RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:34 pm

I'm not sure if its just me, but I'm just not able to figure out her colourings!

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=4946010

Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:35 pm

She looks like a beige...a nice rich one.

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Shadow Brook Rodentry

Bridge Ratties: Samson, Wraith, Aiko, Kasper - I <3 you & miss you.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:56 pm

I've only ever seen beiges that are REALLY pale.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:08 pm

I've got a girl at home who was listed as a beige, but she's got ticking. A friend of mine said she may be an American Lynx. Honestly, I dunno. That might be the same color.

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Shadow Brook Rodentry

Bridge Ratties: Samson, Wraith, Aiko, Kasper - I <3 you & miss you.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:10 pm

she sure is a pretty girl, i hope she finds a great home!

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i miss you dove, oz, briar and fern. liam, my love, i 'll never forget you.

Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:56 pm

She is cute colored.

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Victor, Bandit, and Sparrow's Sweeties: Neiko & Roo. Sparrow's Boys: Oliver, Arthur, and Rabskuttle. The fRAT Boys: Jim, Jack, and George.
Good night, Witter, Kono, Rat, Olie, Metro, Calle, Mr. Ratburn, Arwen, Leather, Ohana, Zoe, Misto, and Kanga.

Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:04 am

	Victor wrote:
	She is cute colored.

I wasn't aware 'Cute' was a recognised colouring within the US! You learn something new every day! LOL

Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:34 am

Victor, but than all rats would be one color. Show me a rat that isn't Cute.

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Rosie

* * *

I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:38 am

Colour that baby CUTE!!

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Rats are man's best friend. They gave up long life to be able to give more love.

Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:01 am

oh i dont think cute is the right word here....smile

do you know the true meaning of cute.....?????

its ugly but interesting......

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Rosie Ginger Gypsy Bambie Beatrice Cassie Kira Shapelle Shelley kath Kim Corby Chloe kimmies bubs: Leelee Lilly Molly Morgan Jassie Jayjay Tess n Tammy
Roxy 30/06/2004 to 28/11/2005 Relaxing on the banks of the river at Rainbow Bridge

Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:04 am

She's an American Lynx Banded with a Head Spot.

Here's a picture of my girl who we think is the same color:

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Shadow Brook Rodentry

Bridge Ratties: Samson, Wraith, Aiko, Kasper - I <3 you & miss you.

Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:18 am

My rattie Snickers is the same color but he is hooded. now I know what color he is.

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Mom to 2 ratties: Snickers and Twix, 1 Hermit Crab: Sandie, 3 kitties: Nadine,Angel, Cookie.

Have you kissed your fur babies today?

Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:55 am

Definitely an American lynx. Her markings are typical of high whites (banded). High white markings out of non-variegated lines often cause a normal beige rat to become an American lynx. It causes a slight ticked look in a dark beige coat. You will never see a self American lynx rat, only banded, cap/stripes or bi-colors (like a berkshire, but genetically not). They often have blazes, either wedge or lightning blazes, and headspots.

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Robin
Deer Creek Rattery
www.deer-creek.us
Breeding manx, dumbo and standard rats in Russian blue, American blue, mink and their dilutes.
President of the Great Lakes Fancy Rat
Association. www.glfra.com

Wed Feb 08, 2006 8:15 am

First of all, I just want to make clear, that I am posting on this subject for informations sake only....so, all opinions are appreciated, but I have spoken with several people about these rat's colors because I currently have them in my breeding program. This includes the rat, Aislinn, posted above (she is a sibling of a rat I bred). The term "American Lynx" is NOT a standardized color and is not even recognized as an unstandardised. It is a term that was used by a now nonexistent organization, along with things like Trimese, Tri-color, Zippered, Double Blue, etc. There was a time when certain circles basically named things that had variation from the standards, in an effort to do nothing else but name them. American Lynx is one of those such names. An American Lynx is a fawn rat that has been changed in coloration from the high-white. However, it is still genetically a Fawn rat. There is no such thing as an American Lynx really. The same case goes for a Beige rat that is screwed up by high white. It is still a Beige rat, even if the color you see is not typical of the standard.
Like I said, this is just for information since I have discussed the possibility of a different color than Fawn or Beige in my line, but the bottom line is that, as I said, genetically, they are still only a fawn or beige...with variation in coat from the highwhite. Anyways, as I was told by one of the individuals that has discussed these coat colors with me at length, "High-white does all sorts of weird stuff to rats. Those of us who have worked with them know it, and we don't... go naming every shade or every variance of every hair type we see....Beige has variance even without high-white, so you can't be surprised to see it with it?"
Anyways, not trying to argue AT ALL, just wanted to let those out there that are curious, know what I find out in my research. As a side note, any mottling in the coat can also be caused by high-white. This particular line is NON-Agouti, therefore are genetically beige with high-white, but some mottling in the coat is common due to the markings too. Hope this helps clear some stuff up and help us move past some of the 'special' names for rats that really are nothing more than what they are genetically, even if they do not fall into the exact standard for color.
Sarah

Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:57 pm

Thanks for the feedback - the problem is that there's so much variety between different countries, and even breeders within countries and local areas that there are a variety of different names for colours and markings - such as patchwork hairless/double rex.

Colours are a complex issue - some genes (such as blue, the D-locus in the UK and scientific literature and the G-locus in the US, not sure of other countries) produce a wide range of colours - in this case, from deep slate blue to palest powder blue, with a whole range of blue and grey shades in between.

Some colours are produced by a variety of gene combinations - such as lavendar, platinum and so on - and black can appear brown enough to be confused for chocolate, and can rust to have a reddish tint. Modifiers and polygenes (the interaction of multiple genes that affect a single feature such as colour) can mean that there can be a lot of variation for a single feature (or phenotype).

Some phenotypes have different genes in different locations - such as mink (caused by different "mink" genes in the US and the UK) and husky (again, different in the US where it is high white marking, and the UK where I think it's a H-locus marking).

And of course, there are a range of colours, markings and types that are found only in the scientific community (and often have harmful associated problems) as well as ones found only in the pet population (such as dumbo which isn't found in the general lab rat population). Spontaneous mutations can occur which might cause variations in colour and inbreeding can also bring out recessive changes that might only occur in a single line of rats.

So between all of that, with no single standard to adhere to, there tends to be a lot of variety.

I tend to rely on the official recognised colour markings on the whole - such as the NFRS (as I'm UK based). But two sites that have relatively good references are Hawthorn Rattery for UK types, and Spoiled Ratten Rattery which gathers the definitions of colours and types from various official organisations - along with pictures.

As these are based on "official" definitions, some of the info may not match the most recent study and research, but they are the accepted definitions on the whole.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:26 am

I think you added some great links for people to refer to. Spoiled Ratten Rattery is actually one of the people that I talked to at great length. And, although there are some variations in definition, if we can at least TRY to work to create a uniform guideline (in the USA, base it on RSA and AFRMA) for standards, it would be so much easier. That would mean to look at the agreed upon standards, rather than name those that are still genetically the same as the standard, but in phenotype, appear a bit different. That was the case with 'american lynx' if you look at the history of it. Since the only organization to ever even use that term no longer exists, my point is that we should just be calling it what it is..a fawn that is high-white. Reduces confusion, in my opinion, even if the color you see is not typical. You just need to understand the high-white, as well as some other modifiers, will end up making these changes appear.
Again, great links!! Thanks for your comments.
Sarah