List of Rabbit Colors for Angoras
One of my favorite thing about Angoras are the multitude of colors that they can have. Below I will try my best to accurately represent each color as well as a little information about it and I will update this page as I find more information or pictures.
White Group ( with Vienna Marked)
REW- A REW or ruby eyed white is a white rabbit displaying red eyes. This color pops up when both parents carry the little "c" gene which removes all color from the rabbit.
BEW- A BEW or a blue eyed white is a white rabbit with blue eyes. This color is uncommon as it is caused by a double recessive little "v" gene. Rabbits that carry this gene are called Vienna Marked or Vienna Carriers and they often display white markings and can sometimes have blue eyes.
* After speaking with many respectable breeders, we have made the decision to no longer breed for Blue Eyed Whites in our rabbitry as the double recessive gene can often carry significant health issues and temperament problems. We believe that the rabbit's health and well being is far more important than breeding for a specific trait that is purely cosmetic.
BEW- A BEW or a blue eyed white is a white rabbit with blue eyes. This color is uncommon as it is caused by a double recessive little "v" gene. Rabbits that carry this gene are called Vienna Marked or Vienna Carriers and they often display white markings and can sometimes have blue eyes.
* After speaking with many respectable breeders, we have made the decision to no longer breed for Blue Eyed Whites in our rabbitry as the double recessive gene can often carry significant health issues and temperament problems. We believe that the rabbit's health and well being is far more important than breeding for a specific trait that is purely cosmetic.
Vienna Marked or Vienna Carriers "VM" or "VC"- A Vienna Marked or Carrier Rabbit is a rabbit that has one little "v" gene. Even though these rabbits are not white because of that gene they are able to produce the BEW color so I have included them in this section. A Vienna marked rabbit can be any color but they often display a white marking on the nose. They can even sometimes display markings on the feet or look "dutch-marked" which is not to be confused with broken coloring. Because of the Markings, a Vienna marked rabbit cannot be shown but they do play a vital role in producing a blue eyed white rabbit. A Vienna carrier rabbit however is a rabbit that still has one little "v" gene but lacks the marking so that it can still produce a BEW rabbit but can also be shown.
*We no longer breed vienna marked rabbits
*We no longer breed vienna marked rabbits
Pointed White- A pointed White rabbit is a white rabbit with red eyes that also has dark coloring called points on the nose, ears, feet and Tail. Pointed white is caused by the "c(h)" gene.
Pointed White Varieties:
Pointed Black
Pointed Blue
Pointed Chocolate
Pointed Lilac
Pointed White Varieties:
Pointed Black
Pointed Blue
Pointed Chocolate
Pointed Lilac
Self Group
The Self group is represented by two little "a" genes as it is recessive to agouti. there are four self varieties.
Black- Black is defined as jet black face and guard hairs with wool of a dark slate color.
Blue- Blue is the Dilute of Black and it is defined as face and guard hairs to be a deep blue/ gray color with wool of a slightly lighter color.
Chocolate- Chocolate is defined as face to be a deep brown while the wool is a warm dove gray.
Lilac- Lilac is the dilute of Chocolate and is defined as the face being a dove gray with wool being a lighter shade.
Shaded Group
Tortoiseshell is caused by two little "e" gene in combination with the two little "a" self genes.
Black Tort- Wool is a beige color over the back shading to black down the sides. Mask, feet, ears, and tail are to be black
Blue Tort- Wool is a beige color over the back shading to blue down the sides. Mask, feet, ears, and tail are to be blue
Chocolate Tort- Wool is a beige color over the back shading to chocolate down the sides. Mask, feet, ears, and tail are to be chocolate.
Lilac Tort- Wool is a beige color over the back which shading to lilac down the sides. Mask, feet, ears, and tail are to be lilac
Pearl and Sable are caused by the "chinchilla based pearls are caused by the "c(chd)" gene and sable based pearls are caused by the "c(chl)" gene.
Pearl- light or dark markings on the nose, feet, ears, and tail. Wool is to have a white under color.
Pearl Variations:
Sable Pearl
Black Pearl
Blue Pearl
Chocolate Pearl
Lilac Pearl
Pearl Variations:
Sable Pearl
Black Pearl
Blue Pearl
Chocolate Pearl
Lilac Pearl
Sable- a rich deep brown with ears, feet, head, nose, tail a deep brown.
Seal- Is the same as sable yet so dark it almost looks black
Smoke Pearl- Guard hairs are to be dark blue wool is to be a smoky blue that fades down the sides into a lighter pearl gray
Agouti Group
Agouti is caused by the big "A" gene. Agouti rabbit should have banded and ticked body color with ears laced with ticked color. Rabbits will display white or tan around the eyes, inside of ears, nape of neck, nostrils, underside of jowls, belly, and the underside of tail.
Chestnut Agouti- color is a rich chestnut, ticked with black guard hairs. wool should have alternating bands of tan and slate with blue gray undercolor.
Chocolate Agouti - Surface color is a rich Chestnut with chocolate tipped guard hairs. Wool should have alternating bands of tan and chocolate.
Copper Agouti - Color is bright rufus red with jet black tipped guard hairs. Wool should have alternating bands of bright orange and slate gray.
Opal- Color is mostly blue with blue ticking. Wool should have alternating bands of tan and blue.
Lynx- Color is a light tan with lilac tipped guard hairs. Wool should have alternating bands of Lilac and tan.
Lynx- Color is a light tan with lilac tipped guard hairs. Wool should have alternating bands of Lilac and tan.
Chinchilla
This rare color is defined as a surface color of slate and pearl ticked with black. Wool should have alternating bands of blue/gray. Chinchilla is caused by the "c(chd)" Genes.
Chinchilla Varieties:
Chinchilla
Chocolate Chinchilla
Lilac Chinchilla
Squirrel- color is a blend of blue and pearl ticked with blue. Wool should have bands of Pearl and slate.
Chinchilla
This rare color is defined as a surface color of slate and pearl ticked with black. Wool should have alternating bands of blue/gray. Chinchilla is caused by the "c(chd)" Genes.
Chinchilla Varieties:
Chinchilla
Chocolate Chinchilla
Lilac Chinchilla
Squirrel- color is a blend of blue and pearl ticked with blue. Wool should have bands of Pearl and slate.
Broken Group
The Broken Group is essentially any angora color in combination with white. The color is "broken" up so that the rabbit looks spotted. Broken is caused by one big "En" gene. ARBA currently does not recognize this color pattern for showing in the English Angora breed but it is in the process of being so. A well Marked Broken should have color on both ears, eyes, and a spot over the nose. The spots on the body can be found in a blanket pattern or evenly spaced. A broken colored rabbit should not have less than 10% coloring or more than 50% coloring. This color is still fairly new to English Angoras.
Harlequin Group
Harlequin is caused by the "ej" gene. There are two color patterns found in harlequin, Barred and Banded. Barred harlequin look like they have a line down the center with alternating patches of color to the side that look almost like a checkered flag. Banded Harlequin have alternating bands of color. Harlequin is not an ARBA Recognized color for angoras but it is very beautiful and very rare.
Magpie Harlequin- Magpie harlequin is alternating patches of white in combination with black, blue, chocolate, or lilac.
Tricolor- Tricolor is Harlequin and Broken combined creating a calico like effect.
Japanese Harlequin- Japanese harlequin is alternating patches of tan in combination with black, blue, chocolate, or lilac.
Tricolor- Tricolor is Harlequin and Broken combined creating a calico like effect.
Japanese Harlequin- Japanese harlequin is alternating patches of tan in combination with black, blue, chocolate, or lilac.
Wide Band Group
All wide band Rabbits have white around the eyes, nose, inside of ears, nape of neck, belly, underside of tail, and underside of jowls. Wide band is caused by two little "e" genes in combination with a big "A" gene. it is essentially the Tort of the agouti world. The intensity of the color is determined by the rufus factor. Rabbits with a high rufus become red, while dilute or no rufus result in a cream. Fawn falls somewhere in the middle.
Fawn- Fawn is a clear golden color
Cream- Cream is essentially a very pale fawn.
Red- Red is essentially a very bright red fawn
Red- Red is essentially a very bright red fawn
Ticked Group
All Rabbits in the Ticked group are Steel in color. Steel is caused by the "Es" gene. Steel is defined as having ticking with belly and underside wool being slightly lighter in color. Steel is also split into two ticking groups: silver tipped which is a chinchilla based steel and Gold tipped which is an agouti based steel.
Steel Variations:
Black Steel
Blue Steel
Chocolate Steel
Lilac Steel
Steel Variations:
Black Steel
Blue Steel
Chocolate Steel
Lilac Steel
Tan Pattern Varieties
Tan varieties are currently not recognized colors in any of the angora breeds however there are several people working on developing colors in this group so I have included it here anyways. Tan varieties are cause by the "at" gene.
Otter: Otter is defined as surface color a self color that covers the head, outside of ears, front of forefeet, outside of hind feet, top and sides of the body. Orange markings will be present in black and chocolate animals and fawn in blue or lilac animals. These markings should be present on the belly, nostrils, jowls, underside of tail, inside of ears, back of fore feet and front of hind feet, and will appear cream in color and will fade to orange or fawn where it meets with the surface color. Undercolor is to be gray.
Black Otter: surface color to be black with orange markings.
Chocolate Otter: Surface color to be chocolate with orange markings.
Blue Otter
Lilac Otter
Lilac Otter