>From:    kat parsons <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: question...
 
First of all.  Don't worry.  There is nothing specificaly you can do to
change Wolfie.  Sounds like you don't really need to even if you could
 
>i have a question for you...re: "Silver mitt - meaning a ferret who has
>only black, white and grey hair"...
 
The color the AFA calls a black (not a black sable - goofy naming schemes)
usually has white feet.  Often has roaning which is a sprinkling of white
hairs through out the coat.  These are the silver mitts we meant.  Some
folks use silver for any ferret with roaning.
 
This pattern appears to be not a Waardenburg pattern (though as is becoming
noted in ferret breeding forums the Waardenburg patterns seem to have
different names in some other species.
 
>when i got Wolfie, he looked just like a silver wolf...i got him as a
>kit...but since then...LOL...[i know they change coats for the seasons]...
>but wolfie changes from a silver mitt...[described above] to brown/black
>hairs over golden undercoat...
 
Dunno.  We haven't figured out precisely the genetics of the black mitts.
Its hard to figure out for sure that it is a completely different gene
from the ones that are called Waardenburg because too many breeders have no
clue about color genetics and have spoiled too much of the genetic pool by
indiscriminate breeding of the Waardenburg ferrets to the point that its
seems almost all hobby bred ferrets have that defect in their background
now. <sigh>  To us a breeder SHOULD breed for color just to prevent the
loss of colors.  Not all breedings have to be between two of the same color
but tracking colors can help track these genetic flaws.  If you don't know
what you are doing with colors you should be breding in particular anything
very exotic colorwise.
 
>does this make him NOT a silver mitt?...if so...what IS he???..besides
>one of the sweetest ferrets i have ever known...:)
 
Does Wolfie have white kneecaps?  A definite bib?  Any white marks on the
top of the head?  Are the white feet clean on the edge or rather ragged?
 
>From:    Marie Schatz <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: WS
 
There seems to be a correlation between blue merle in dogs and champagne or
cinnamon in ferrets (and palomino in horses).  The albino ferrets though do
not seem to have the same problems that the double dilute dogs do.
 
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3123]