General Appearance | Standardized Colors | Standardized Markings and Color Patterns | Provisional Standards

Want to standardize your own type?

Provisional Standards (Unstandardized)

Provisional Colors

Havana
Color: To be a light warm brown color, devoid of rusting.  Belly and foot color to match top.
Faults: Uneven or dark color.
Eye color: Ruby
Genetics: a/a m/m R/r or a/a m/m r/r

Platinum Agouti
Color: A bright blend of pale gray ticking over a rich cream background, with a distinct ice-blue hue.  Undercolor to be pale blue down to the skin.  Belly color to be pale silver.  Feet to be pale gray.
Faults: Strong blue or brownish tones.
Eye color: Red to ruby.
Genetics: A/- g/g r/r

Russian Cinnamon
Color: Coat to consist of a mixture of gold, cream and brown hairs giving an overall golden appearance on a pale silver-Russian blue base.  Undercolor to be pale down to the skin.  Foot color to match top.
Faults: Overly dark, dullness of color, patchy or uneven ticking.
Eye color: Black
Genetics: A/- d/d m/m

Russian Silver
Color: To be a pale blue-gray.  Faint light speckling or subtle ticked effect (heathering) is usual for this variety and is not a fault.  color to be level throughout.  Belly color to match top.  Undercolor to be as pale as possible.  
Faults: Brown, yellow or pink tinges.
Eye Color: Black
Genetics: a/a d/d g/g

Silver
Color: Off white with a cool ice blue cast; this color is genetically a pink-eyed blue.
Eye Color: Red
Genetics: a/a g/g p/p

Provisional Markings

Downunder Berkshire
The rat shall have a solid body color on top, with a colored belly stripe covering the white berkshire belly, and be as symmetrical as possible. There should be as much white dappling and spotting as possible, extending up the sides from the white berkshire belly edges and running full length between the front and rear legs on each side.

The belly stripe is to be a connected and continuous stripe of color, extending from the colored area beneath the throat all the way to, and filling the area between the back legs. The chest and belly should be completely colored. The demarcation between the white side markings and the belly color shall be as even, symmetrical and cleanly cut as possible. The colored belly should not contain any white spots. The back legs should have white socks to the ankle, and the front legs should have white socks to mid leg. The tail should have a white tip. The color is to conform to color standards, with agouti-based animals having paler belly stripes.

Faults: uneven belly markings and side markings; white markings on belly; color on feet, white chin or head spot; missing white tail tip, excepting in pink eye and ruby eye varieties.
Disqualifications: lack of belly stripe, white berkshire belly not visible around belly stripe.

Downunder Hooded
The marking should include all of the head, throat and shoulders, and there should be a connected and continuous stripe of color extending from the colored area between the shoulders all the way to and including as much of the tail as possible. The stripe should measure one inch or slightly wider, and be in proportion to the rat, tapering slightly at the base of the tail to avoid coloring the back legs. The colored stripe should be complete, unbroken and run straight down the line of the spine without curves, being symmetrical on each side, and devoid of brindling or jagged edges. The back legs and feet are to be totally white. The front legs and feet are to be white to at least to mid leg, and preferably all the way to the body without disrupting the hood pigment over the shoulders. The belly stripe should be a connected and continuous stripe of color extending from the colored area beneath the throat all the way to and filling the area between the back legs. The chest and belly should be completely colored. The demarcation between white sides and belly color should be as even, symmetrical and cleanly cut as possible. The color should not extend up the sides and not contain any white spots. The sides are to be white and free of color spots, and the color is to conform to color standards, with agouti-based animals having paler belly stripes.

Faults: uneven, lopsided, narrow, broken or brindled stripe; uneven or brindled hood; color on legs; white marking on head, face or chin; colored spots elsewhere on the body or white spots on the stomach.
Disqualifications: no stripe down spine, no stripe down belly; obvious and conspicuous spots which detract from the appearance of the overall coat pattern.

Downunder Hooded/Spotted
This marking is similar to the Downunder hooded marking, but with as many side spots as possible. The color should include all of the head, throat and shoulders. There should be a connected and continuous stripe of color, extending from the colored area between the shoulders and continuing all the way to, and including, as much of the tail as possible. It should measure one inch or slightly wider, and be in proportion to the rat, tapering slightly at the base of the tail to avoid coloring the back legs. The colored stripe should be complete, unbroken and run straight down the line of the spine without curves, being symmetrical on each side. The brindling or jagged edges are acceptable where it meets spots. The back legs and feet to be totally white or white with colored spots. The front legs and feet are to be white to at least the mid leg, or white with colored spots, preferably all the way to the body without disrupting the hood pigment over the shoulders. The belly stripe should be a connected and continuous stripe of color extending from the colored area beneath the throat all the way to, and filling the area between the back legs. The chest and belly should be completely colored. The demarcation between white sides and belly color shall be as even, symmetrical and clean cut as possible, except where intercepting a spot. The color should not extend up the sides and not contain any white spots. The sides are to be white with as many color spots as possible, and be evenly distributed. The color on the tail can be spotted, with the body color conforming to color standards, with agouti-based animals having paler belly stripes.

Faults: stripe does not reach tail; uneven, lopsided, narrow, broken or brindled stripe; uneven or brindled hood; white marking on head, face or chin; white spot on stomach.
Disqualifications: no stripe down spine or belly; lack of spots.

Downunder Spotted
The back and belly stripes are to be as broken as possible, giving the effect of spotting all over the back and belly. Side spots are desirable. The hood color should include all of the head, throat and shoulders. The line of demarcation beneath the hood should cross the chest where the throat joins, and it should be smooth without raggedness or brindling except where intercepting a spot. There should be a broken and brindled stripe of color extending from the colored area between the shoulders all the way to, and including, as much of the tail as possible. The spread of the spots down the spine is to measure one inch or slightly wider, and be in proportion to the rat, tapering slightly at the base of the tail to avoid coloring the back legs. The back legs and feet are to be totally white or white with colored spots. The front legs and feet are to be white to at least to mid leg or white with colored spots, but preferably white all the way to the body without disrupting the hood pigment over the shoulders. The tail color is to be spotted.

The belly stripe should be a broken and brindled stripe of color extending from the colored area beneath the throat all the way to, and filling the area between the back legs. The chest and belly color should be as broken and spotted as possible. The sides can be clear of color spots, although spotting is desirable, with as many color spots as possible and evenly distributed. The head spot or stripe, and white chin stripe are highly desirable. The head spot or stripe should be even, symmetrical, cleanly cut and not touching the eyes. The color is to conform to color standards, with agouti-based animals having paler belly stripes.

Faults: line of spots does not follow back and belly stripe lines to tail; back stripe or belly color not broken enough; missing color spots on tail.
Disqualifications: lack of spotting on belly conforming to downunder belly stripe; solid stripe down spine or solid stripe down belly.

Downunder Variegated
The back hood is to be as broken up as possible, giving the effect of spotting all over the back with side spotting. Sides are to be white with as many color spots as possible and be evenly distributed. The color should include all of the head, throat and shoulders with splashes of color over the back and sides. There should be a white spot or stripe on the forehead which is even, symmetrical, cleanly cut and not touching the eyes. The back legs and feet are to be totally white or white with colored spots. The front legs and feet are to be white to at least the mid leg, or white with colored spots, preferably all the way to the body without disrupting the hood pigment over the shoulders. The tail color is to be spotted. The belly stripe should be a connected and continuous stripe of color, extending from the colored area beneath the throat all the way to, and filling the area between the back legs. The chest and belly should be completely colored. The demarcation between white sides and belly color shall be as even, symmetrical and clean cut as possible except where intercepting a spot. The belly color should not extend up the sides and not contain any white spots. The sides are to be white with as many color spots as possible and be evenly distributed.  The color is to conform to the color standards, with agouti-based animals having paler belly stripes.

Faults: broken belly stripe; obvious back stripe, or back stripe not broken enough; back spots not evenly distributed from head to tail; missing color spots on tail; lack of headspot or stripe.
Disqualifications: lack of belly stripe; solid stripe down spine; broken belly stripe.

Provisional Color Patterns

Black Eyed Siamese
Body color to be medium beige, gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. There should be no white or very pale areas anywhere on the body, feet or tail. Tail color to extend down the length of the tail. Belly to be light beige. Points to be as dark as possible and shade evenly into the body color.
Eyes: Black
Genetics: c^h/c^h Be/-

Seal Point Siamese: Body color to be a medium beige gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being the darkest at base of tail. Points to be a rich, dark sepia and to shade evenly into the body color.
Russian Blue Point Siamese: Body color to be ivory with a deep gray cast, the darker the better, gradually and evenly shaded over the saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. The points to be a dark gray-blue.
Blue Point Siamese: Points to be a medium slate blue. Body color to be ivory. Warm blue cast gradually and evenly shaded over the saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being the darkest at the tail.

Black Eyed Himalayan
Body color to be white, free from stains and even throughout, with points to be as dark as possible.
Note - Color areas: 1. face - not to extend upwards from eyes. 2. ears - not to extend downwards from the base. 3. forelegs - not to extend upwards beyond the elbows. 4. hind legs - not to extend upwards beyond the ankle. 5. tail - not to extend beyond the tail root. 6. feet - to be solid color throughout, devoid of any white.
Eyes: Black
Genetics: a/a c^h/c Be/-

Seal Point Himalayan: Points to be a rich, dark sepia.
Russian Blue Point Himalayan: Points to be a dark gray-blue.
Blue Point Himalayan: Points to be a medium slate blue.

Burmese
Color: To be an even, rich medium brown, devoid of dinginess, silvering, or patches with darker points on the feet, tail, nose and ears of the same color.  There is to be a strong contrast between the points and body color.
Disqualifications: white markings, no points
Eye Color: Black
Genetics: Bu/bu

Sable Burmese
Color: To be a warm, dark brown with subtle darker points on the feet, tail, nose and ears.  Devoid of dinginess, silvering or patches.  Contrast between points and body color not to be overstated.  Any suggestion of black in the points to be penalized.
Disqualifications: white markings, no points
Eye Color: Black
Genetics: Bu/Bu

Want to standardize your own type?

General Appearance | Standardized Colors | Standardized Markings and Color Patterns | Provisional Standards