Donna Anastasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>One gerbil clan I have is Cara (pied agouti), older daughter Megan
>(agouti), and
>from the next litter younger daughter Janie (agouti). As Janie started
>approaching the size of Megan I became worried that I would not be able to tell
>the difference, so I started looking for markings. Then one day just as you
>mentioned it hit me that Megan is a completely different shade than Janie.
>
>Janie is a duller brown and Megan is orange/gold. Where you can really tell it
>on the line between the back color and the white belly -- Janie's is grey,
>Megan's is gold. When I mentioned this to the GML, Julian (I think!)
>said it is
>due to the gold tinted agouti carrying a ch gene (which Megan's father does).
>Also, btw, he said these orangey ones are the more winning gerbils in
>the agouti
>competition at gerbil shows.
>
>Donna
>
>PS -- I can also tell the difference by temperament. Megan is calm and
>confident and Janie more cautious and skiddish (and fast!).
>
It is e that makes agoutis a little more yellow.
--
Julian
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National Gerbil Society
http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
