Buns eyes keep changing

[Starah]

I’m wondering if anyone has any experienced with this;
Last night one of Patsy’s eyes changed from grey/blue to reddish/brown. It was just her right eye that changed whilst her left eye stayed the same bluish/grey they have always been.
I’m sure it wasn’t a trick of the light as no matter where she was they both stayed their different colours. I did manage to get some pics which I could try to upload later.
This morning I went to play with the buns and Patsy’e eye has turned blue again! Is this normal? I can’t find anything helpful online! Her eye doesn’t look sore or runny and she’s clearly not bothered by it.
Just as an added bit of info, the eye that is changing colour has a black spot right at the top of it which has been there since birth and doesn’t appear to have any impact on her vision or overall health.
So, does this require a vet trip, or is Patsy just a special kind of mood ring?

[Sindri]

Hmm that sounds interesting. How old in your rabbit? My girl rabbits eyes looked really strange for the first couple of months I had her. We were even concerned about her eyesight for awhile but I think it was because she was young her eyes were changing to her now normal eye color. I don’t know. It was odd I didn’t know what her eye color was for a while. maybe if she is young that might be it. I am not sure though.

[Starah]

She is 24 weeks old, so still quite young.
When I first adopted them at 8 weeks both Patsy and Pascal had very bright blue eyes which have faded over time into this sort of grey/blue colour which I assumed would be how they stayed but this has me stumped!

[jerseygirl]

I think this might have to do with the Vienna gene. (I actually was chatting about this in the current Lounge picture thread recently). From what I can tell, your bunnies are what is termed Vienna Marked (sometimes call Dutch Marked). They’re both lovely by the way!

VM rabbits will often get dutch like markings, and blue eyes. They can also get marbled eyes where part of the iris is brown & part blue. Like heterochromia in humans.
If you research VM rabbits it may provide more clues. Just be warned, there will be a lot of breeder talk and genetics though. Scrambles my brain!
If it is the gene responsible for the colouration in your rabbits eyes, it’s absolutely nothing to worry about.

However, I do not know how this develops in rabbits -whether it’s present at birth or comes after. Because you’ve seen changes, I would get them vet checked to rule out other causes. For example, E.C. (Encephalitozoonosis Cuniculi) is a common and treatable parasite in rabbits. It can cause changes to the eye. That would be my concern.

[Starah]

Thanks Jerseygirl!
The breeder had actually termed them as harlequin Dutch split so you may well be on to something!
I’ll definitely do some research into that!
Thanks for the advice about EC, I am a bit concerned since it’s just the one eye that’s changing.

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