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

New Standard Proposal

Information on standardizing colors, markings and coat types.

Any member of an RSA-affiliate club can submit a proposal for a new color, marking, or variety.  The proposal must be for a color, marking or variety that is distinct from any current RSA-standardized rat.

Completion of the RSA standards proposal application which includes:

• Written standard

• History of the proposed standard—how it came to be discovered/created, different variants, how it is reproduced, dominant/recessive

• 3-generation pedigree to show that the proposed standard breeds true

• Health issues and other potential problems associated with the standard

• Genetic description if possible

• Name for the proposed standard

Pictures need to be taken of the animal (taken both indoors and outdoors), showing full view of each side of the animal, the belly of the animal, a top, bird’s-eye view of the animal, and a close-up of the animal’s face/head for a total of ten pictures in all.

 For a Provisional color, variety or marking to become standardized the following requirements must be met:

• Ten specimens of the proposed standard must be shown at an RSA-sanctioned show under at least two different RSA judges.

• The same rat may not be counted more than once toward the total number of 10 specimens.

During the standardization process, breeders working with the proposed standard must continue to better the rat in accordance with the standard that was set forth and keep full and accurate records of all breedings and outcomes, including both the positive and negatives.  These documents will be submitted to the RSA Standards Chair and kept on file.

When ten rats of the proposed standard have been exhibited, the RSA standards committee shall meet to review the paperwork, application, pictures, show results, pedigrees and to discuss and re-evaluate the proposal.  At this time, any suggested changes to the standard made by the breeders or RSA judges during the exhibition process, may be discussed and or applied.  The Standards committee may also rewrite the proposed standard to ensure that it is syntactically consistent with the RSA standards that are already in place.

Click here for the Application for New Proposal of New Color, Variety or Marking

Numbers of Provisional rats shown:

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