Color genetics are a funny thing. In rabbits they are easily mapped out on paper and as a result, litters can often be predicted, but just as often nature shows the big middle finger and throws us all for a loop. Adhering to the color breeding rules brings predictability. Breeding whatever to whatever without regard often produces color throw up (surprises).
Many colors can hide as a recessive for GENERATIONS upon GENERATIONS. (BEW, Steel, Pointed White)
Generally, the color of any given rabbit is written out in the course of 5 pairs of letters. AABBCCDDEE others are extra.
Each parents contributes one of each.
For example the B series determines black or brown. All rabbit colors are black or brown based. Depending on what the parents carry, options are .. BB, Bb, or bb. BB and Bb are black or black based. Capital letters are dominant and overpower everything else. Only bb shows chocolate or chocolate based. A parent can only give what it has. If both parents are BB, or one is BB and one is Bb, they will never produce chocolate (bb).
If you see B? this means there is an unknown, but in this case it wouldnt matter because capitals are dominant.
If you see B- this means BB.
Enjoy!
Many colors can hide as a recessive for GENERATIONS upon GENERATIONS. (BEW, Steel, Pointed White)
Generally, the color of any given rabbit is written out in the course of 5 pairs of letters. AABBCCDDEE others are extra.
Each parents contributes one of each.
For example the B series determines black or brown. All rabbit colors are black or brown based. Depending on what the parents carry, options are .. BB, Bb, or bb. BB and Bb are black or black based. Capital letters are dominant and overpower everything else. Only bb shows chocolate or chocolate based. A parent can only give what it has. If both parents are BB, or one is BB and one is Bb, they will never produce chocolate (bb).
If you see B? this means there is an unknown, but in this case it wouldnt matter because capitals are dominant.
If you see B- this means BB.
Enjoy!
Order of Dominance Top to Bottom
Many times one influences the other, rather than standing alone.
Color genetics are a funny thing.
Many times one influences the other, rather than standing alone.
Color genetics are a funny thing.
A Series Agouti - A tan Pattern - at or self - a |
B Series Black - B or brown - b |
C Series Pigments that are expressed or hidden |
D Series dilute or full color |
E Series (extension) How far black pigment extends up the hair shaft |
Broken abbreviated -en- due to English Spot origins |
Wide Band (red group) |
A Agouti (Dominant) |
B Black (Dominant) |
C Full Color (Dominant) |
D Intensity (Dominant) |
Es Steel (Dominant) |
En Broken (Dominant) |
W |
at Tan Pattern (recessive) |
bb Chocolate (recessive) |
cchd Dark Chinchilla |
dd Diluted (recessive) |
E Extension (Dominant) |
enen Solid (recessive) |
ww wideband coloration (recessive) |
aa Self (recessive) |
* |
cchl Light Chinchilla Shaded |
* |
ej Harlequin Japanese (recessive) |
* |
* |
* |
* |
ch Himilayan (Pointed White) |
* |
ee Non-Extension (recessive) |
* |
* |
* |
* |
cc Albino (mostrecessive) |
* |
* |
* |
* |
How to use this page
Black Sire |
Opal Mother |
aa B? C? D? E? |
A? B? C? D? E? |
Each parent contributes one selection in each series presented. Remember, the ? can be either Dominant (capital letter) or recessive (lowercase letter). So for the A (Agouti) Series, the possible outcomes of breeding Black to Opal are only aA or aa
This means the possible offspring could be Agouti or Self. Do this with each letter series to create the genetic sentence to determine offspring possibilities.
As you breed generation after generation or do test breedings to determine unknowns, especially with REWs,
those ? in your sequences will identify themselves.
This means the possible offspring could be Agouti or Self. Do this with each letter series to create the genetic sentence to determine offspring possibilities.
As you breed generation after generation or do test breedings to determine unknowns, especially with REWs,
those ? in your sequences will identify themselves.
Sequencing Charts
SELF |
Sequences |
Black |
aa B? C? D? E? |
Blue |
aa B? C? dd E? |
Chocolate |
aa bb C? D? E? |
Lilac |
aa bb C? dd E? |
AGOUTI |
Sequences |
Chestnut / Copper (copper has an excess of rufous modifiers) |
A? B? C? D? E? |
Opal |
A? B? C? dd E? |
Chocolate Agouti |
A? bb C? D? E? |
Lynx |
A? bb C? dd E? |
CHINCHILLA GROUP |
Sequences |
Chinchilla |
A? B? cchd? D? E? |
Squirrel (Blue Chin) |
A? B? cchd? dd E? |
Chocolate Chin |
A? bb cchd? D? E? |
Lilac Chin |
A? bb cchd? dd E? |
Black Self Chin |
aa B? cchd? D? E? |
Blue Self Chin |
aa B? cchd? dd E? |
Chocolate Self Chin |
aa bb cchd? D? E? |
Lilac Self Chin |
aa bb cchd? dd E? |
SHADED GROUP |
Sequences |
Black Tort |
aa B? C? D? ee |
Blue Tort |
aa B? C? dd ee |
Chocolate Tort |
aa bb C? D? ee |
Lilac Tort |
aa bb C? dd ee |
Black Pearl |
aa B? cchd? D? ee |
Blue Pearl |
aa B? cchd? OR cchl? dd ee |
Chocolate Pearl |
aa bb cchd? OR cchl? D? ee |
Lilac Pearl |
aa bb cchd? OR cchl? dd ee |
Sable Pearl |
aa B? cchl? D? ee |
Sable |
aa B? cchl? D? E? |
Smoke Pearl |
aa B? cchl? dd E? |
Seal |
aa bb cchl cchl D? E? |
WIDE BAND GROUP |
Sequences |
Red (same as fawn except w/extra rufous modifiers) |
A? B? OR bb C? D? ee ww |
Fawn |
A? B? OR bb C? D? ee ww |
Cream |
A? B? OR bb C? dd ee ww |
POINTED WHITE (HIMI) |
Sequences |
Black Pointed White |
aa B? ch? D? E? |
Blue Pointed White |
aa B? ch? dd E? |
Chocolate Pointed White |
aa bb ch? D? E? |
Lilac Pointed White |
aa bb ch? dd E? |
TICKED GROUP |
Sequences |
Steel (C is Gold Tipped, cchd is Silver Tipped all color options) |
A? B? C? OR cchd? D? EsE OR EsEs |
Blue Steel |
A? B? C? OR cchd? dd EsE OR EsEs |
Chocolate Steel |
A? bb C? OR cchd? D? EsE OR EsEs |
Lilac Steel |
A? bb C? OR cchd? dd EsE OR EsEs |
Self Steel If rabbit carries Es & ee it can appear Self and hide Steel |
A? OR aa ?? C? OR cchd? ?? Esee |
HARLEQUIN GROUP |
Sequences |
Black Japanese (well marked) |
A? B? C? D? eje OR ejej enen |
Black Japanese (poorly marked) |
aa B? C? D? eje OR ejej enen |
Black Magpie |
A? B? cchd? D? eje OR ejej enen |
Black Tri - Color |
A? B? C? D? eje OR ejej Enen |
WEIRD SHIT GROUP |
Sequences |
REW |
?? ?? cc ?? ?? ?? |
Ermine |
A? ?? cchd? OR cchl? ?? ee |
Martinized Pointed White |
A? ?? ch? ?? E? |
BEW and the Vienna Gene |
VV - Normal Vv - Vienna Marked OR Carrier vv - BEW |
Credit given where Credit is due. Much of this information came from Marna Davis of Class Act Angoras