Genetics Question

[Kaitlin]

Hi. I've been breeding gerbils for about five or six years now, and I can usually figure out what colors to expect from my litters through their color genetics, but this past week I had a very strange litter.

I had put together an Argente Golden and a Red-Eyed White, so I expected mostly more argentes and lilacs. But when the litter was born, I was shocked to see two black-eyed babies! Any ideas as to how this happened?

[Shooting Star]

Your "red-eyed white" is actually a Dark-Tailed White. DTWs get their red eyes not from the Pink-Eyed Dilution gene, but the Colorpoint-Himalayan gene. Genetically, they should have black eyes-- they just happen to be lightened to red by Himalayan.

An explanation of DTW and PEW with pictures: Shooting Star's Coat Color Genetics page

[Kaitlin]

Huh, look at that. I did just take a closer look, and she does seem to have a (very) slightly darker tail. I never knew there were variants of the Dark-Tailed White. Thank you for the info!!