Is My Rat Retarded? (This is not a joke!)?

Question

I have a rat with black and white color and black eyes yet one of her eyes has a red tint. She had babies with a black and white male and 3 of her 9 babies came our white and tan with red tinted eyes.

I kept two of the tan babies and both of them can't keep their heads stright and still. If they stop to stare or sniff the air their entire head and sometimes shoulders sway back and forth!

Now, their dad when I first got him would (honest to God) chase his tail just like a dog. So I thought maybe some of the rats were a little retarded.

Aside from the rats not being able to keep their heads straight, they're completely fine.

Has anyone heard of this? Are they indeed retarded rats?

Additional Details

Thanks Goddess. Yes the first answer and yours made sense.

I no longer have the dad but when I first got him he was put inside a 3 story cage with plenty of space and toys to entertain himself. And for the first few days all he did was look at his tail and start chasing it. Soon he stopped though. It was quite entertaining! haha!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

It is becaus eof their red eyes. Rats with red eyes are almost coompletly blind. They sway their heads like that to try to focus better. They aren't that impaired though because they use their whiskers and sense of smell more than eyesight anyway. LOL and for dad chising his tail...some rats just do that, kindof like dogs.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

You were the first to provide the most helpful answer. Thanks. :)

Answer 2

I don't have a clue why but it is interesting. but if you are worried you might want to take them to a vet

Answer 3

When I worked at a pet shop we would occasionally get rats in like that, It was from some sort of neurological problem, and progressed in to a much more serious state, the poor rats could not even walk a Straight line, you should take your little ones to a vet and get a vets opinion. It could be and most likely is hereditary. Good luck and hope your little sweet hearts get well!!

Answer 4

the other answerer explained it correctly...red or pink eyed rats cannot see and they sway back and forth to try and visualise through their other senses like smell and whiskers

some rats do chase their tails...especially if they are bored...what is their habitat like??? hopefully interesting enough for highly intelligent animals like rats

sometimes rats have a head tilt to one side because of middle ear infection..they cannot straighten their head and it will not correct itself in most cases and will need a course of antibiotics from the vet : >

Source(s):

some of my fav ratty videos

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=j-admRGFVN…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=cDy3bMRuob…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=rm-j21pWX3…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=33oTNBOIgj…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=xlHXWE1NLc…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YCt8F-RiCj…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp7-TRb1Qy…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ri7VVFQGnb…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=33oTNBOIgj…
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=EoSrrPIaoM…

Answer 5

lol my rat did that at first(his name is twilight after the movie) but he soon stopped after his little brother rugrat kept on jumping on him whenever he would do that. so now he is quite lazy and he is only 2 and a half months old.

Source(s):

Me and my rats

Answer 6

yes it is