This article is from the WSSF 2009 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

Catherine, e-mail
Q I was wondering if it was normal for a Champagne fancy rat and a Platinum rat to have a litter of mixed babies. I have a Lilac, 3 Minks (1 is a Rex), 2 Blacks (1 is a Rex), and a Russian Dove. This is my first rat litter so I wasn’t sure. Thank you for your time.

A Champagne and Platinum are caused by completely different genes, thus it’s expected that breeding the two together will not produce either color. It sounds like the Champagne is a Black + Pink-eyed (aa pp) and carrying Mink/Lilac (Mm) and the Platinum is Blue + Mink/Lilac (aa gg mm).

Out of that combination you would expect to get Black and Mink/Lilac kids. In this case it sounds like the Champagne carries Russian Blue and the Platinum might actually be Russian Blue + Mink/Lilac (or at the very least carries Russian Blue).

To get Rex, one of the parents has to be Rex (curly hair), and to get Russian Dove (Russian Blue + Mink/Lilac—aa dd mm), they both have to carry Russian Blue. Nichole Royer

Aubrey Bryant-Wallis, Poke A Dot Rattery, San Diego, CA, e-mail
Q I call my “Silver Blue’s” Russian Silver Agouti. I don’t know the genetics of the Silver Blue, but from what I have found (talking with other breeders) Russian Silver Agouti is when there is an Agouti gene, and a double dose of the Russian Blue and the Blue genes. Also from what I have seen and discussed with other breeders, the color shows up only in Russian Blue Agouti litters. Mine are showing up when I breed Russian Blue Agouti to an Agouti that carries Russian Blue.

Aubrey’s Silver Blue Agouti.

I love the color, they are stunning and rather shocking when you aren’t expecting them.

A Read the Russian Blue article www.afrma.org/russianblue.htm as this tells about the color variations of Russian Blue and the names and genetics for each color. We call Russian Blue + Blue dd gg, Silver Blue; other clubs are calling it Russian Silver. There have been what I would call Russian Silver (Russian Blue + Blue + P.E. dd gg pp) or what would be a Silver (P.E. Blue gg pp) combined with Russian Blue (dd) exhibited and bred by members. So Silver Blue (dd gg) + Agouti (A–) would be a Silver Blue Agouti (A– dd gg). You can get Silver Blue without Agouti. To get Silver Blue Agouti your Russian Blues/Agoutis are also carrying regular Blue. The Silver Blue Agoutis are a very pretty color. Hope this helps. Karen Robbins

Shuron Stover, Fun Family Rodentry, CA, e-mail
Q I think the Hereford marked mice are so cute, and I have never seen the marking before. I want to produce it and have many mice that look similar to that. I was wondering if I crossed a buck that is solid with a blaze sort of like the Hereford marking but it is smaller and does not go past his eyes (but it does come to a point), with a banded doe with a perfect Hereford face, if I could possibly get this marking or if it is a specific gene that has to be produced by other Herefords.

Sorry if I sound ignorant but mice genetics are hard for me to understand and once I think I have them down and breed for a litter that I think I know the exact outcome, I get proven wrong again. So I thought I would ask AFRMA considering you guys are the ones that make the standards.

An English Chocolate Hereford mouse owned by Kelli Boka, bred by Phil Arnold.

A I never got a specific genetic code on the Hereford when they were brought in last year from England, just the history. They originated in an English breeder’s stock. They have a white belly but one breeder in England was able to make them without; the standard calls for the white belly. Our one breeder working on them here in California has found it to possibly be some kind of head spot gene as outcrosses were left with a head spot that once she started breeding them back together, the face pattern came back. You’ll have to try your combination to see how the markings come out. I’m sure with selective breeding you can “make” some from spotted stock. Karen Robbins

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