Why Are Guinea Pigs Born With Red Eyes? (The Truth Revealed)

Maybe you’re considering adopting a guinea pig, but you’ve noticed that he has red eyes. Should you move forward with the adoption or not? Why do guinea pigs have red eyes?

Guinea pigs have red eyes because of their genes.  Red eye color does NOT mean that your guinea pig is evil.  It also doesn’t mean it’s blind.  And it definitely does not mean that he doesn’t deserve a good home and a loving family.  Guinea pigs have the same chance of having brown, blue or black eyes.

There’s many, MANY misunderstandings out there about guinea pigs with red eyes.  Some people believe they’re blind.  Some people believe they are evil or aggressive.  While others get “creeped out” by their eyes because of movies they’ve seen. 

This article digs into some of these ideas and the truth behind them. Keep reading to learn more about why guinea pigs have red eyes and what it means for their health and wellbeing.

Why Are Guinea Pigs Born With Red Eyes?

The short sweet answer to this question is that guinea pigs are born with red eyes because of their genetics.  This is the same for guinea pigs that have blue, brown, or black eyes.  They can have red eyes no matter what color their fur is.

They have the same types of behaviors and health issues as other guinea pigs with a couple of exceptions.

P.E.W. 

An Albino guinea pig lacks some or all of the genes that control pigment (or color).  They are all white with red eyes. If you have one of these little loves, you have a very rare piggie.

The lack of pigment in the skin and eyes of your piggie makes them really sensitive to sun or bright lights.  Sunlight or bright lights can cause damage to their eyes or sunburn.

Himalayan Breed

If you own a Himalayan guinea pig, then you know how awesome these piggies are. When they are born, they are all white with red eyes.  

During the first 3 months, they develop dark brown or black patches on their nose, ears and feet.  Believe it or not, scientists have discovered that temperature determines the size of the patches.  It also decides where they are located on your little piggie.

Lethal White

One color combination that is particularly unique is lethal white. As the name suggests, these guinea pigs are born with a defective gene that can ultimately lead to their death.

Lethal white guinea pigs are born with red eyes and white fur, but they quickly develop (or are born with) health problems such as blindness, deafness, dental issues, and organ failure.

In many cases, they don’t live to see their first birthday, because they’re so fragile. While the condition isn’t curable, there’s steps you can take to help these animals enjoy a good quality of life.

In lots of cases, providing a loving home and proper medical care can help a lethal white guinea pig live a happy and long-ish life.

Are Guinea Pigs With Red Eyes Rare?

Guinea pigs with red eyes aren’t rare in general.  It is a common eye color for piggies of all colors.  But of course, there’s always exceptions. 

Certain breeds are guinea pigs can be quite rare like the albino piggie or the lethal white piggie. It’s not often that you see those.

Are Red-Eyed Guinea Pigs Blind?

Red eyed guinea pigs aren’t necessarily blind.  If your furry friend is white with red eyes, it may be sensitive to bright lights.  But just because they have red eyes doesn’t mean they can’t see.

And of course, there’s an exception.  Lethal white piggies tend to be partly, if not completely, blind at birth.

Is a Red-Eyed Guinea Pigs Any Different Than A Guinea Pig With Brown Eyes? 

Red-eyed guinea pigs aren’t any different than a guinea pig with brown eyes.  Your piggie can have different colored fur. 

Your furry red-eyed friend will show the same behaviors.  He’ll even like the same type of foods, and be just as healthy as his blue, black, and brown eyed friends. 

Take a look at this video that debunks some of the myths and misconceptions about guinea pigs with red eyes:

Is My White Guinea Pig With Red Eyes A Lethal White? 

Lethal white guinea pigs are poor creatures who are born with birth defects.  Unfortunately these piggies have shorter life spans.  This is why they are called “lethal whites”.

Lethal whites can be born when a roan breeds with another roan.  It can also happen if you breed a dalmatian with another dalmatian. 

These poor piggies are white with red eyes similar to the Albino and Himalayan when born.  Their eyes are smaller and/or squinted.  The majority of times they are blind and even deaf at birth.  They tend to be the runt of the litter.

Lethal whites are usually missing teeth at birth, both front and molars.  Some of these furry friends have to be nursed their entire life because of this.  

They can have trouble with their digestive system which causes them to be skinny.  It’s also another reason they have low immunity. 

They can catch an infection or other diseases easily.  When this happens, they have trouble fighting the infection and even antibiotics won’t be as effective.

Type	Fur	Eye color	Health concerns	Life span
Albino	white	Red eyes	Sensitive to light	5-8 years
Himalayan	White with black patches	Red eyes	None	5-8 years
Lethal white	white	Red eyes	Blindness,  deafness and other birth defects	Months to 3 years

If you think your new friend could be a lethal white, bring him to the vet right away.  They can verify this.  If he is, they can also provide some information to help your little piggie live the best life possible.

When you love and care for a lethal white guinea pig you need to realize that your little piggie will not live that long.  Hopefully knowing this helps you grieve when it’s time.  Make sure to be kind to yourself when it happens because you can’t prepare for everything.

Are Guinea Pigs With Red Eyes Popular? 

You can look on any number of guinea pig forums and facebook pages and find that everyone who has a red-eyed piggie loves their red-eyed friend.  All 95 red-eyed guinea pig owners that I found couldn’t say enough about them.

Unfortunately, guinea pig rescues and pet stores had a different picture to paint. All 7 of the rescues and pet stores that I researched said that red eyed guinea pigs were the last ones to get adopted.

There’s lots of positive stories that you find when researching red eyed guinea pigs.  Here’s a quote of a new owner of a red eyed guinea pig:

“This little guy was alone in a petsmart cage with almost no hay, nothing to chew on, needing a nail trim, one single hideout, and nothing else but pellets. Staff said people didn’t understand him having red eyes and didn’t want him and all it took was seeing him all alone with nothing for me to grab him. He’s very friendly and likes being handled much more than my other piggies.

The gentleman in the following YouTube video works at a rescue and had this to say about red-eyed guinea pigs:

What Are Good Names For Guinea Pigs With Red Eyes? 

The table below shows a variety of great names for guinea pigs with red eyes.  When naming your new furry friend,  you should consider some of the following:

• Try to keep it short – 1 to 2 syllables should do it.  If you prefer longer names, you might want to consider a short nickname.
• Test the name out a little while.  See if it works with your little piggie’s personality and the family.
• Think about the message you’re trying to send with the name you choose.  Avoid negative or demeaning names.

Here’s two tables of names – one for red-eyed female guinea pigs and one for red-eyed males:

Great Names For Female Guinea Pigs With Red Eyes

Autumn	Sundance	Ladybug
Valentina	Poppy	Cinna
Rosy	Jelly	Cherry
Fiona	Tulip	Sparkle
Spice	Cinnamon	Pinot
Pippi	Reba	Magnolia
Ariel	Annie	Garnet
Twizzler	Ginny	Crimson
Valentine	Garnet	Penny

Great Names For Male Guinea Pigs With Red Eyes

Clifford	Beets	Arizona
Garfield	Bandit	Brick
Blaze	Chestnut	Carrot
Reed	Copper	Elmo
Rojan	Dynamite	Comet
Fuego	Fuji	Freckles
Ember	Mars	Rusty
Pumpkin	Mater	Apple
Crimson	Firecracker	Heinz
Clifford	Beets	Chili Pepper

If you want more information on how to name your piggies, take a look at the video below:

What Color Eyes Can Guinea Pigs Have? 

Guinea pigs can have several different eye colors.  They can be pink, ruby or even a dark shade of red.  When they have dark eyes, they can look blue, black, and brown. 

But no matter what color eyes your guinea pig has, they will probably have a reddish tint if a light is shown on them. That is why getting a good picture of your dark eyed friend might be a little difficult if you use a flash

Do Guinea Pig Eyes Change Color? 

A guinea pig’s eyes don’t normally change color as they age. Sometimes, their eyes may be a pinkish color at birth and change over the first few months to their final color.  Once that happens, they normally stay the same color as long as they are in good health.

Now, if a guinea pig is sick or has an infection, their eyes may change color.  If you notice that your guinea pig’s eyes have changed color, you should take them to the vet right away.

But did you know that you can tell your furry friend is not feeling well by the color of his eyes?   A happy healthy piggie should have clean and happy eyes. If your piggie’s eyes turn red he may not be feeling too well.  Let’s look at some of the common reasons your guinea pig’s eyes may change color.

• Your fuzzball can get conjunctivitis (pink eye) just like we can.  This can cause their eyes to change to pink/red.  It can also cause a lot of tears, crustiness around the eyes, and maybe some oozing (discharge).  If you see this, call and make an appointment with your vet so your furry friend can get the proper treatment. Some antibiotics should do the trick. 
• Their eyes can also turn red if they get pneumonia. If he’s wheezing or having trouble breathing, bring your little piggie to a vet right away.
• Hyperemia is another condition that causes extra blood to go up to the eye.  It could lead to serious heart conditions.  Your guinea pig should definitely get looked at by a vet.
• Last but not least, did you know that a piggie can develop glaucoma just like we can?  It usually starts with some fogginess over the center of the eye which can continue to grow until your furry friend can’t see.  Again, a trip to the vet is the best choice.  They may be able to remove the glaucoma or treat it so your furry friend doesn’t go blind..

Things To Remember About Guinea Pigs Born With Red Eyes 

There are several things to remember about guinea pigs born with red eyes.  First, it’s a normal eye color for piggies.

The only cause of concern is if your furry friend is a lethal white.  These piggies have a shorter life span and more health issues than other piggies. 

They need a home that is prepared to spend more on vet care.  But these little balls of fur need just as much (if not more) love as any other pet.

If your little piggie is white, or mostly white and was born with red eyes, he may be more sensitive to sunlight or light in general.  He could be prone to heat stroke or get stressed out if it is too bright. 

It’s a good idea to keep him in the shade if outside.  If you’re indoors, keep your furry friend in a room with dimmer light.  This will make him/her much happier.