| The ticked group is probably one of the most confusing and misunderstood variety groupings. The Steel and Silver genes are in completely different gene series. The recessive Silvering "si" can manifest its effects of silvering throughout the coat on any color variety. The homozygous "si si" combination is desired for the best silvering, but the Si normal is incompletely dominant over the recessive "si" silvering, and the homozygous Si si will show limited silvering. The dominant Steel gene only shows its effects on Agouti or Tan varieties that are not "ee". So, the following varieties cannot be steels: fawn, orange, red, cream, sable point, frosty. The Steel gene does not show its effect on self varieties such as black because the effect of the steel gene is to darken the hair shaft and diminish light pigment. The steel gene can leave tipping at the ends of the hairshaft, but it does not create it.. The homozygous Agouti Steel EsEs is generally very dark colored with little steeling. Combined with the non-extension gene "e", steeling may also be poor. Tan pattern steels have dark bellies, but no ticking. ARBA Breeds that accept the Silver variety include: Breed Name ARBA Standard Variety Name Champagne D'Argent - standard Creme D'Argent - standard Mini, French, English Lops - Silver/Silver Fox in black, blue, chocolate, lilac Silver Fox - standard (black) Silver - brown, black, fawn ARBA Breeds that accept the Steel variety include: Breed Name ARBA Standard Variety Name English, Satin & French Angoras - Steel: black, blue, chocolate, or lilac basic color Holland Lop - blue steel, chocolate steel, lilac steel, steel English, French & Mini Lops - Steel: black, blue, chocolate, lilac, sable, or smoke pearl basic color Dutch - steel Flemish - steel gray Netherland Dwarf - steel Note that steel may occur in many other breeds such as American, New Zealand, Satin, Mini Rex and others. See the links at the bottom of the agouti page for photos comparing the steel and chestnut agouti coats as well as a silver fur sample. |
| TICKED |
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| Brown Silver Photo Courtesy Of: Nock's Rabbitry |
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| Steel American (non recognized variety) |
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| Dominant Steel Es Recessive Silver si |