This article is from the WSSF 2017 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

Claudio, Poland, e-mail
Q I have a question. I would like to breed rats for myself. I have a rat female Ruda:

Ruda the female to be bred. Photo from Claudio.

Dumbo the male to be bred to. Photo from Claudio.

• – Ear type: Dumbo
• – Coat type: Velveteen
• – Eye colour: Ruby
• – Colour: Topaz [Fawn]
• – Pattern: Hooded
and male Dumbo:
• – Ear type: Dumbo
• – Coat type: Standard
• – Eye colour: Dark Ruby
• – Colour: Black
• – Pattern: Roan Blaze Berkshire.

What can I expect after their progeny? Unfortunately, I do not know the genetics, and before I breed rats, I would like to ask the experts. I’ll be very grateful for your reply.

A Topaz (Fawn) is a ruby-eyed Agouti, so breeding to a Black will get you either all Agouti or some Agouti and some Black. Roan is recessive so you won’t get any unless the female carries it. They will be marked because mom is Hooded and all will be Dumbo since both parents are Dumbo.

There are several web sites telling about Roan/Husky rats:

• The European Husky
• Husky Rat
• Roan
• Striped Roan
• Roan (genetics)

Dumbo is definitely a Blaze Berkshire Roan. Ruda looks like she has red eyes instead of the dark ruby normal Fawn/Topaz rats have. If so, then she would be a Pink-Eyed Agouti or Silver Fawn (it looks like she has some silvering in the color) Hooded. If she had curly hair as a kitten but it straightened out, then it just depends on if the gene is a dominant or recessive one as to whether you get curly kids right off the bat. Unfortunately, there are different curly genes that are similar in looks and straighten out like yours. Breeding is the only way to know which version (dominant or recessive) you have unless you got her from a knowledgeable breeder who can tell you which one it is.

There is some information on different coats on the Rat Behavior and Biology page and the Fancy Rat Genetics by Debbi Needham page is about Velveteen rats (dominant, Cu gene). Unfortunately, some breeders have a recessive curly gene that they also call Velveteen which makes it very confusing.

If you have general questions on breeding, see the AFRMA web site. The first thing you need to know before breeding the rats, is what are you going to do with all the kids?

Q Could you help me identify markings and colors of my kittens please [from the breeding of Ruda and Dumbo]?

Is no. 1 Berkshire or Irish?
Is no. 2 Berkshire or English Irish/Irish?
Is no. 3 Agouti or Blue Agouti?
Is no. 4 Berkshire or English Irish/ Irish?
Is no. 5 Berkshire, Self, or Irish?

 
I’ll be very thankful for your help.

Picture no. 1: Berkshire or Irish? Photo from Claudio.

Picture no. 2: Berkshire or English Irish/Irish? Photo from Claudio.

Picture no. 3: Agouti or Blue Agouti? Photo from Claudio.

Picture no. 4: Berkshire or English Irish/Irish? Photo from Claudio.

Picture no. 5: Berkshire, Self, or Irish? Photo from Claudio.

 
A While identifying markings is fairly easy to do over a computer monitor, trying to identify colors is a little more challenging as it depends on the type and amount of lighting when the photo was taken, angle, if the animal is molting, age of the animal (some colors change a lot from baby coat to adult), and what was used to take the photo (camera or cell phone). Monitors are all different in what their output is as far as the colors and how they have been adjusted, so any identifications on color should always then have the animal seen in person to give a more accurate ID and to verify if the photo matched what it looks like in person. Based on that, here are the answers to your questions:

No. 1 looks like Black Irish (large marking) and curly coat.

No. 2 looks like Mink/Lilac on the monitors here and EI/I markings (mark on chest and belly) and curly coat.

No. 3 doesn’t look like an Agouti color but a black-based color, either Russian Blue or Mink. If it looks more gray next to the Mink above and the Mink looks brown next to this one, then this one is Russian Blue, in Blaze Berkshire markings and curly coat.

No. 4 is Black EI/I (has marks on both the chest and belly, just small ones).

No. 5 is an Agouti EI with a large marking that runs down the belly. Agouti colors have more than one color in the coat where black-based colors looks like a solid same color. See the article in the 2014 issue Beige/Champagne vs. Fawn/Amber Rats, a.k.a. Black Colors vs. Agouti Colors.

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