HI, I just had my doe kindle a litter and to my surprise they were all black. I bred an apparently purebred white NZ buck and NZ red together. Does this mean they are not pure or does NZ red contain black fur heritage?? Thanks.
Rabbit Genetic Question
- Thread starter Truffy88
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KenoshaRabbits
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Truffy88":2t70s9u8 said:
It is just a color genetics issue. There are many sites that can give you an in depth explanation on color, or a youtube video. The short explanation is there are 5 main genes that determine color (there are few extras that involve broken patters, blue eyes, etc. but you probably don't need to know everything). The white rabbit has 2 recessive genes that make it albino; this also covers up all the other genes. You can't tell just from looking at it what the other genes are. The red NW gets its color from a combination of genes one of which gives rabbits black fur. And it can pass on the dominant gene onto the kits.
[If you wanted to know the probable phenotypes of the rabbits its --,--,cc,--,-- for the white and A-,B-,C-,D-,ee for the red.]
You didn't say how many kits but I assume we are talking around 8 (enough that if there were some recessive genes you'd know). You can probably assume your red doesn't have a recessive "c" in its color gene otherwise you would have some white kits. The white probably has a dominant "B" in its black/brown gene because of all the black kits. It would be hard to tell without pictures.
My guess is in a week or two you will find that although their coats are blackish there a few variations amongst the kits. The red most likely gave some the dominant "Agouti" gene which will give them a "wild rabbit" coloring. Fun note, all of the kits have a recessive "c" gene. Any of these black kits that are bred to the white one have a chance of being white.
But to answer your question they are most likely purebred new zealands. Black kits are possible from that cross. You probably didn't get bamboozled. If you're interest google rabbit color genetics it isn't that hard to pick up! And a fun site is
http://www.ephiny.net/tim/pedigrees/color_calc.php
where you can test certain crosses, such as what if you crossed the red with a blue (the answer is not purple... if only it were that easy to get a purple rabbit, I have to use crayons)
(P.S. I do not use crayons to dye rabbits)
That is what I would expect from such a pairing 
Although the kits look black I highly suspect they are gold tipped steel (inherited from their white parent) and you will start to see brown fur at the nape of their neck in a week or so :cheesysmile:
Although the kits look black I highly suspect they are gold tipped steel (inherited from their white parent) and you will start to see brown fur at the nape of their neck in a week or so :cheesysmile:
Dood":1eeckx5h said:That is what I would expect from such a pairing
Although the kits look black I highly suspect they are gold tipped steel (inherited from their white parent) and you will start to see brown fur at the nape of their neck in a week or so :cheesysmile:
:yeahthat:
Some may be also be true self black, or false black, which would be a genetic agouti steel that just happens to have the modifiers to not show any ticking at all.
