Silver
Two silvers
There are two standardised versions of silver that can be exhibited; pink eyed silver and black eyed silver. This is unusual as most colours of mice have either pink or black eyes (another exception is Siamese). Genetically, a pink eyed silver may be a pink eyed blue (a/a, B/*, C/*, d/d, p/p) or a dove (pink eyed black) selected for paleness. I believe that a lot of the pink eyed silvers currently in the UK fancy are actually pale doves.
In the case of the pink eyed silver, the pink eyed dilution gene is what is responsible for the colour of the mouse’s fur. There has been speculation about how to recreate black eyed silvers in the fancy for many years. It may be that a c-diluted blue or lilac or a lilac selected for paleness (and to eradicate any brownish tinge) is the fancy’s black eyed silver. Both chocolate and blue dilution pre-date the origination of the black eyed silver standard, so it is certainly possible.
In the case of the pink eyed silver, the pink eyed dilution gene is what is responsible for the colour of the mouse’s fur. There has been speculation about how to recreate black eyed silvers in the fancy for many years. It may be that a c-diluted blue or lilac or a lilac selected for paleness (and to eradicate any brownish tinge) is the fancy’s black eyed silver. Both chocolate and blue dilution pre-date the origination of the black eyed silver standard, so it is certainly possible.
Silver (left) and dove (right)
One of the issues faced by silver breeders is a pale nose and tail root, which appears to be practically white in poor examples. It is also necessary that the colour be even both top and under; some mice have paler bellies than top colour and this is undesirable. As a pale self, silvers are expected to have good type and size as it can most certainly be obtained in this variety. Due to the colour of the fur, silvers join the likes of champagnes, whites and creams who often display a ‘line under’. This is almost like a parting and is more obvious on mice with thinner belly fur. Bucks tend to be better than does in this respect.