Are blue eyed buns born with blue eyes?

[Tiny Tails Rabbitry 101]

Hello,
I have someone asking me if my baby bunnies have blue eyes. I do not see any blue in any of them. Their dad is a VM so I am kinda wishing some would be blue eyed as well. All the eyes look black/brown as of right now. Will they change color, or will they stay that color for the rest of their eyes. Sorry I am new to breeding and could not find anything on this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[azurbanclucker]

Yes. They can look blue-grey too but it's usually pretty obvious. She opened her eyes the first time with this color.

 

[fin-dachickmasta]

Ok! I don't think they have blue eyes but I will share some photos and see what you think. I also have no idea what lionhead colors have blue eyes.

 

[azurbanclucker]

Blue eyes are recessive and carried by the vienna gene. Rabbits do not have them unless they're picking up the recessive vienna from both parents. Blue eyes are also normally a DQ in ARBA showing. BEW's are the exception (This is 3-4 year old info now which is the last time we were showing. The rules may have been updated, but I don't think so)

 

[fin-dachickmasta]

Blue eyes are recessive and carried by the vienna gene. Rabbits do not have them unless they're picking up the recessive vienna from both parents. Blue eyes are also normally a DQ in ARBA showing. BEW's are the exception (This is 3-4 year old info now which is the last time we were showing. The rules may have been updated, but I don't think so)

Ok, thanks! So if I wanted blue eyed babies I would need a doe with blue eye genetics to get them? I am not interested in showing rabbits atm, but thanks for letting me know! That is very interesting!

 

[azurbanclucker]

Ok, thanks! So if I wanted blue eyed babies I would need a doe with blue eye genetics to get them? I am not interested in showing rabbits atm, but thanks for letting me know! That is very interesting!

Yes, but not exactly. You need a buck and a doe who both carry the vienna gene. Blue eyes is the easiest tell, along with vienna markings. It's the vienna gene that is determining the eye color, so a carrier may have any other color eye that rabbits normally have and you can still get blue eyes babies. You have to know the pedigree of your pairing and understand rabbit genetics to really get this to work. Even with 2 vienna parents, the blue eye alele is still 25% or less odds.