Color genetics of the Netherland Dwarf rabbit can be confusing at first glance. All the letters, numbers and symbols.....what do you need to know this stuff for anyway?????......Well, you will want to know this information when it is time to begin breeding your dwarfs. So you will have a better concept of which colors work best together and why.

When you look at your dwarf rabbit, what you are seeing is the rabbits "Phenotype" or outward appearance. The Genotype is what lies beneath. The Below table gives an explanation of what genetic pairs each color represents.

Ruby-Eyed White ?? ?? cc ?? ?? ??
Blue-Eyed White ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? vv
Black aa B? C? D? E? VV
Blue aa B? C? dd E? VV
Chocolate aa bb C? D? E? VV
Lilac aa bb C? dd E? VV
Sable Point aa B? cchl? D? ee VV
Siamese Sable aa B? cchl? D? E? VV
Siamese Smoke Pearl aa B? cchl? dd E? VV
Chestnut A? B? C? D? E? VV
Opal A? B? C? dd E? VV
Lynx A? bb C? dd E? VV
Chinchilla A? B? cchd? D? E? VV
Squirrel A? B? cchd? dd E? VV
Black Tan aT? B? CC D? E? VV
Blue Tan aT? B? CC dd E? VV
Chocolate Tan aT? bb CC D? E? VV
Lilac Tan aT? bb CC dd E? VV
Black Silver Marten aT? B? cchd? D? E? VV
Blue Silver Marten aT? B? cchd? dd E? VV
Chocolate Silver Marten aT? bb cchd? D? E? VV
Lilac Silver Marten aT? bb cchd? dd E? VV
Sable Marten aT? B? cchl? D? E? VV
Smoke Pearl Marten aT? B? cchl? dd E? VV
Black Otter aT? B? C? D? E? VV
Blue Otter aT? B? C? dd E? VV
Chocolate Otter aT? bb C? D? E? VV
Lilac Otter aT? bb C? dd E? VV
Black Himalayan aa B? ch? D? E? VV
Blue Himalayan aa B? ch? dd E? VV
Chocolate Himalayan aa bb ch? D? E? VV
Lilac Himalayan aa bb ch? dd E? VV
Orange A? B? C? D? ee VV
Fawn A? B? C? dd ee VV
Tortoise Shell aa B? C? D? ee VV
Steel aa B? C? D? ES?

VV

More Confused? Ok, now look at the table below here. The genes are listed according to their level of dominance. Hopefully you will begin to see how each gene pair works together and how they affect each other to create your rabbits outward appearance.

Gene Name Description Dwarf Color Examples
A Agouti pattern of banded hair Tan, fawn, or white at eye circles, triangle at nape of neck, feet, legs, and inside of ears. White belly. Chestnut,
Opal,
Lynx,
and Chinchilla
at Tan pattern Solid color. Has tan, fawn, or white at eye circles, triangle at back of neck, feet, legs, inside of ears, and belly. Marten,
Tan,
Otter
a Self-Color (non-agouti) The hair lacks the banding, there is generally one color throughout. Black, Blue, Chocolate
Gene Name Description Examples
B Black In agouti it produces the black band.
In self (solids) (aa), produces solid black color.		 With (A_)Chestnut and Chinchilla
With (at_) Black Silver Marten
b Brown (Chocolate) In agouti it produces a brown band instead of black.
In self (solids) produces solid chocolate color.		 With (A_) Chocolate Chestnut
With (at_) Chocolate Silver Marten.
With (aa) Chocolate
Gene Name Description Examples
C Full color development Completely dominant. Allows all 4 dark and all 3 yellow pigments to be present. Except REW
cchd Dark Chinchilla Allows all 4 dark and only 1 of the 3 yellow pigments to be present. Area becomes white or pearl. Completely dominant over the following c genes. Chinchilla
cchl Light Chinchilla (Shading) Allows 2 of the 4 dark and none of the 3 yellow pigments to be present. This lightens the color to sepia brown. Causes shading effects. Incompletely dominant over the following c genes. Shading is fine-tuned with the color intensifier genes. Sable and smoke pearl
ch Himalayan Causes dark extremities (points) which include the ears, nose, feet, and tail. Produces red eyes with other ch or c. Incompletely dominant over c. Himi
c Albino Blocks the expression of all other color genes, producing a white rabbit with red eyes. Ruby-Eyed White (rew)
Gene Name Description Examples
D Dense coat color Produces the full color shade. Causes the eye to be brown. Black, Chocolate, Chestnut
d Diluted coat color Changes black to blue, chocolate to lilac, chestnut to opal, orange to fawn. Causes eye to be gray-blue. Blue, Lilac, Squirrel
Gene Name Description Examples
Es Steel With agouti, covers the middle band with dark pigment. Darkens the agouti type landmarks: eye circles, triangle at nape of neck, feet, legs, and inside of ears. Leaves white guard hairs (ticking). Black, Chestnut, and Chinchilla Steel
E Normal Extension of dark pigment Working with the C series genes, allows the complete expression of the dark brown pigment. Black, Blue, chestnut, Ottter..
e Non-extension of the dark pigment Working with the C gene series and the rufus modifiers, this gene removes all or most of the dark pigment, leaving yellow, orange or white. Fawn, Orange, Sable Pt.
Gene Name Description Examples
V Vienna White VV: Normal coat color.
Vv: Dutch type markings on colored coat and colored spots on white coat.
vv: Causes no color to express itselt and produces an all white rabbit with blue eyes.		 VV: Almost all rabbits,
Vv: no known breeds,
vv: Blue-Eyed White
v Vienna White See V for description. Blue Eyed White (bew)
Gene Name Description Examples
T Tan Pattern Tan Pattern Group Blue Tan, Black Tan, Chocolate Tan, Lilac Tan
Gene Name Description Examples
V Vienna White VV: Normal coat color.
Vv: Dutch type markings on colored coat and colored spots on white coat.
vv: Causes no color to express itselt and produces an all white rabbit with blue eyes.		 VV: Almost all rabbits,
Vv: no known breeds,
vv: Blue-Eyed White
v Vienna White See V for description. Blue Eyed White (bew)
Gene Name Description Examples
W Normal Width of the middle yellow/white agouti band Normal coloring Chinchilla
w Doubles Width of the middle yellow/white agouti band Colors the agouti pattern areas: eye circles, triangle at nape of neck, feet, legs, inside of ears, and belly. Tan

Now you can go look at the Compatible Breeding Colors of Netherland Dwarfs, since you somewhat understand them better. If you have any questions, or are still confused, email Tiny Tots and we'll help best we can. Thanks for coming by!


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