long do hamsters with a white coat and red eyes live. It is believed that the life expectancy of these animals is about 2-3 years, provided that they are provided with proper care.

Rules for the care of albino hamsters

Caring for snow-white hamsters is almost no different from caring for other rodents. But there are several features in their content that should be taken into account so that the pet feels calm and comfortable:

• Animals with a white coat do not like neighborhoods with other hamsters, so it is advisable to keep them in a separate cage. This is especially true for miniature albino jungars, which often show aggression towards other rodents;
• The owner will often have to change the bedding in the pet’s home to prevent infection from entering the animal’s sensitive eyes;
• Cage size is also important when keeping these unusual animals. The cage should be spacious and equipped with a running wheel, shelves at different levels and a swing;
• Snow-white rodents love secluded places where they can hide from everyone. For example, an albino Syrian hamster needs a house in which he spends most of the daytime, escaping from light and sun;
• Bathing hamsters with snow-white fur is impossible. To make their fur coat look well-groomed, it is enough to put a bath with special sand in the cage;
• These animals are very shy, so it is necessary to protect them from noise and loud sounds. It does not matter what breed you have a pet, a miniature Djungarian hamster, or a fluffy snow-white Syrian, the main thing is to devote enough time and attention to your unusual pet, because each of them needs the love and care of the owner.