Baby colors REW?

[eco2pia]

Ok, thank you so much for that info! It really clears things up! It just seems so weird with my doe’s smut! (It seems to be spreading a bit everyday Is that bad?)

I do not think so.

Pointed animals (siamese cats, californian rabbits, certain dogs, etc) typically are caused by a protein called tyrosinase, which is genetically mutated, causing it to fold incorrectly at high temperatures. The high temperature causes white or light hair, while the lower temperatures cause darkening of the fur. Temperature changes can be caused by environmental temperature, potentially by injury and reduction in circulation, as noted by @Alaska Satin , and by internal changes in the animal, often governed by hormones and age. This is no more "dangerous" to the animal than the way a light haired child's hair might darken with age (totally different mechanism, though!)

The only BAD thing about it is if it means a showable animal is less showable. And knowing that temperature plays a role, I might give a "smutty" animal a warmer housing situation during the show season if I were trying to influence that...or an animal with weak color points a colder living situation! But it would be a purely cosmetic thing. The functionality of the protein doesn't seem to affect the animal's health directly, and it is common for fur to darken with age and sexual maturity.

 

[Cal Gal]

I do not think so.

Pointed animals (siamese cats, californian rabbits, certain dogs, etc) typically are caused by a protein called tyrosinase, which is genetically mutated, causing it to fold incorrectly at high temperatures. The high temperature causes white or light hair, while the lower temperatures cause darkening of the fur. Temperature changes can be caused by environmental temperature, potentially by injury and reduction in circulation, as noted by @Alaska Satin , and by internal changes in the animal, often governed by hormones and age. This is no more "dangerous" to the animal than the way a light haired child's hair might darken with age (totally different mechanism, though!)

The only BAD thing about it is if it means a showable animal is less showable. And knowing that temperature plays a role, I might give a "smutty" animal a warmer housing situation during the show season if I were trying to influence that...or an animal with weak color points a colder living situation! But it would be a purely cosmetic thing. The functionality of the protein doesn't seem to affect the animal's health directly, and it is common for fur to darken with age and sexual maturity.

Ok