Learning the Genetics of your rabbit.  

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Check out Our Bunny Colors for more genetics with images.

 

Below is a list that shows what each Locus stands for.

Having a full or at least partial pedigree of your rabbit will also help you in determining your rabbit's color. To show and register your rabbit with the ARBA you must have a complete full pedigree. However, you don't have to have one to show a rabbit. Just in case your intentions go beyond pet. 

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Quick List:

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    A_ at_ aa

      A = Agouti (Dominant)

      at = Tan / Otter

      aa = Self (Recessive)

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     B_  bb 

      B = Black (Dominant)

      bb = Chocolate (Recessive)

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      C_ c(chd)_ c(c)hl_ ch_ cc

      C = Full Color (Dominant)

      cchd = Dark Chinchilla

      cchl = Light Chinchilla (Sable)

      ch = Himalayan (Pointed White)

      cc = Albino (Recessive)

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     D_  dd

      D = Intense (Dominant)

      dd = Diluted (Recessive)

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    Es_ E_ ej_ ee

      Es = Steel (Dominant)

      E = Extension (Dominant)

      ej =  Harlequin Patern 

      ee = Non-extension (Recessive)

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    En_ enen

      Enen = Broken (Dominant)

      enen = Solid (Can not carry broken) 

      EnEn = Charlie - Double Broken Gene

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     VV Vv vv

      VV = Does not carry BEW / Vienna Gene

      VC = Not Vienna Marked 

               Possible Vienna Carrier

      Vv / VM = Vienna Marked

      vv = Blue Eyed White

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     WE

      WE = White Ear

      WEWE = Double White Ear

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  A brief explanation of how each locus works.

 

A Locus

A - Agouti.

It's the Dominant gene on the A Locus, it can carry A, or at or a (AA, Aat or Aa)

at - Otter, Tan and Marten.

It is Recessive to Agouti and cannot carry Agouti. It can carry at or a (atat or ata)

aa - Self.

It is the most Recessive and cannot carry Agouti or Otter. Self can only carry Self (aa)

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B Locus

B - Black - Dilute Blue

Black is Dominant over Chocolate, it can carry B or b (BB or Bb)

bb - Chocolate (Brown) - Dilute Lilac 

Chocolate is Recessive to Black and cannot carry Black. It can carry b (bb)

 

C Locus

C - Full Color.

It is the most Dominant, it is as labeled. Chestnut, Black, Torts, are all Full Colored. It can carry C, cchd, cchl, ch or c (CC, Ccchd, Ccchl, Cch, or C)

cchd - Chinchilla Dark.

This is Recessive to Full Color but Dominant over the other colors. It can carry cchd, cchl, ch or c (cchd/cchd, cchd/cchl, cchdch or cchdc)

cchl - Chinchilla Light (Sable)

It is Recessive to Full Color and Chin, but is Dominant over the others. It can carry cchl, ch or c (cchl/cchl, cchlch or cchlc)

ch - Pointed White/Himilayan/Californian

It is Recessive to C, cchd and cchl, but it's Dominant over c. It can carry ch or c  (chch or chc)

cc - REW (Red/Ruby Eyed White)

It is the most Recessive and cannot carry anything except itself (cc)

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D Locus

D - Dense

It is Dominant and can carry D or d (DD or Did)

d - Dilute

It is Recessive to D, and can only carry itself (dd)

 

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E Locus

Es - Steel

It is the most Dominant and can carry Es, E, ej or e (EsEs, EsE, Esej or Ese)

E - Normal Extension

It is Recessive to Steel but Dominant over the others, it can carry E, ej or e (EE, Eej or Ee)

ej - Random Extension (Harlequin)

It is Recessive to Es and E but Dominant over e. It can carry ej or e (ejej or eje)

e - Non-Extension (Tort/Torted Colors)

It is Recessive to everything else, and can only carry itself (ee)

 

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Broken Locus

Enen - Broken

It is Dominant, it can carry En or en (EnEn or Enen)

enen - Solid

It is Recessive, and can only carry itself (enen)

EnEn - Charlie.

Dominant, It's a Broken that carries Broken, almost always has only a little color.

 

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V Locus

V - Normal

It is Dominant, It isn't a BEW/VC/VM. It can carry V or v  (VV or Vv)

v - BEW/VC/VM

It is Recessive and cannot carry V, it can only carry itself (vv)

VV - Normal

that carries Normal, it doesn't carry BEW.

Vv - VC/VM.

It is a normal that carries BEW. VC is a carrier that doesn't show any signs of carrying BEW. VM is a carrier that shows, it could have random white spots, Blue Eyes or a mix of those two.

vv - BEW

It is BEW, it is Recessive and cannot carry V.

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Here's a great video to help you learn the basics from, Hook's Hollands.

This video helped me to understand what I was looking at when I first began learning genetics. I am not in affiliation with this website. I do not own the link. I'm only sharing it with you as it helped me. https://youtu.be/tsuO3TLixWg

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