Chinchilla
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| Genetics: | Agouti with chinchilla spotting and modifiers. The exact genetics behind chinchillation is unknown, though it appears to be one major spotting gene and one major modifier to remove the yellow pigment from the colour (some American breeders have suggested "S" for the semi-dominant spotting gene and "fy" for the recessive fading modifier, giving a chinchilla the genotype A-fyfySs). Rats who have the spotting gene but are not expressing the fading gene appear to be cold agoutis, with not quite the amount of yellow they should be. These are often called "half chinchillas". |
| Description: | Top colour grey, caused by the intermingling of black guard hairs over a pearl white ground. The whole to give a sparkling appearance. Undercolour dark slate blue, intermediate portion pearl, tips black. All the underside to be white with a clear demarcation between top colour and belly. Head markings may be present or absent. Where present either a blaze or a spot to be acceptable. The standard for both is as follows: Head spot. Head spots to be centrally placed on the rat's forehead and no bigger than the rat's eye. Blaze. This is to be a wedge shaped symmetrical blaze of white starting at the nose and extending up the face to the forehead. The blaze to cover the whisker bed and to taper to a fine point midway between the eyes and the ears. Markings not to extend onto the cheeks or the eyes.Forelegs to be white to half their length, back feet white to the ankle (hock or tarsal bone). Tails to be pied. Faults: drags, yellow or brown tinge to the top colour, skewed or misshapen blazes, uneven or over large head spots. |
| Status: | This colour is recognised in most rat clubs with the name Chinchilla |