new colour patterns / Colors? you tell me.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Questions:

1.) Does ANYONE out there have an all white ASF? (albino or non albino)

2.) If it is in fact an all white ASF, and not albino... how does that happen? Is there something wrong with it?

3.) isn't the pink eye delusion in normal rats a bad thing? would that mean it is a bad thing with ASF's to for some reason?

[littleindiangirl]

I have never seen an all white ASF. If it is an all white ASF with pink eyes, it could be the first true albino ASF.

Remember, an albino is lacking all color, making it white with pink eyes.


The yellow/orange ASF's people call albinos, are NOT albinos. It is a melanin dilution, it dilutes the browns and blacks, leaving yellow and red behind. It is in no way an albino. In domestic rats it is called the Pink Eyed Dilute (PED), and another gene of less potency, the Red Eyed Dilute (RED).


So far, none of my PED ASF's or the Cinnamons (cinnamons/brown are what I suspect to be RED) have any major side effects.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Ok... I think I get what you are saying. So a true albino rat is ONLY all white with red eyes. Is that correct? In other words, even if the eyes are red, if there is any color on fir other then white, it is a Pink Eye Dilluted and not an albino?

If it is all white with black eyes... what does that mean?

Here is a twist in the question for you connie.... moving away from rodents and talking about snakes... an albino ball python. Is it really an albino??? or is it actually another example of pink eye dilluted?

great conversation by the way... thanks!!!

[littleindiangirl]

Ok... I think I get what you are saying. So a true albino rat is ONLY all white with red eyes. Is that correct? In other words, even if the eyes are red, if there is any color on fir other then white, it is a Pink Eye Dilluted and not an albino?

If it is all white with black eyes... what does that mean?

Here is a twist in the question for you connie.... moving away from rodents and talking about snakes... an albino ball python. Is it really an albino??? or is it actually another example of pink eye dilluted?

great conversation by the way... thanks!!!

It's difficult to say, and I certainly don't presume to know if the mammalian albino is the same all across the board as well as reptilian albino definition.

The definition for Albinism in the Domestic rat, albino simply means the animal has no melanin production. Which is why they are white with pink eyes.

Obviously the albino Ball python seems to be producing the Yellow Phaeomelanin, and not producing the blacks or browns. But I don't know if the yellow is actually yellow pigment continuing to be produced, or if it is some other trait that produces yellow coloring. I just don't have that answer.

However, in rats, the dilute genes that create a yellow or orange and blue are specifically considered dilutes.

They (PED rats) very well could be considered a form of albinism, I'm just following the lead of already described scientific terms for the ASF's based on the domestic rat and calling them dilutes.


Oh, btw, there are ways of creating an all white rat with black eyes and not be a genetically true albino. Most often they selectively breed for a higher and higher white animal, or have control of other specific genes that limit the area that the pigment cells travel to on the body.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

well, we will see. right now it is still more pink then white... but all its siblins I can already clearly see what the pattern and color they will be. It still remains patternless.... with only white hairs. I would say it is about a week from having eyes all the way open.

[dacalio]

Hey Mike I have a few solid colored offspring from your babies.

David

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Hey Mike I have a few solid colored offspring from your babies.

David

what colours do you have so far?

Mike

[littleindiangirl]

well, we will see. right now it is still more pink then white... but all its siblins I can already clearly see what the pattern and color they will be. It still remains patternless.... with only white hairs. I would say it is about a week from having eyes all the way open.

Well make them hurry up and grow! You could have the first albino ASF Mike!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Well make them hurry up and grow! You could have the first albino ASF Mike!

Darn it!... I am starting to think that this is not going to happen.

The light tan one is the only one of the 3 that has opened his eyes so far, and he is my first pink eye dillute self. his entire coat is very light tan, and he has pink eyes.

Still waiting on the other two selfs to open their eyes (one is very dark grey or black.... the other is the white / possibly turning light tan)