Color Genetics
Color genetics are becoming a huge part of our rabbitry. They are like secret codes waiting to be cracked! Once you have completed the genotypes though, you can just about plan the color outcomes of the litter. This is never to replace breeding for quality, but is extremely helpful when you are ready!
Genetics are very straight forward but can be extremely complicated at first. I will briefly go over the basic groups that we are working with and genotypes for each color in those groups. I will add more information as time goes on and as we introduce new groups to our barn.
Genetics are very straight forward but can be extremely complicated at first. I will briefly go over the basic groups that we are working with and genotypes for each color in those groups. I will add more information as time goes on and as we introduce new groups to our barn.
Some things to remember...
abcde- These little letters are the recessive genes. A bunny must carry 2 of them to show it in their coat. Although, if they only have 1, they can still pass it to their offspring.
a= Self (one solid color)
b= Chocolate
c= Ruby Eyed White
chl= Chinchilla Light (sable point, pointed white, frosty, etc)
chd= Chinchilla Dark (Chinchilla)
I have not been working with these "c" genes so will leave them out of the following groups for now. The "c" gene is the most complicated piece of the genotype
d= Dilute (the dilute of black is blue, chocolate is lilac, etc)
e= Full Extension (the hair shaft shows complete color)
enen= broken coat (this is when the bunny looks white with a "blanket" or "patches" of any color. They are actually shown in their own group, but I don't have an agouti bunny in a solid color right now to show the color so ignore the white in the following photo!! Thanks)
abcde- These little letters are the recessive genes. A bunny must carry 2 of them to show it in their coat. Although, if they only have 1, they can still pass it to their offspring.
a= Self (one solid color)
b= Chocolate
c= Ruby Eyed White
chl= Chinchilla Light (sable point, pointed white, frosty, etc)
chd= Chinchilla Dark (Chinchilla)
I have not been working with these "c" genes so will leave them out of the following groups for now. The "c" gene is the most complicated piece of the genotype
d= Dilute (the dilute of black is blue, chocolate is lilac, etc)
e= Full Extension (the hair shaft shows complete color)
enen= broken coat (this is when the bunny looks white with a "blanket" or "patches" of any color. They are actually shown in their own group, but I don't have an agouti bunny in a solid color right now to show the color so ignore the white in the following photo!! Thanks)
Agouti
(The big A)
The basic or "wild type" rabbit color is chestnut or "agouti". This gene gives each hair a bold color at the tip. With the added variations in the individual rabbit's genotype, the agouti group consists of:
Chesnut A_B_C_D_E_
Opal A_B_C_ddE_
Chocolate Agouti A_bbC_D_E_
Lynx A_bbC_ddE_
Opal A_B_C_ddE_
Chocolate Agouti A_bbC_D_E_
Lynx A_bbC_ddE_
Black aaB_C_D_E_
Blue aaB_C_ddE_
Chocolate aabbC_D_E_
Lilac aabbC_dd_E_
Blue aaB_C_ddE_
Chocolate aabbC_D_E_
Lilac aabbC_dd_E_
Black Tort aaB_C_D_ee
Blue Tort aaB_C_ddee
Chocolate Tort aabbC_D_ee
Lilac Tort aabbC_ddee
Blue Tort aaB_C_ddee
Chocolate Tort aabbC_D_ee
Lilac Tort aabbC_ddee
Orange A_B_C_D_ee
Fawn A_B_C_D_ee
Cream A_B_C_ddee
Frosty falls into this category with ch genes
Fawn A_B_C_D_ee
Cream A_B_C_ddee
Frosty falls into this category with ch genes
This page is still under construction! Thank you for your patience!