# Mouse born with no eyes?



## gyri

Is this a thing? One of my new mice, almost a month old, has no eyes. I am fairly certain this was not due to injury. Does this happen sometimes? The mouse is otherwise healthy and is actually the largest of the litter. While the litter is slightly inbred (doe and buck shared the same father) I have crossed the patriarch's genes many times without seeing this. Could this be the result of a genetic mutation or perhaps a developmental issue? Is it an injury? The mouse is doing fine. Any input would be appreciated.


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## SarahC

I've had occasional one eyed mice.They've been born like it.Mine have all been black eyed and you could see before the eye lids opened that no eye was there because there was only pinkness where there should have been black.I just put it down to a random birth defect.I've never had one with both eyes absent.What colour is the mouse?


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## gyri

It's a piebald black mouse with pink-eye dilution. I briefly inspected the litter when it was a couple days old and noticed about half were pink-eyed but did not notice any missing eyes entirely. I might have just lumped the no-eyed mouse in with the pink eyes (which would have been the right group to put it in given the diluted coat). I can easily see not noticing in a litter expected to have pink eyed young.


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## SarahC

the first time I got one I was massively excited,thought it was going to be an odd eye.Crushing disappointment ,my heart yearned for an odd eye.Mine have all been pied but there might be nothing in that.Merle x merle in dogs carries a high risk of pups with no eyes and some hamster crosses to.I've not heard of anything specific to mice though so far.


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## gyri

Some further research has shown that there is an eyeless mutation in a specific strain of JAX mice. It has turned up from time to time in the mouse hobby as well but I cannot find enough information to tell whether it is genetic or a birth defect in those cases. People have reported eyeless mice living normal lives and not having issues with other mice. Like I said before, in all other ways she is in the best health out of about 22 other mice about her age and she was the first one to start exploring outside of the nest. I think I will keep her and see how she does.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Unless it happens again in the same line, I would put it as a birth defect, and nothing genetic. However, I wouldn't breed it.


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## Miceandmore64

Awwh poor thing but cute


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## Rhasputin

There is an eyeless gene in hamsters. It also removes the teeth as well.


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