Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Emma Reynolds
Do you want to know more about rabbit eye colors?
Rabbits are known for their large, round eyes. They come in a variety of different colors and patterns that can be difficult to identify. In this article, we will talk about all the bunny eye colors and what type of rabbit breed usually has them!
You’ll learn everything you need to know about the different types of rabbits with unique eye color genetics such as albino, ruby-eyed white, pearl-eyed white, and others.
We hope this article helps you better understand your pet’s genetic makeup!
What are common rabbit eye colors?
The rabbit eye color is one of the most easily distinguishable features between rabbit breeds. The colors range from red to pink, green and blue.
There are also many different rabbit eye color genetics that can be found in rabbits such as albino, ruby-eyed white, pearl-eyed white, and others.
Here are some of the most common bunny eye colors:
1. Brown
It’s no coincidence that most rabbits have brown eyes. That is because the main genes for eye color in bunnies are brown, and they dominate over other colors such as blue or pink.
What’s more interesting though is that there are multiple shades of brown-eyed color in rabbits – ranging from light to dark.
2. Amber
In contrast to their wild counterparts, domestic rabbits are less likely to have amber eyes.
This is because the brown gene usually dominates over the yellow one in this species of animal and only rarely will they be seen with such stunning coloration.
3. Blue
The color of a rabbit’s eyes is determined by two pigments; eumelanin which creates dark brown hues and pheomelanin which produces light brown colors in the bunny’s eyes.
The size of these pigment particles also affects a bunny’s eye color. Those with larger-sized pigments will have darker-colored irises and smaller ones result in blue eyes.
Another variation of the blue-eyed color of rabbits is blue-gray. This happens due to a mixture of smaller eumelanin particles and larger pheomelanin ones.
Though it’s one that doesn’t appear often, this color can be seen naturally in some bunnies’ eyes.
4. Pink
Pink eyes among bunnies are relatively common. It’s actually the result of a genetic mutation that lightens the color from brown to pink.
This happens when two copies of recessive genes for this trait exist in the rabbit. And if you look closely, they can still be seen as having blue or brown colors hidden under their hazy exterior.
5. Red
White rabbits with red eyes – specifically ruby red – are quite rare and often beautiful, but they can have a weakness to direct exposure to the sun.
This type of red-eye is the rare result of albinism which almost always happens when bunnies are bred in captivity.
You may notice white fur on these animals as well. Only those with ruby-red eyes have this characteristic – a snow-like white color fur coating.
But if you see an albino bunny with a different colored fur, they might be something wrong with them and they should be taken to the vet right away.
What is the rarest rabbit eye color?
Marbled eye color is said to be the rarest eye color among rabbits.
Marbled rabbit eyes are genetically a mix of two other eye colors, and it is what causes the rabbit to have multiple color flecks in its iris.
This type of rare eye color is due to a genetic disorder – sectoral heterochromia – where each eye displays a slightly different color pattern.
The color combinations for marbled-eyed rabbits are usually a mixture of brown, blue, and blue-grey.
Why you should know the color of your rabbit’s eyes:
If you know the color of your rabbit’s eyes, then you have a better idea about what rabbit breed they are. It can also help in identifying health issues that may arise with some eye colors.
Low-grade opacities and cataracts often affect rabbits with blue or yellow eyes since pigments cannot be produced by these breeds to protect the retina from UV light damage.
Regardless of if your rabbit is an albino or not, their eye color will tell you about how healthy they are. Healthy eyes should be clear, free of any discharge coverage, redness, swelling, or excessive tearing – no matter the color!
Things to consider when buying a bunny with certain eye colors
When you’re looking to buy or adopt a new rabbit, it’s important to take into consideration its eye color.
Generally speaking, most rabbit eye colors and their associated underlying health conditions don’t differ much from one another. But not for albino rabbits.
What are some health conditions of albino rabbits
Albino rabbit eye color is a result of the bunny not having any melanin in their body.
This causes them to be more vulnerable than other rabbits, as they can’t fight infections or heal wounds on the spot.
They also don’t have enough pigment for healthy vision – and at times suffer from blindness at an early age due to this genetic condition.
For these reasons, it’s best that albinos are kept indoors so predators won’t notice them when they’re both blind and unable to run away quickly anyways!
Emma is a young, enthusiastic veterinary assistant based in Portland, Oregon. She has a natural affinity for all things fluffy, with rabbits being her absolute favorite. She got her first rabbit, a Holland Lop named Pippin, at the age of 7 and has been head over heels for them ever since. Emma holds an Associate Degree in Veterinary Science from the Portland Community College and has been working in a small animal clinic for the past 2 years.