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Albino/Himalayan/Siamese + Burmese Genetics

C- Locus Color Point Rat Genetics
Albino/Himalayan/Siamese + Burmese
by Amy Camarattery © 2013

Albino is a simple recessive. You need two copies to display. So you can either use two Albino to reproduce it, or two rats that carry it in order for it to display. Albino can either be “A” Agouti based, or “a” Black based, or “A/a”, “Agouti carrying black based colors”. And Albino can actually be a color like American Blue or any other color genetically but the Albino masks it. Albinos are not “unmarked”. Albino’s all most defiantly have markings. They can be any marking just as any other color; it’s just hidden by the lack of pigment. For example, your Albino may be Self (H/H), Hooded (hh), Roan (H/H ro/ro) etc…. Or any other pattern that there is in the rat population. And you will find out their hidden pattern once you have bred them. If you do not already know the pattern based on the rats pedigree. 

The breeding out comes of Albino, Himi, Siam mixtures are as follows:

Albino X Albino = 100% Albino

Albino X Siamese = 100% Himalayan

Albino X Himalayan = 50% Albino, 50% Himalayan

Siamese X Himalayan = 50% Siamese, 50% Himalayan

Siamese X Siamese = 100% Siamese 

Himalayan X Himalayan = 25% Albino, 50% Himalayan, 25% Siamese

Siamese and Himalayan, can be any color under the sun. For example: American Blue Point, Russian Blue Point, US Mink Point, UK Mink Point, Agouti Point, Seal Point which is Black. And etc…, etc…, etc…. All they need is two copies of any given color to have points that color. They can even be mixtures of shading colors such as a Siamese or Himi Roan. This rat is genetically a Roan and a Siam or Himi. While this is not the desired mixture, I wanted to mention that it’s a genetic possibility that can and does happen. Siam and Himi need to be Self (H/H) to be proper. This makes correct points on the ears, nose, feet and butt. Breeding them for a Hooded (hh) for example will create a rat with nose and ear points, and possibly on the butt if the stripe hits the tail, but none on the feet. So breeding pointed rats for any pattern other than self is a disservice to the variety.

Albino/ Himalayan/Siamese + Burmese

Burmese is a color adding gene that only works on Albino, Himalayan and Siamese based rats.

An Albino Burmese will be A/ Be/Be Bu/ cc for the Agouti base, also called “Albino Wheaten Burmese” or a/a Be/Be Bu/ cc for the black base also called “Albino Burmese”. This is a very pale non pointed Burmese. This rat is two copies of the cc Albino gene and 1 copy of the Burmese gene, and one or two copies of the UK Be or Black Eye gene. Note if the rat is Agouti carrying Black the code would be A/a.

With Regards To The UK Black Eyed Gene 

"One copy of the Black Eyed gene will make the rat carry one copy of the Pink Eye or Red Eyed gene as well. Two copies of the UK "Be" gene will make the rat homozygous for BE and the animal will not carry or throw the Pink Eye or Red Eyed gene. This makes for a slightly darker coat as it carries no dilutes. In the UK they are usually bred for two copies of the Black Eye Gene. This is the doubling up on the "Be" in my codes. Their way being proper. In the US Red eye has been bred in and many only carry one copy of the UK BE gene making the code only show "Be" one time. If yours carry one copy please adjust accordingly. " 

A Himalayan based Burmese will be A Be/Be Bu/  c(h)c for the Agouti based Himalayan Burmese, also called “Wheaten Himalayan Burmese”, some might replace the word “Wheaten” with “Agouti”. And the Black based would be aa Be/Be Bu/  c(h)c also called the “Himalayan Burmese”. This is two copies of the Himalayan gene and one copy of the Burmese gene, and in the “Wheaten” or “Agouti” Burmese one or two copies of Agouti gene is added. The Himalayan Burmese is a color point so it does have the proper points on the nose, ears, feet, and butt, if it’s bred as a self. The “Himi” version is a little bit darker than the “Albino” Burmese.  Note if the rat is Agouti carrying Black the code would be A/a. Also the same applies with the UK Black Eyed gene as with the Albino version. See above in “italics”

A Siamese based Burmese will be A/ Be/Be Bu/  c(h) c(h) for the “Agouti” Burmese or “Wheaten”. And aa Be/Be Bu/ c(h) c(h) for the Black version also properly called the “Siamese Burmese”.  The Siam version is a pointed rat also, with points in all the appropriate places if it’s on a self like it needs to be. The “Siamese Burmese” is much darker than the “Albino” and “Himi” verities. Note if the rat is Agouti carrying Black the code would be A/a. Also the same applies with the UK Black Eyed gene as with the Albino version. See above in “italics”.                                       

Sable Burmese

A Sable Burmese is two copies of the Burmese gene instead of the typical one copy mentioned earlier. A Sable can be produced on all three varieties. The Albino, the Himalayan and the Siamese. Sables are much darker and richer in color.

Agouti or “Wheaten” Sable is A/  Be/Be b/u Be/Be Bu/ (with the appropriate Albino, Himi or Siam genetic codes added. (A/a) for Agouti carrying Black. 

Black based is aa Be/Be Bu/ Be/Be Bu/ (also with the appropriate c-locus codes)

Color on a Burmese

Burmese are typically talked about in the (A), Agouti or “Wheaten”, (A/a) Agouti carrying black or the (aa) Black form. However; they can be any other color as well. This means that on a black based Burmese you can add American Blue to it aa gg, for an American Blue Burmese. Or Russian Blue can be added a/a d/d, making a Russian Blue Burmese. This can be the case for all 3 varieties the Albino the Himi and the Siamese. You can add every color to the Burmese gene. I have not personally seen a Roan Burmese but I have seen Essex Burmese. Color can also be added to a Sable to add a very dark rich Burmese color with the “other color” mixed into it. This is a very, very dark toned rat. Quite spectacular in my opinion. The writer is admittedly biased toward rich dark colors.

Genetic Out Comes for Breeding Albino/Himalayan/Siamese To Burmese

C-locus X Burmese = 50% Burmese 50% c-locus non Burmese

C- locus X Sable Burmese= 100% Regular Burmese (one copy)
Burmese X Burmese = 50% Burmese, 25% Sable, 25% c-locus non Burmese

Non C-locus X Sable = 100% Undisplayed Burmese

Undisplayed Burmese X C-locus = 75% C-locus 25% Solid pattern non C-locus. With regards the 75%, 25% of the displayed C-locus will be Burmese and the rest C-locus.

Marten Genetics

Martin is on the c-locus. But it cannot be Siamese. It only comes in Himalayan and Albino.

There are 3 types of Martens:

Albino = cc(m) or the non pointed Marten

Himalayan = c(h)c(m) which is also called the pointed Marten.

Homozygous which is Albino = c(m)c(m)

Martens can be Pink Eyed (because they are either a Himi or Albino), or UK Black Eyed. All you need to do is breed in the UK Black Eye gene to get BE. You can have Homozygous BE Martin which is 2 copies of the UK BE gene, or Heterozygous BE which carries one copy of the Pink Eye gene and one copy of the BE gene.

The genetics written out:

Agouti Marten Himi = Aa c(h)c(m) or homozygous Agouti is AA. Aa carries Black.
Black Marten Himi = aa c(h)c(m)

Agouti Albino Marten = Aa cc(m)

Black Albino Marten - aa cc(m)

Martens can come in any color for example a Russian Blue would be aarbrbcc(m) if its an albino Russian Blue or aarbrbc(h)c(m) for a pointed or Himalayan Russian Blue Marten. All colors would be written out the same way.

Martens can also be any pattern you want to breed them for.