# diluting colours



## Maze (Feb 12, 2009)

Just wanted to know if there were any colours that might cause dilution in pups when put with a darker colour??
:?


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Yes :lol: The parents would need matching genes though as the babies would have to inherit two copies to show the dilution. To get a better answer you'd need to be a bit more specific


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## Maze (Feb 12, 2009)

is it like a recessive gene then? I was just thinking of how to lighten reds or chocolate colours :?


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I think you might mean something different to what I was thinking. In genetic terms dilution doesn't mean quite the same thing. For example a mouse with pink eyes has pink eyed dilution genetically, or a chocolate is a black mouse with chocolate dilution. If you are talking about how to breed a paler version of a colour then you are looking at selective breeding as you already have the genetic result you need, it is just the phenotype (appearance) you want to change, not the genetic make up.


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## Maze (Feb 12, 2009)

ahh okay lol I forgot that chocolate was already a dilution etc. :lol: :roll: 
hmmm okay back to the drawing board


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## Maze (Feb 12, 2009)

okay, I'm probably really confusing myself here, but would that mean for example a chocolate is dilution of black and a stone is an extreme dilution of black are these the same genes? Or are they different because of the level of dilution? :? !! what would such a match make?


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Sorry I'm not sure what you mean...


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

The chocolate dilutionb(b) and the extreme dilution (ce)which causes stone are different genes, both are recessive so in theory a mouse could be both chocolate and extreme dilute the mouse would appear a stone because the effect of extreme dilution is more 'extreme' than the chocolate dilution.

Do you have a specific cross in mind, if so write the details here and someone can tell you exactly what to expect.

If you cross a chocolate and a stone you could end up with a litter of blacks because as recessive genes the offspring have to inherit one from each parent. However as I said earlier your stone might also have the chocolate gene but you cant see it because of the effect of the extreme dilution gene.


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## Maze (Feb 12, 2009)

lmao! :lol: I was just replying in a different way as I'm rubbish at trying to explain what I mean. but you got it, before I finished! 
thanks lol this explains what I wanted to know 
thank you!


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