This article is from the WSSF 2012 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

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Q I have a quick question about PEW [Pink-eyed White] rats. I saw someone on a Facebook group say that PEW rats must be albino and that not being cc is a disqualification in AFRMA. I would like to know if this is in fact true. I know in mice that PEW is a white mouse with pink eyes, regardless of genetics. Of course PEW is certainly easiest to work with as cc, and it would be nigh on impossible to have a winning quality PEW that isn’t cc, but I would just like to know if there is in fact a requirement in AFRMA for PEW to be cc. Thank you!

A In AFRMA, we don’t judge based on genetics, but rather by phenotype (there is no way a judge could know the genetics on what is entered since there are many colors that can be made by different genetics, i.e. PEW can be cc but can also be made by dilute color genes, be a P.E. marked (such as a very pale Champagne marked) with all the markings bred off, or be a very pale light-color version of a Himi that you can’t see the points; also, many of the breeders wouldn’t know the genetics of their rat being shown if asked). So, no, we don’t DQ (disqualify) a PEW rat if it is not an albino cc. Also, if you read our general DQ section on the Official Rat Standard page or the PEW description in the Standards book, there is nothing saying this.

Yes, in mice PEW can be many things and you can’t tell unless the genetics are known or by breeding them.

We do have the genetics listed in our Rat Color Standards book (also in the Mouse version) for each color as well as on the Varieties & Colors Posters so breeders know what the genetics should be ideally. The Color Standards books also includes notes regarding the genetics (such as PEW can be made other ways) or showing, history of the colors, when standardized in AFRMA, etc.