Tri Colour Genetics

I have been raising Tri color Rex for a few years and have come to understand a great deal about how it works. By using an understanding of basic color genetics, I have learned what colors work well with Tri color. This color is one of the most recessive colors. This presents us with a question of what to breed to a Tri color? Base Color Main Color Pattern             Placement Of Color On Shaft

A=Agouti

C=Full Color

b = Chocolate at = Tan           chd = dark Chin

a = Self Pattern           chl = light Chin

Extension of Color on Hair Shaft       Amount of Pigment Used

Es = Steel        D = intense color (e.g. Black)

ej = Japanese (Tri color gene)

E = non-extension (Red gene)           

-          

Broken Color

en en = Solid  

En en = Broken          

En En = Charlie         

* genes are listed from most dominant to least         

I have grouped the most important color genes and italicized the genes found in Red and Black Tri colors. There are also Chocolate and Orange Tri colors and Blue and Fawn Tri colors, but we will cover that later.

Now we have an idea of where the Tri color sits on a ladder of dominance. All Tri colors have one of the two pairings of genes: ej ej or ej e. Always remember that your rabbit has inherited two genes for every aspect of its type, color, fur structure etc It had two parents giving it genetic information. First thing you want to keep in mind is that a Tri color is a Broken version of a Harlequin. A Broken gene is always expressed if it is present. Next you will want to start with at least one rabbit that definitely has a Tri color gene and another that either has a Red or Tri color gene. Colors that definitely have a Tri gene are Tri colors and Harlequins, the rest are a guessing game. Reds and Fawns are the only colors that definitely don't have a Tri gene hidden. These are the rules if you want first generation Tri colors.

Second generation Tri colors can be a good idea if you want to improve type or if you lack the breeding stock necessary. The easiest way is to breed a Tri color to any color except Chinchilla varieties. Remember, a Tri color is inherently an Agouti before the Tri gene messes with it. Keep in mind that the Tri color spots only appear as spots on a Broken. Yes, those are the unpredictable little genes that subtly alter your color one way or another. I have seen Tri colors that look just like Broken Reds until I noticed one black spot. I have also seen Tri colors with so much black that the red was being smothered. Depending on how many modifiers for these black spots are inherited, the rabbit sways one way or the other. Ideally, to get the perfect Tri color you breed two nicely patterned Tri colors or throw a nice Harlequin pattern in with a Tri. Unfortunately we are not always blessed with two beautiful Tri colors with good body and fur. Therefore, when you start crossing with other colors, or even with Reds, you will find the Tri color tends to lack the pattern you desire. You simply need to keep the best ones and breed them to nicely colored Tri colors in the future. Now here is one thought in reference to the different varieties of Tri colors. If you take a Black and Orange Tri color and dilute the amount of pigment, you get a Blue and Fawn Tri. This can be done by breeding to Blue and Fawn Tri colors or to use Blues, Opals, or Fawns for second generation crosses. Remember, the dilution gene is recessive and may not show itself in any first generation cross. Chocolate and Orange Tri colors can be created much the same way only this time you cross with a Chocolate and Orange Tri color or a Chocolate, Lynx or Lilac. All these have a chocolate base color. Keep in mind that a recessive can't hide other genes in its group. Two Blue and Fawn or Chocolate and Orange Tri colors can not produce a Black and Red Tri color. The genes just aren't there.

It's hard not to confuse when Tri colors are involved.