HARLIES, MAGPIES AND TRI'S
All to often we see people on forums or social media, with Japanese brindled patterned rabbits, wanting to find a compatible mate in their herd to mate it to; usually to reproduce more of the same colour.
This pattern group is the most popular in pets shops by far, or at least the ones that will sell the fastest.
But what can you do to ensure that your harlies, magpies and tri's are not just pet quality?
This pattern group is the most popular in pets shops by far, or at least the ones that will sell the fastest.
But what can you do to ensure that your harlies, magpies and tri's are not just pet quality?
Before you begin a basic knowledge of rabbit genetics is desirable. If not have a read anyway and ignore the 'abcdefg.....' (as some put it) as you should still be able to grasp the basics.
A basic run down of rabbit colour inheritance - click through.
A basic run down of rabbit colour inheritance - click through.
The Japanese brindling gene is responsible for magpies, harlies and tris. It basically creates a striped/ block effect (or mottled in the case of tris) This gene sits on the E Locus. A brief explanation of the Locus below.
The E series very simply governs the distribution of black (or what ever colour is being displayed in its place ie blue, choc, lilac)
In order of dominance (top most dominant, bottom least)
The E series very simply governs the distribution of black (or what ever colour is being displayed in its place ie blue, choc, lilac)
In order of dominance (top most dominant, bottom least)
Es- A steel rabbit (more than the normal amount of black).
E-normal distribution as in self, agouti or otter/ marten.
ej- Japanese brindling creating a striped/ block effect
e- restriction to points in self (sooty fawn, seal point ect), near removal in agouti (orange/ fawn)
E-normal distribution as in self, agouti or otter/ marten.
ej- Japanese brindling creating a striped/ block effect
e- restriction to points in self (sooty fawn, seal point ect), near removal in agouti (orange/ fawn)
Harlequin (black and orange) AABBCCDDejej
B.R.C. colour description:
Harlequin Black
Overall impresion patchwork of golden orange and black. Back: Orange and black top colour in stripes. Belly: Orange and black top colour in stripes. Ears one black one orange. Legs two black two orange. Face half orange half black. Eyes brown. Nails light or dark horn.
Genotype A-B-C-D-e j-
So we have already established that you will need your most dominant allele on the E Locus to be ej (Japanese brindle).
Next it is important to use an agouti patterned rabbit, however this will need to be either a rabbit already expressing Japanese brindling or a non extension agouti, this could be an orange AABBCCDDee or Fawn AABBCCddee. Using agouti non extension rabbits, rather than self non extension rabbits (sooty, beige etc) defines the pattern, making it a lot sharper and enhances the orange colouring. Using a self non extension rabbit often results in wishy washy undefined specimens.
Recap: Best compatibility orange & fawn (agouti non extension)
Magpies (black and white) AABBcchdcchdDDejej
B.R.C. colour description:
Magpie Black
Overall impresion patchwork of white and black. Back: white and black top colour in stripes. Belly: white and black top colour in stripes. Ears one black one white. Legs two black two white . Face half white half black. Eyes brown. Nails light or dark horn.
Genotype A-B-cchd-D-ej-
The difference you will notice from Harlie to Magpie is what is going on with the C Locus. 'cchd' or 'the (dark) chin gene' strips away the orange colouring and replaces it with white.
Here is a brief explanation of the C Series which governs black and yellow pigmentation.
C-Full expression of black and yellow pigmentation
cchd- dark chinchilla, think chins, black and white only
cchl- light chinchilla, think sable (yellow/ sepia more evident) but mainly black and white
ch- himi, extreme and dramatic restriction to points
c- albino or red eyed white (completely white)
It is important not to deviate away from using dark chin (cchd) in this instance. I have seen sable magpies and they just look mucky, exhibiting shades of brown and sepia.
Recap: Best compatability ghost Chin AABBcchdcchdDDee (this is basically an orange chinchilla)
Tri-colour (white, black & orange spotting) AABBCCDDejej Enen
The difference between a harlie and a tri is quite simply the butterfly gene (or broken as some may call it) By adding the butterfly gene spotting is created.
So if you have a harlie, quite simply by putting a orange butterfly or fawn butterfly to it will create your very own tris!
An absolute no no for tris is mixing dark chin (as found in magpies/ chins). In short don't mix your magpies with your tri's or later on you'll regret it. You could end up with a black and white spotted rabbit.
Recap: Orange butterfly, fawn butterfly or choc fawn/ wheaten butterfly + harlie = tris and harlies.
Alternatively for 100% tris.....Orange/ fawn/ choc fawn CHARLIE (EnEn- double butterfly) + harlie = tris!
As for getting the pattern right, your on your own! It is said that two well marked rabbits do not necessarily create the same. Yet two poorly marked rabbits can be put together with wonderful results. Pattern is more like the chaos theory!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Fun fact!
Photo with thanks to Laura Irven
With the rise in the pet industry of 'splits' (Vienna marked/ carriers), breeders have discovered something very similar to tri dutch!
It has often been speculated that dutch markings have similar origins to the Vienna heterozygous marking 'Vv' (one dose of b.e.w.)
As you can see the rabbit to the right is both Vienna 'split' and has normal presentation of harlequin (albeit blue harlequin)
A harlequin butterfly however would be spotted or mottled.
It has often been speculated that dutch markings have similar origins to the Vienna heterozygous marking 'Vv' (one dose of b.e.w.)
As you can see the rabbit to the right is both Vienna 'split' and has normal presentation of harlequin (albeit blue harlequin)
A harlequin butterfly however would be spotted or mottled.