I have a color question

[Ole Mule]

I have a 2 week old rabbit that looked black when its fur grew now when I examine it the outer fur is showing lightly agouti color. My question is it going to continue to darken and be an agouti. Are agouti rabbits born black and then change color?

 

[Zass]

Newborn agouti kits are black with pink bellies and ears. When the fur comes in in those places, it's white. If the belly and ear fur isn't already coming in white, than the kit might be a steeled agouti.

 

[Ole Mule]

Rabbit looked black all over except toes had a touch of dark brown. Now it has a very light agouti sheen showing against the black background but still black looking.

 

[Zass]

What breeds did you say the parents were? I remember that one of the breeds that went into them was harlequin.
There wouldn't be any steel there...but agouti steel paired with harlequin can look black.

 

[Ole Mule]

The rabbits I have are 1/2 dutch Black and white and a Flemish Giant agouti, I mated brother sister Black buck and a tan looking doe with some black botches on her. All look mostly like her but one was born solid black but now shows a sheen of agouti very lightly. This is the buck and doe

 

[Zass]

Any pics of the kit?

 

[Ole Mule]

Battery dead on camera got it on charge.

 

[skysthelimit]

what do you mean by agouti sheen?

Black agoutis are born black, and they are easily identified at birth by their markings, which they share with otters. Three days time you would know for sure which one. Steel complicates things, and usually turns an agouti into something that looks like the buns black tips go down to the skin. Sometimes the agouti just looks charred, sometimes it looks black and a bit sun burned.

 

[Ole Mule]

this is the rabbit in question double click for a larger picture


__________ Sun Jun 15, 2014 5:11 pm __________

The 5 as a group


___

 

[Dood]

The kit has a steel gene that is darkening it.

It is hard to tell if it is a chestnut steel (AKA gold tipped steel) or chinchilla steel (AKA silver tipped steel) or harlequin steel but since the littermates are all harlequin I suspect the latter

 

[faiththequeen]

We've had steels here and it looks like a gold tipped steel to me Whatever it is, it's adorable

 

[Ole Mule]

Would the buck that sired this baby rabbit be an agouti black. The buck is solid black, and the dam is kinda colored like the rest of the kits. There parents were a Black Dutch with white band and a agouti colored flemish giant. I mated full brother sister to get these kits. If this black in question is a doe I will mate her back to her sire.

 

[Dood]

Would the buck that sired this baby rabbit be an agouti black.

It is possible but not a guarantee.