Color help!

[Cherbear]

I have a few questions on kit colors. My buck throws sable in 90% of the time in breedings. I usually get 1-2 in each litter. These seem a little lighter than I’m used to. They usually look like shiny dark chocolates. One kit has white inner ears and belly the other is self.

The next pic is a litter of California kits. All are white except one. It kind of looks silvery.

Does the sable gene cause blue looking kits to change color when they become adult buns? Both grandpa and dad looked like broken blues but as they got older some of the blues turned brown. Pic of dad in the 3rd pic. Some info on my buck would be much appreciated. He also throws chins. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:09 pm __________ <br /><br /> I guess pics would help! I did put up pictures but I failed at getting them on the post.

 

[SableSteel]

The one with the light ears in the first picture is a sable agouti/sable chinchilla. The buck looks like a sable steel. The one darker kit in the litter of californians is just because it got cold; their colors darken in the cold. It should molt away and have a normal californian adult coat

 

[Cherbear]

I got a few updated pics of the one darker California girl. I don’t think it’s a temperature issue. Another kits has this coloring but it’s only on the rump. This girl is a beauty! Almost 2 weeks old. Kind of reminds me of a husky dog lol. Any more ideas?

 

[SableSteel]

Still quite sure it is just a chilled californian. They don't even have to be noticeable cold to get that coloring, and it quite often happens to just one kit in a litter. I see it all the time in my himalayans; here is one that was particularly dark

 

[Alaska Satin]

I agree with SableSteel; I get "frosted" californian Satins quite frequently (linked to a specific buck in my herd) and they are sometimes so heavily frosted they look like siamese sables...until they open their eyes, which are pink. Basically, if they have red eyes they pretty much have to be either REW or cal. I'll attach a photo of a recent "frosted " cal in my barn. Note the pink eyes just opening.
Regarding sables, that color develops really uniquely. They start out looking like poor/faded blues, then go through a distinctly frosty-tipped blue phase (I often wish I could stop it there, it's spectacular in a satin coat!), then gradually molt out to that beautiful mocha coloration, starting with mocha frosting then rich clean mocha. I'll attach a series of photos of this development, at newborn (next to a californian), 5 days, and 2 weeks. They can also molt in some fantastic patterns - just for fun I'll attach photos of a 5-month-old doe in molt. Crazy!