| Ferret Colours - help needed - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Sharon Brown |
Hi there.
My name is Sharon and I'm trying to write an article for my local ferret
club newsletter. I'd like to write an article on ferret colours ie what
colour is dominant to what and what if I breed this with that what will I
get. I have tried the ferret genetics list but no one has replied. Ideally
I'd be very greatful if anyone could point me in the direction of any links
on the web. Failing that just some general knowledge would be good.
I'm in no way advocating specifically breeding ferrets for strange colours.
I am only curious as to the origins of the most common coat colours and what
is dominant to what. So far I have just about figured out that everything
is dominant to albino but that's not going to be a very long article!!!
If anyone could help I would be most grateful. Failing that any suggestions
on easier topics would be most appreciated :)
Sharon
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| : : b r i a n : : |
Sharon Brown wrote:
> Hi there.
>
> My name is Sharon and I'm trying to write an article for my local ferret
> club newsletter. I'd like to write an article on ferret colours ie what
> colour is dominant to what and what if I breed this with that what will I
> get. I have tried the ferret genetics list but no one has replied. Ideally
> I'd be very greatful if anyone could point me in the direction of any links
> on the web. Failing that just some general knowledge would be good.
>
> I'm in no way advocating specifically breeding ferrets for strange colours.
> I am only curious as to the origins of the most common coat colours and what
> is dominant to what. So far I have just about figured out that everything
> is dominant to albino but that's not going to be a very long article!!!
>
> If anyone could help I would be most grateful. Failing that any suggestions
> on easier topics would be most appreciated :)
>
Have you searched Google Groups yet? I know I've seen this topic
discussed here before. I found many interesting discussions when I
searched just alt.pets.ferrets for 'breeding color OR colour'.
--
Brian
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| PES949 |
try http://www.ferret.org/ I recall finding color info there. Not genetics but
at least a comprehensive listing of colors.
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| swamp |
On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 21:23:17 -0000, "Sharon Brown"
<sharon.brown@no.thanks.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>Hi there.
>
>My name is Sharon and I'm trying to write an article for my local ferret
>club newsletter. I'd like to write an article on ferret colours ie what
>colour is dominant to what and what if I breed this with that what will I
>get. I have tried the ferret genetics list but no one has replied. Ideally
>I'd be very greatful if anyone could point me in the direction of any links
>on the web. Failing that just some general knowledge would be good.
>
>I'm in no way advocating specifically breeding ferrets for strange colours.
>I am only curious as to the origins of the most common coat colours and what
>is dominant to what. So far I have just about figured out that everything
>is dominant to albino but that's not going to be a very long article!!!
>
>If anyone could help I would be most grateful. Failing that any suggestions
>on easier topics would be most appreciated :)
There's a color/pattern chart at:
http://www.ferret.org/events/colorchart.htm as PES949 suggested, but
nothing about genetics. Sable, or "poley" as the British call it, is
the most common color/pattern and is dominant, meaning a sable sire
and dam can throw any of the other colors and patterns if they both
carry the recessives. Albinism (true albinos, not DEWS) is recessive
as in most animals, so if you breed them the entire litter will be
albino. After that, you really don't know what you'll get. Back when
Bill and Meg and the other breeders posted here the one consistent
observation was that they couldn't breed for a specific color or
pattern because even if they bred "fancy" to "fancy" they could wind
up w/ a litter of sables. One breeder swore the nose color was more
important than the coat, but she got hit w/ ADV and had to close down
before she had sufficient data to back her claim, imo. Haven't heard
from her since.
Just to throw another monkey in the wrench (spanner), blazes and
pandas are thought to be expressions of Waardenburg Syndrome, a
peculiar genetic defect that can cause abnomalities along the center
of the head. One of these is the white stripe of blazes, which is just
wider in pandas. Others are cleft palate and deafness due to lack of
pigmentation in the cilia of the inner ear.
In short, you've taken on a complex and involved topic, Sharon. Might
be a bit much for a newsletter unless you make it a series of
articles. I'll email a couple folks tonite re: your post. Maybe one or
two of them will get in touch w/ you. I assume your address is valid
other than the "no thanks" munge?
>Sharon
-- swamp
"Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
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| Sharon Brown |
Swamp et al
Thank you for your help. I kinda thought I was getting into deep water
here. I remember when I used to keep fancy rats that there semed to be
endless information on coat colour. Probably cos you can breed rats from 5
weeks old and every couple of weeks!!! I guess, especially here in the UK
most folk don't breed for colour at all. Usually cos they can't be bothered
neutering their animals. (my 2 boys were in for their op today - sore
topic - well it is for them). I have found some links to info about mink
colours but this only goes so far. I guess at the end of the day this is
why inbreeding is so common in ferrets whether it be in order to keep a
special colour or just because mommy and baby were kept together at the
wrong time (Sorry for being so cynical).
email address is correct if you remove no.thanks Doesn't work I get 50 spams
a day!!!
Sharon
"swamp" <swamp@xxxxspamadelphia.net> wrote in message
news:ha1kvv01ld96gerusr7fcd1g2kt5l44j70@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 21:23:17 -0000, "Sharon Brown"
> <sharon.brown@no.thanks.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Hi there.
> >
> >My name is Sharon and I'm trying to write an article for my local ferret
> >club newsletter. I'd like to write an article on ferret colours ie what
> >colour is dominant to what and what if I breed this with that what will I
> >get. I have tried the ferret genetics list but no one has replied.
Ideally
> >I'd be very greatful if anyone could point me in the direction of any
links
> >on the web. Failing that just some general knowledge would be good.
> >
> >I'm in no way advocating specifically breeding ferrets for strange
colours.
> >I am only curious as to the origins of the most common coat colours and
what
> >is dominant to what. So far I have just about figured out that
everything
> >is dominant to albino but that's not going to be a very long article!!!
> >
> >If anyone could help I would be most grateful. Failing that any
suggestions
> >on easier topics would be most appreciated :)
>
> There's a color/pattern chart at:
>
> http://www.ferret.org/events/colorchart.htm as PES949 suggested, but
> nothing about genetics. Sable, or "poley" as the British call it, is
> the most common color/pattern and is dominant, meaning a sable sire
> and dam can throw any of the other colors and patterns if they both
> carry the recessives. Albinism (true albinos, not DEWS) is recessive
> as in most animals, so if you breed them the entire litter will be
> albino. After that, you really don't know what you'll get. Back when
> Bill and Meg and the other breeders posted here the one consistent
> observation was that they couldn't breed for a specific color or
> pattern because even if they bred "fancy" to "fancy" they could wind
> up w/ a litter of sables. One breeder swore the nose color was more
> important than the coat, but she got hit w/ ADV and had to close down
> before she had sufficient data to back her claim, imo. Haven't heard
> from her since.
>
> Just to throw another monkey in the wrench (spanner), blazes and
> pandas are thought to be expressions of Waardenburg Syndrome, a
> peculiar genetic defect that can cause abnomalities along the center
> of the head. One of these is the white stripe of blazes, which is just
> wider in pandas. Others are cleft palate and deafness due to lack of
> pigmentation in the cilia of the inner ear.
>
> In short, you've taken on a complex and involved topic, Sharon. Might
> be a bit much for a newsletter unless you make it a series of
> articles. I'll email a couple folks tonite re: your post. Maybe one or
> two of them will get in touch w/ you. I assume your address is valid
> other than the "no thanks" munge?
>
> >Sharon
>
> -- swamp
>
> "Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
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| Sharon Brown |
OK really back to basics here...Polecat or sable is dominant to
albino...yes? Sandy (cinnamon/champagne) is dominant to albino...yes?
Silver is dominant to albino? Is sable dominant to sandy and silver? Or is
is just not that simple? (Obviously assuming that all parents are
purebred).
Thanks again
Sharon
> >Hi there.
> >
> >My name is Sharon and I'm trying to write an article for my local ferret
> >club newsletter. I'd like to write an article on ferret colours ie what
> >colour is dominant to what and what if I breed this with that what will I
> >get. I have tried the ferret genetics list but no one has replied.
Ideally
> >I'd be very greatful if anyone could point me in the direction of any
links
> >on the web. Failing that just some general knowledge would be good.
> >
> >I'm in no way advocating specifically breeding ferrets for strange
colours.
> >I am only curious as to the origins of the most common coat colours and
what
> >is dominant to what. So far I have just about figured out that
everything
> >is dominant to albino but that's not going to be a very long article!!!
> >
> >If anyone could help I would be most grateful. Failing that any
suggestions
> >on easier topics would be most appreciated :)
>
> There's a color/pattern chart at:
>
> http://www.ferret.org/events/colorchart.htm as PES949 suggested, but
> nothing about genetics. Sable, or "poley" as the British call it, is
> the most common color/pattern and is dominant, meaning a sable sire
> and dam can throw any of the other colors and patterns if they both
> carry the recessives. Albinism (true albinos, not DEWS) is recessive
> as in most animals, so if you breed them the entire litter will be
> albino. After that, you really don't know what you'll get. Back when
> Bill and Meg and the other breeders posted here the one consistent
> observation was that they couldn't breed for a specific color or
> pattern because even if they bred "fancy" to "fancy" they could wind
> up w/ a litter of sables. One breeder swore the nose color was more
> important than the coat, but she got hit w/ ADV and had to close down
> before she had sufficient data to back her claim, imo. Haven't heard
> from her since.
>
> Just to throw another monkey in the wrench (spanner), blazes and
> pandas are thought to be expressions of Waardenburg Syndrome, a
> peculiar genetic defect that can cause abnomalities along the center
> of the head. One of these is the white stripe of blazes, which is just
> wider in pandas. Others are cleft palate and deafness due to lack of
> pigmentation in the cilia of the inner ear.
>
> In short, you've taken on a complex and involved topic, Sharon. Might
> be a bit much for a newsletter unless you make it a series of
> articles. I'll email a couple folks tonite re: your post. Maybe one or
> two of them will get in touch w/ you. I assume your address is valid
> other than the "no thanks" munge?
>
> >Sharon
>
> -- swamp
>
> "Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
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| swamp |
On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 19:03:07 -0000, "Sharon Brown"
<sharon.brown@no.thanks.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>OK really back to basics here...Polecat or sable is dominant to
>albino...yes?
Yes, Mendelian basics. If *either* sable/poley sire or dam is
homozygous none of their offspring will be albino.
>Sandy (cinnamon/champagne) is dominant to albino...yes?
Yes, tho we're getting into uncharted waters. Sandy may be a partial
expression of albinism. Might also be partial expression of WS.
>Silver is dominant to albino?
As per above.
>Is sable dominant to sandy and silver? Or is
>is just not that simple? (Obviously assuming that all parents are
>purebred).
It's not that simple. A true albino has a specific code on a specific
allele. Sandy/roan/silver guard hairs and white undercoats probably
involve more alleles given breeders' inability to throw desired kits.
Albinism and WS have demonstrated degrees in humans, so it's quite
possible these genes are involved also. I'm by no means an expert in
genetics, btw. Extrapolating from what I've read, I doubt there's such
thing as a purebred "fancy." imo, "fancies" shouldn't be interbred for
fancy litters. Too many complications.
If one of the breeders get back to me I'll get back to you.
>Thanks again
Good luck on your newsletter article,
>Sharon
-- swamp
"Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
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