How to tell the difference...

[butsam]

What is the difference between Argente Cream and Yellow Fox (red-eyed)? I have looked at several different websites with pictures, and to me they look so alike (and so much like my 2 gerbils) that I cannot decide which one they really are. Help!

Sam

[geikou]

I am also often confused by colours, I must say. But I have a gerbil which I think is argente cream. You can see a picture of her on the "Colours" page of this website.

Here are two ways to differentiate between them:
1) For Argente Cream, if you part the hairs aside you can see that the hairs beneath are grey, as is the case with my gerbil.

For Yellow Fox, a quote from Gerbil Color Pallette : "If you blow the hairs aside, you can see a yellow undercoat in the foxes (ee), whereas it is (normally) grey in colors without the ee genes."

2) For the Argente Cream, there is a somewhat clear demarcation between the upper yellow coat and the white under belly. The white part is only barely visible when you view from the side.

See this for description and pictures:
www.agsgerbils.org/acream.html

For Yellow Fox, there is no clear line and more white parts can be seen when you look at the gerbil in profile.

See here:
www.agsgerbils.org/yellow_fox.html

Just from what I know, I'm no expert too. ;D

[butsam]

Thank you! I didn't realize the color strips had that much info on them, I had only tried to go off the picture! I'll do some comparing and get back with you on their color

Sam

[butsam]

It looks like to the best of my ability to tell, they are both *not* Yellow Fox colored gerbils. Their tails both have white fur that was not on the Yellow Fox color description, so that is what I am basing it off of. Other than that the two descriptions sound like they are the same.

OK, my next question then is how can you tell the difference between Argente and Argente Cream? I didn't see a website for www.agsgerbils.org/argente.html and the pictures for the color strip look so much alike.

Thanks,

Sam

[geikou]

I think the difference between Argente and Argente Cream is only in the intensity level of colour. Argente is often described as a rich golden or orange colour. Argente Cream is similar but paler and has a creamy tinge to it.

Here's the link for Argente (also known as Argente Golden, I think):

www.agsgerbils.org/agolden.html

[Ritzie/Admin]

It is indeed sometimes difficult to see what colour you have! Especially with pictures, because not all pictures sow the same shade, it depends also on the (flash)light, etc.

But argente cream is indeed pales/ lighter than the argente golden. But if you don't have the two colours side by side I can imagine that it will be difficult to tell! Sometimes people only find out what colour they have exactly when they get pups!