AFRMA

American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association

Fancy Rat Genes, Alphabetical Name Listing

For more rat genetics, see the AFRMA Rat Genetics book, specific articles listed with the various standards descriptions, and the articles on the Info Pages: Breeding – Colors/GeneticsRat Genetics, part 1, Rat Genetics, part 2, Rat Genetics, part 3. See also the Rat Biology article Where do Rat Coat Colors Come From?
See the AFRMA Rat Color Standards book and the Standards pages for photos.

Go to Fancy Rat Genes, Agouti-based Colors,
Fancy Rat Genes, Black-based Colors,
Fancy Rat Genes, Marked Rats, or
Fancy Rat Genes, Coats & Misc. for breakdowns.

See also Fancy Rat Genes, Genetic Code Listing for breakdowns by genetic code.


A  B  C  D  E  F  H  I  K  L  M  N  O  P  R  S  T  V  W

A
AgoutiAA or Aa (i.e. A–)
Apricot AgoutiA– gg pp*
(P.E. Blue Agouti)
Chocolate AgoutiA– bb
(dark Cinnamon; see also Hawthorn Rat Varieties: Chocolate Agouti)
Agouti: Chocolate: pink-eyedA– bb pp (Silver Fawn/P.E. Chocolate Agouti)
Platinum AgoutiA– bb gg* (U.S.) or A- amam gg (U.K.)
Albinocc (albino; covers up the actual color/marking so can be either an agouti-based or black-based color; a.k.a. P.E. White)
AmberA– pp
(P.E. Agouti; a.k.a. a light Silver Fawn)
American Mink (Lilac)aa amam
(selected for lighter color)
ApricotA– bb pp Rr? or A– mm pp Rr?
Argente CremeA– Cscs Fyfy** pp? or A– cchcch pp?
(chinchillated Silver Fawn)
Aussie Minkaa momo
(see page 7 of the article) (starts out looking like Beige, then molts into a gray Mink color)
B
BaldieHro++h?
Banded? (from Hooded stock)
Barebackhh or hhe or hHms or hhi?
Beigeaa rr or aa bb rr
(ruby-eyed Black; Buff U.K.)
BerkshireHh or hhe or hihi or hihn
Blackaa
Blazemany possible
Blueaa gg*
(selected for dark shade)
Blue AgoutiA– gg*
(Opal)
Blue Agouti: pink-eyedA– gg pp*
(Apricot Agouti)
Blue-Beigeaa dd rr
Bristle CoatBr
(code given by AFRMA)
Buff (U.K.)aa rr or aa bb rr
(Beige U.S.)
Burmeseaa cech+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Blueaa cech+ gg
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Russian Blueaa cech+ dd
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Sableaa cece+
(similar to extreme dilute in mice)
Burmese: AgoutiA– cech+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Russian Blue AgoutiA– cech+ dd
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
C
Cappedhnhn
Capped-Stripehreh; Hrehre (lethal)?
Champagneaa B– pp
(P.E. Black)
Champagne: paleaa bb pp
(P.E. Chocolate)
Champagne: dark–eyedaa B– mm rr
ChinchillaA– Cscs Fyfy**? or A– cchcch? or ?
(formerly called Silver Agouti; see Breeding the Chinchilla)
Chocolateaa bb or aa bb Rr or aa BB Rr
CinnamonA– mm
Cinnamon: redA– bb mm
Cinnamon: darkA– bb
(Chocolate Agouti)
Cinnamon: ruby-eyedA– mm Rr
Cinnamon: silveredA– mm
Cinnamon PearlA– mm Pepe
Cocoaaa bb mm (Coffee in U.K.),
aa bb mm Rr, aa Bb mm Rr,
aa Bb mm Rr (Havana in U.K.)
Coffee U.S.? (coffee with cream/gray-brown color)
Coffee U.K.aa bb mm
(See also Hawthorn Rat Varieties: Coffee)
Collared? (usually from Dalmatian breedings) or Heh? or Hehi?
Cowlickcw
Curly 1Cu1
Curly 2Cu2
D
DalmatianDaldal*
Down Underhdu? (dominant)
Doveaa gg mm*, aa bb gg*
Dumbodmbodmbo (ear gene)
E
English IrishHh, or Hhi if no Hooded produced in 2 Irish breedings
EssexHro++ or Hro++H (color fading gene; has Berkshire markings but breeds as a Self)
F
FawnA– rr or AA bb rr
(ruby-eyed Agouti; Topaz U.K.)
Fuzzyfzfz or frH
H
Harley? (recessive; sparse, fine, wispy coat with no undercoat)
Havana: U.K.aa Bb mm Rr
Hairlesshrhr or fzfz
Hairless: CR (Charles River)frCR
Himalayan: Black-eyed Seal Pointaa cici+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: B.E. Agouti PointA– cici+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: B.E. Blue Pointaa cici+ gg*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: B.E. Russian Blue Pointaa cici+ dd
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: Agouti PointA– chc
Himalayan: Blue Pointaa chc gg*
Himalayan: Russian Blue Pointaa chc dd
Himalayan: Seal Pointaa chc
Hoodedhh or hml
(Hm=Hooded Modifier; hms or hml—short or long)
I
IrishHh, or Hhi if no Hooded produced in 2 Irish breedings
Ivory/B.E. Creamcic+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
K
Kinkykk
L
Lilac
(American Mink)
aa mm or aa amam
(selected for lighter color)
See photos from 1978 of original U.S.A. Lilac male Hershey and here, owned by Karen Hauser. He was found in a pet shop in Riverside, CA.
Lilac U.K.aa bb gg mm Rr*; see also Hawthorn Rat Varieties: Lilac
Lilac AgoutiA– bb mm Rr
LynxA– Cscs Fyfy rr?, A– Cscs Fyfy mm rr?, A– Ccch?, A–mm rr?, A– rr?, A– rr cchcch or ? (came out of Chinchilla breedings)
M
Martenaa cmcm#
Marten: AgoutiA– cmcm#
Marten: Himiaa cmch#
(Marten with points)
Maskedhehe
Merle: Cinnamon PearlA– mm Me– Pepe*
Merle: Mink/Lilacaa mm Me– pepe* or aa amam Me– pepe*
Merle: Pearlaa mm Me– Pepe*
(selected for most of the hair shaft to be white)
Merle: Silver Mink/Lilacaa mm Me– Pepe* or aa amam Me– pepe*
(selected for colored hair shafts)
Minkaa mm
(selected for darker color)
N
Nakednn
Nudernurnu (Rowett nude)
O
Odd-Eyeoe or ? (has 2 different colored eyes; usually pink/black but can be ruby/black or pink/ruby)
OpalA– gg*
(Blue Agouti)
P
Platinum: black-eyedaa bb gg*
Platinum: pink-eyedaa bb gg pp*
Platinum: ruby-eyedaa gg mm*
Pearlaa mm Pepe
(selected for most of the hair shaft to be white; is a dominant lethal)
Powder Blueaa gg*
(selected for light shade)
R
Raggedrgrg
RexRere
Roan (Husky)? (recessive; roan gene lightens color with each moult till rat is nearly white; always in Berkshire or Berkshire Blaze markings)
Roan: Striped? (recessive; a.k.a. Banded Husky)
Russian Blueaa dd
Russian Blue AgoutiA– dd
Russian CinnamonA– dd mm
Russian Cinnamon PearlA– dd mm Pepe
Russian Doveaa dd mm, aa bb dd gg*, aa dd gg mm*, aa bb dd
Russian Dove: pink-eyedaa dd mm pp, aa bb dd gg pp*, aa dd gg mm pp*,
aa bb dd pp
Russian Dove Pearlaa dd mm Pepe, aa dd amam Pepe
Russian FawnA– dd rr
Russian Platinumaa bb dd gg*, aa dd gg mm*, aa bb dd, aa dd mm
Russian Platinum AgoutiA– bb dd gg*
Russian Silveraa dd gg pp*, aa bb dd gg pp*, aa bb dd gg mm pp*, aa dd pp (P.E. Russian Blue originally called Blue-Champagne)
S
Satinsasa
ShaggySh
Shornshnshn
Siamese: Black-eyed Seal Pointaa chci+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: B. E. Agouti PointA– chci+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: B. E. Blue Pointaa chci+ gg*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: B. E. Russian Blue Pointaa chci+ dd*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: Agouti PointA– chch
Siamese: Blue Pointaa chch gg*
Siamese: Chocolate Pointaa bb chch
Siamese: Russian Blue Pointaa chch dd
Siamese: Seal Pointaa chch
Agouti Siamese SableA– csc# (B.E. version shown as Agouti Burmese)
Siamese Sable: light/show versionaa csc#
Siamese Sable: mediumaa csch#
Siamese Sable: dark (shown as Sable)aa cscs#
Silveraa gg pp*
(P.E. Blue)
Silver Blackaa B–
(selected for silvering)
Silver Blueaa dd gg* or aa dd gg mm?*
Silver Blue AgoutiA– dd gg* or A– dd gg mm?*
Silver CinnamonA– mm
Silver Chocolateaa bb
(selected for silvering)
Silver FawnA– pp
(P.E. Agouti)
Silver Fawn: lightA– mm pp
(P.E. Cinnamon)
Silver Fawn: P.E. Chocolate AgoutiA– bb pp
Silver Lilacaa mm Pepe or aa amam Pepe
(selected for colored hair shafts and lighter color)
Silver Minkaa mm Pepe
(selected for colored hair shafts and darker color)
Sky Blueaa gg*
(medium shade)
Snowflake? (small white spots belly and sides; a.k.a. stippeltjes in the Netherlands which means dots)
Squirrel (U.K.)A– Cscs Fyfy** gg*? or A– gg cchcch?
(chinchillated Blue Agouti)
T
Taillessstst? (recessive)
Topaz (U.K.)A– rr or AA bb rr
(Fawn, U.S.)
Tri-Merleheh Me?
Turpin (U.K.)A– Cscs FyFy** Hro++H? or Cscs Fyfy** Hro++H? or A– cchcch HroHro++?
(chinchillated Essex)
V
Variegated? (2 Var. never produce Self or Hooded)
Velvet? (recessive)
W
Wavywvwv
White: black-eyedhehe or any h
(marked selected for no spots; in either agouti-based or black-based color)
Note: could also be slsl (Spotting Lethal); these suffer from aganglionic megacolon associated with white coat color, usually BEW but occasionally have small spot on head and hips and die usually within first week to 35 days after birth
White: pink-eyedcc (albino; covers up the actual color/marking so can be either an agouti-based or black-based color) Note: extremely diluted P.E. Self colors or a P.E. Marked with all markings bred off can look like a P.E. White

C: Albino Locus (Burmese)+ (codes by Nichole Royer)
CFull color (no dilution)
ce+Extreme dilute
chAcromelanism (Himalayan/Siamese)
ci+Intense dilute
cAlbino (Pink-Eyed White)

C: Albino Locus (Marten and Siamese Sable)# (codes by Nicole Housel)
CFull color (no dilution)
cm#Marten
cs#Siamese Sable
chAcromelanism (Himalayan/Siamese)
cAlbino (Pink-Eyed White)

Note: Many rat colors/varieties have not been studied by geneticists so codes are given by fancy rat genetics experts or are unknown

Note: Capital letter=dominant genes unless otherwise noted; lower case letter=recessive genes

“–” means that either the dominant or recessive allele could occupy that space without affecting the outcome

* = g or Me or Dal code by Nichole Royer

** = Cscs Fyfy code by Ann Storey, N.F.R.S.

+ = ce or ci code by Nichole Royer

++ = Hro code by Sheila Sowter, N.F.R.S.

# = cm or cs code by Nicole Housel

? = genetics unknown

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Updated September 25, 2024