Differences between Argente, DEH, and Yellow fox?

[eleda]

So, both of my boys are blond gerbils, and I've looked at pictures to try to figure out what colors they are, but they all look the same to me! Is there a trick to figuring out which ones my boys are? (just for curiosity's sake)

[Shooting Star]

DEH have dark eyes, as you might have guessed from the name. Their demarcation line (the line where the fur switches from honey topcoat to white belly) is high on the sides. They have circles of white fur around the eyes, and a white line from the neck leading up to the ear. The topcoat has black ticking (hair tips). The nails are black, and the skin on the ears and paws is dark.



REH (Yellow Fox) has the same general pattern as DEH. The eyes are red, the topcoat is lighter, more yellow than orange, and there's no black ticking. The nails are clear, and the skin on the ears and paws is pink.


Argente also has red eyes, clear nails, and pink skin on the ears and paws. (Actually, all the red-eyed colors have clear nails and pink skin on the ears and paws.) But the demarcation line is low and the topcoat extends down the outsides of the legs. Viewed from the side, you can only see a little strip of the white belly. They don't have the eye circles or stripe to the ear. If you part the fur, you can see the base of the hairs is blue-gray. On REH/YF, it's yellow or white.

[eleda]

Thanks! That means they're both Argente I guess, though I know Jean Luc has dark eyes even though his paws and ears are pink. hmmm... I always thought they were different colors because Data is a little more pale than Jean Luc - he doesn't look like he has the ticking. I'm pretty sure his fur is grey underneath though, so that would make him Argente too.

[Shooting Star]

Nope, Jean Luc has red eyes. They're a nice dark ruby, but they're red (based on the pics in the "Growth" thread).
You likely have one Argente Golden and one Argente Cream/Fawn. Argente Cream and Argente Fawn (Topaz) are the same thing as Argente Golden, but with one little extra recessive allele that makes them paler.

I don't have any good adult comparison pictures, but the pup on top is A. Cream and the bottom one is A. Golden.

[eleda]

Ohhh that answers that then. But I've been able to make out JL's iris before and I could swear it was a dark, dull brown color....oh well =) cool thanks