Chinchilla
Chinchilla bred by Brian Cookson
The chinchilla mouse is more commonly an agouti tan (A/a^t) that is homozygous for chinchilla dilution (c^ch). This 'bleaches' the yellow pigment to a creamy or white colour. The same phenotype can also be made using the white bellied agouti gene (A^w), though this gene seems to be relatively rare in the present day fancy. The c^ch gene seems to have originally occurred in the stock of a fancier, from where it was obtained by a US laboratory and recorded in 1922. The gene was then imported to the UK by Dr J N Pickard and gained a standard in 1933.
When breeding chinchillas, fanciers must be careful that the coat does not acquire a brownish cast. This ruins the colour and will not be looked upon kindly by judges. Avoid breeding from such mice, and do not use chocolates (including carriers) or champagnes as outcrosses. To show off the white belly to its best advantage, the belly should be well covered. For this reason, bucks may naturally show better than does.
When breeding chinchillas, fanciers must be careful that the coat does not acquire a brownish cast. This ruins the colour and will not be looked upon kindly by judges. Avoid breeding from such mice, and do not use chocolates (including carriers) or champagnes as outcrosses. To show off the white belly to its best advantage, the belly should be well covered. For this reason, bucks may naturally show better than does.
Chinchilla bred by Sarah Yeomans
Moult is a problem for exhibitors of the chinchilla. According to Jones, "No exhibition animal can succeed if its coat is molting and the chinchilla seems to molt more than any other mouse. Why this is so is not clear, but it is certainly a nuisance for the exhibitor of the variety".
Chinchillas of the genotype A/a^t B/* c^ch/c^ch D/* P/* will not breed true, producing chinchillas, silver agoutis and black foxes. Those using the white bellied agouti gene will breed true, making this genotype more desirable if available.
The chinchilla dilution is also used to make several other standardised varieties including silver agouti, silver fox, marten sable and argente creme.
Chinchillas of the genotype A/a^t B/* c^ch/c^ch D/* P/* will not breed true, producing chinchillas, silver agoutis and black foxes. Those using the white bellied agouti gene will breed true, making this genotype more desirable if available.
The chinchilla dilution is also used to make several other standardised varieties including silver agouti, silver fox, marten sable and argente creme.
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