AFRMA Fancy Rats - Unstandardized

AFRMA Accepted Proposed Animals. These are in the process of being standardized in AFRMA. See Fancy Rat Genes for possible genetics.

For complete details of these Standards including points, faults, and disqualifications, please refer to the AFRMA Show Regulations & Standards book.

Note: The pictures on this page are not meant to be true representatives of the animal’s color. Because of differences in monitors (CRT/LCD) and how the monitor is adjusted, the colors may be different. Seeing in person is always best.

Ivory • D’Argent • Silver Russian Dove • Spotted Tabby

IVORY - Color to be a very pale creamy white with no odd-colored hairs or patches. Pale gray ears and scrotum skin acceptable. Tail pink. Eyes black. (originating color of B.E. Siamese and Burmese colors.) Genetics: unknown (recessive) (appeared in 1998 in Edinburgh University, Scotland. Prone to “Beige/Burmese colored” hairs/spots like the Ivory mice.) [Accepted into Unstandardized May 23, 2026] Ivory Standard rat owned by Connie & Ken Van Doren, bred by Rachel Miller. Photo ©2007 Karen Robbins. Read the article on Burmese Rat Genetics.	The right side of the rat showing her beige/burmese colored hairs above the drawn line.
D’ARGENT - Silver tipping 15, undercolor 15, coat texture 10, evenness of silver tipping 5, facial mask 5 D’Argent rats to be shown in Black, Chocolate, Mink, or Russian Blue only. Eye color to correspond to the base color. Rats to have a solid undercolor with silver-white tips to the hairs giving an overall heavily silvered look. Rats will also have a facial mask (darker muzzle and eye area). Coat to have a soft, silky feel with a sheen. Color, mask, and development like the D’Argent/Argenté rabbits. Not to be confused with silvered, Roan, or Frosted. To be shown in AOC class only. Faults: Molting, patchy, uneven, or not enough silvering; too much undercolor showing through. Genetics: unknown (dominant gene); pheomelanin (red) colors are diluted [Accepted into Unstandardized January 26, 2019] Note: D’Argent rats are similar to Roan in that they will get more white as they age; however, rather than having silvered and non-silvered hairs, their coat will have the tips that look white with a solid undercolor. White tips disappear when wet just showing the dark undercolor because of the translucent effect of the gene. The illusion of light reflecting through the translucent hair shaft is what gives D’Argent the silvered look. Babies start out a normal color then get the silver tips as soon as their fur starts to come in or as late as around 12 weeks of age that increases with age until the tips of the hairs are all white leaving a dark facial mask. Rats that have an intense degree of silver tips at a young age generally tend to be heavily silvered into old age. Silver tips comes in various degrees from heavily silvered to very lightly silvered. D’Argent to D’Argent breedings produce the best examples of this mutation. Originated from pet shop/feeder stock by Derek Berrier/Jessica Jones Cashwell (Kadru’s Clutch/Squeaks and Nibbles), Hampstead, North Carolina, 2012; as well as in other locations during the same time; a.k.a. Silvermane. AFRMA articles: ‘Frosted’ Rats More New Rats: A New Frosted, Spotted Tabby, Siamese Sable, Dapple, Harlequin, Long Hair Update On New Rat Colors: D’Argent, Spotted Tabby, Siamese Sable, Sable, Harlequin, Marten D’Argent? Litter vs. Frosted	A 7-week-old Agouti D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2015 Karen Robbins. The silver tips are hard to tell on the diluted agouti color so Agouti will not be recognized. A 12-week-old Agouti D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins. The undercolor is dark like Agouti but the silver tips are hard to tell on the diluted agouti color. A 10-week-old Agouti D’Argent showing the black mask, male owned and bred by Julie Arruda. Photo ©2025 Karen Robbins. The silver tips are hard to tell on the diluted agouti color. A 10-week-old Black D’Argent male owned and bred by Julie Arruda. Photo ©2025 Karen Robbins. A 7-week-old Black D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2015 Karen Robbins. The undercolor of the 7-week-old Black D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2015 Karen Robbins. A Mink D’Argent female owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2015 Nikki Kimura. A Russian Blue D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins. The undercolor of the Russian Blue D’Argent male owned and bred by Nikki Kimura. The undercolor isn’t as striking of a difference with the silverish tips as the black. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins. An 11-month-old adult male Black D’Argent owned and bred by Nicole Housel. There is more undercolor showing through at this age and the silverish tips aren’t as bright but the mask is still distinct. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins.
SILVER RUSSIAN DOVE - Color to be a warm dove with ticking throughout (similar to the Russian Blue ticking) with silver-white hairs evenly distributed throughout the coat. Not to be confused with Silver Mink or Silver Lilac. Eye color is black. [Accepted into Unstandardized 1-30-16] Note: These are not Russian Dove Pearl as they don’t have the light undercolor. Shows best as kittens and young adults.	Silver Russian Dove rat (11 weeks old) owned and bred by Jozzette Hagemann. Photo ©2015 Karen Robbins. ...and the rat from above at 5 months old. Silver Russian Dove male owned and bred by Jozzette Hagemann. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins.
SPOTTED TABBY - Contrast between spots and diluted base color 20, dorsal stripe 10, spots 10, body color 10 Spotted Tabby rats to be shown in black only. Body color is gray with black dorsal stripe and black spots on the sides, face, and belly. Black stripe on face and mottled feet acceptable. Dorsal stripe to run unbroken down the spine from the base of the neck to the tail. Spots to be small, numerous, and distinct. Not to be confused with Merle. Eyes black. Spotted Tabby to be shown only in AOCP class. Faults – not enough spots; uneven distribution of spots; spots too large so they run together; pale dorsal stripe Disqualification – missing or broken dorsal stripe Genetics: unknown (dominant gene) [Accepted into Unstandardized May 23, 2026] Note: The color of the dorsal stripe/spots is the base color, i.e. a Black Spotted Tabby has black stripe/spots and the gene dilutes the body color making a gray background. Pattern similar to a spotted tabby cat. Originated at New England Reptile Distributors (NERD), Plaistow, New Hampshire, in 2013, and called it Merle, Marble/Calico. AFRMA articles: More New Rats: A New Frosted, Spotted Tabby, Siamese Sable, Dapple, Harlequin, Long Hair Update On New Rat Colors: D’Argent, Spotted Tabby, Siamese Sable, Sable, Harlequin, Marten	Spotted Tabby Dumbo male owned by Dawndee Carver, bred by Nicole Housel. Photo ©2015 Karen Robbins. Spotted Tabby 14-day-old kittens showing their dorsal stripe and spots on the sides. The spots tend to not be as distinct (more run together) when they have a full coat. There is a Pearl in the middle and a Mink on the R side that were foster kids and a plain Russian Blue Berkshire top R. There is also a very pale colored Spotted Tabby on top. Rats owned and bred by Jozzette Hagemann. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins. BWR Spotted Tabby 9-day-old kitten showing dorsal stripe and lots of spots. Rat owned and bred by Nicole Housel. Photo ©2016 Nicole Housel, Black Wolf Rattery. ...and the BWR Spotted Tabby kitten now at 11 weeks. Rat owned and bred by Nicole Housel. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins.