Eyeless White Hamsters

One of the major problem that needs to be borne in mind when breeding with certain varieties that carry what is known as the Anophthalmic 'Wh' gene. Anophthalmic, or eyeless whites are, all white hamsters that are born without eyes.
If two hamsters carrying the Anophthalmic 'Wh' gene are used for breeding. Approximately one quarter 25% of that litter will be eyeless, with the eyes being totally non-existent or merely rudimentary (small) and not fully developed or functional.

The eyeless white are perfectly viable but can be a lot more nervous than a normal sighted hamster.
Hamsters generally have poor eyesight and a complete loss of sight is not a great handicap to them.
The eyeless white are profoundly deaf as well as blind, but are just as easy if not easier to tame than a sighted one.
Care has to be exercised when approaching and handling this kind of hamster as they can be very nervous and a little jumpy. I have 2 rescued eyeless white that I keep at the moment as pets. One is a long haired male, and the other a short haired female. The eyeless whites cannot see or hear, so just touching them without warning can frighten the living day lights out of them. I blow gently through the cage bars onto the hamsters to give them warning that I am about to move the cage and pick them up. Once accustomed to this it keeps them calm. When proper handling and care is implemented they can, and do make excellent pets that can be treated as any other normal sighted hamster.

Eyeless hamsters will feed normally and are generally very active. Another problem with the 'Eyeless Whites' is they seem to loose all comprehension of time and seem not to know if it is day time or night time. So can be awake mostly during the day and or evenings.
Because of other Anatomical abnormalities associated with this condition the life expectancy of the eyeless white is somewhat shortened to around 9-12 months, with around 9 month being the norm.

Eyeless white hamsters can be kept just as normal sighted ones and will be quite happy in normal cages of 1 or 2 levels. No specific requirements or adjustments to their lifestyle is needed.
They will soon learn where everything is and will become familiar with their surroundings and their owners.

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