new Zealand rabbit genetic question

[Kaysibi]

Some rabbit people will start foaming at the mouth if you use the word "albino," you want to be careful using that word. Even though that's what they are genetically, the word we use is White" or Ruby-eyed White (REW).

Obviously, every REW rabbit is carrying the genes for other colors, you just can't see the results of them because the REW genes shut down the production of all pigment to the coat and eyes. A NZW may be carrying red genes, or maybe not - you can't tell. A lot of the NZW's that I know of have produced Steel when crossed to other colors, and since Steel and Red happen at the same place in the gene code, they can't be both a Steel and a Red at the same time. Actually, one copy of Steel (Es) and one of Red (e) gives you a black rabbit that looks exactly like a black self.

Both red and white are recessive colors; the only way you see them is if the rabbit gets a gene for them from both parents. Red is in the E series; a red rabbit has two copies of what is called the non-extension gene (ee). White (REW) happens in the C series, so your NZW has two copies of the REW gene (cc). If your hypothetical New Zealand White carries at least one gene for Red, you might get red babies when you breed red x white. If the Red happens to carry a REW gene, you could get White offspring.

The most likely result of a Red x White cross would be Chestnut, which is what a lot of people think of as the wild-type coloration. Since a lot of NZW's carry Steel, another result could be solid black. Since broken has become a popular color for NZ's, there is also the possibility that the NZW might be carrying Broken, and you wouldn't see it until you crossed it with a colored rabbit.

Thank you so much. I have been studying color genetics to help my son prepare for raising polish and it seems simple since they are all self colors. I also made sense of the c gene for rew’s and En/en for brokens, solids and charlies. After lots of reading I could not figure out the color genetics for my NZ red. You helped me out so much by explaining non extension, wideband and rufus modifiers. It’s seems like they all work together to make a nice red? My guy is a lovely color (maybe a little bit too light on the belly, so maybe ee but not ww if that’s possible). I’m hoping to find a nice red do to breed him to.

Wondering if you know the answer to this… what does a red have in the B and D locus? Does it make a difference?

 

[Bunnylady]

Wondering if you know the answer to this… what does a red have in the B and D locus? Does it make a difference?

At the D locus, a red would have at least one copy of the full color D (two copies would make it a fawn, or a cream, or some such (the name varies, but it would be a very diluted shade, clearly not red). What's going on at the B locus depends on the breed you are talking about. The Mini Rex red doesn't have the red belly, so it doesn't use wide band. It's nearly impossible to get all of the dark pigment off the coat without the help of the wide band gene, so the usual trick is to have chocolate(bb) at the B locus - brown is so close to a good, dark red, your eye doesn't really pick up the difference. NZR's don't have that problem, so they usually have black (B).

 

[mark david]

Some rabbit people will start foaming at the mouth if you use the word "albino," you want to be careful using that word. Even though that's what they are genetically, the word we use is White" or Ruby-eyed White (REW).

Obviously, every REW rabbit is carrying the genes for other colors, you just can't see the results of them because the REW genes shut down the production of all pigment to the coat and eyes. A NZW may be carrying red genes, or maybe not - you can't tell. A lot of the NZW's that I know of have produced Steel when crossed to other colors, and since Steel and Red happen at the same place in the gene code, they can't be both a Steel and a Red at the same time. Actually, one copy of Steel (Es) and one of Red (e) gives you a black rabbit that looks exactly like a black self.

Both red and white are recessive colors; the only way you see them is if the rabbit gets a gene for them from both parents. Red is in the E series; a red rabbit has two copies of what is called the non-extension gene (ee). White (REW) happens in the C series, so your NZW has two copies of the REW gene (cc). If your hypothetical New Zealand White carries at least one gene for Red, you might get red babies when you breed red x white. If the Red happens to carry a REW gene, you could get White offspring.

The most likely result of a Red x White cross would be Chestnut, which is what a lot of people think of as the wild-type coloration. Since a lot of NZW's carry Steel, another result could be solid black. Since broken has become a popular color for NZ's, there is also the possibility that the NZW might be carrying Broken, and you wouldn't see it until you crossed it with a colored rabbit.

whats the genotyped letters combo i need it for my rabbit records