08-19-2005, 01:16 PM
If I bred a Black Checkered Giant and a Blue Checkered Giant together would I get a mix of the two colors in one rabbit or just some blue babies and some black babies?
08-19-2005, 01:16 PM
08-20-2005, 01:29 AM
What you get would depend on the actual genetic make-up of the Black rabbit. When you are looking at the Black Checker, you are seeing its phenotype (how the rabbit appears on the outside).
What you can\'t see is the genotype. This refers to the genetic make-up for color. You can get a better idea of what could be inside by seeing what colors the ancestors carried.
Blue is essentially Black with a dilute gene modifying the gene for Black color. Because the dilute modifier is recessive there must be a pair of dilute genes for the Blue color to be expressed in the phenotype (what you see).
A Black rabbit will appear phenotypically, just as Black whether it carries two genes for Black color or one gene for Black and one dilute modifier.
If your Black Checker has two genes for Black, then all of the offspring will be Black. Guaranteed. If your Black Checker has one Black and one dilute gene, then theoretically, you could have 50% of the kits come out Black and 50% come out Blue. (You have to remember, though that what genes pair with what is like rolling the dice. You could get all Blacks, all Blues, or any percentage breakdown.) Now, all the Black offspring from this mating will be heterozygous for Black (each will have one gene for Black and one dilute gene). Breed any of these bunnies to a Blue or another Black carrying the dilute gene, and you can get some Blues.
What you won\'t get, will be bunnies that have a combination of Blue and Black coloration mixed together. It is an all or nothing scenario - all Black bunnies or all Blue.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
What you can\'t see is the genotype. This refers to the genetic make-up for color. You can get a better idea of what could be inside by seeing what colors the ancestors carried.
Blue is essentially Black with a dilute gene modifying the gene for Black color. Because the dilute modifier is recessive there must be a pair of dilute genes for the Blue color to be expressed in the phenotype (what you see).
A Black rabbit will appear phenotypically, just as Black whether it carries two genes for Black color or one gene for Black and one dilute modifier.
If your Black Checker has two genes for Black, then all of the offspring will be Black. Guaranteed. If your Black Checker has one Black and one dilute gene, then theoretically, you could have 50% of the kits come out Black and 50% come out Blue. (You have to remember, though that what genes pair with what is like rolling the dice. You could get all Blacks, all Blues, or any percentage breakdown.) Now, all the Black offspring from this mating will be heterozygous for Black (each will have one gene for Black and one dilute gene). Breed any of these bunnies to a Blue or another Black carrying the dilute gene, and you can get some Blues.
What you won\'t get, will be bunnies that have a combination of Blue and Black coloration mixed together. It is an all or nothing scenario - all Black bunnies or all Blue.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
08-20-2005, 12:34 PM
08-20-2005, 01:01 PM
You\'re welcome.