agouti/steel genetics

[promiseacres]

have 4 10 day old kits. Out of my blue buck Sam. (Out of a blue tort and black) & Naomi (broken opal and broken black) no otters, chins, or steels in pedigrees. Naomi did have a lot of frosting as a kit.
this is naomi

 

[DutchBunny03]

Your rabbits must have had a recessive otter gene. The gene was recessive for the entire pedigree, and then showed itself when the rabbits bred.

 

[promiseacres]

Well from my research otter cannot "hide" behind self. BUT agouti can be hidden by 2 steel genes (EsEs) causing the agouti to appear self. So at this point suspect Naomi is a super steel, and the kits most likely are Opals (hard to tell due to being brokens) the outlines are very tan and should start showing their undercoat soon. 1 of the broken blues has the frosty look like Naomi did as a kit.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Cool.

 

[promiseacres]

Kits are 6 weeks
Now wondering if the 2 I am questioning are gold tipped blue steel.

 

[promiseacres]

 

[animalmom]

I don't have any answers on your genetics, however those are some beautiful rabbits.

 

[promiseacres]

A steel gene expert might confirm but here is the best explanation I have found.
1. Self (aa) x self (aa) cannot result in an agouti (AA or Aa) rabbit. But an agouti which carries 2 steel genes (Aa---ESES) will look self, known as a super steel
2. My broken blue almost has to be a super steel to get any agouti kits when bred to a self buck. (Knowing his background plus offspring of his from an agouti doe, he is definitely self)
3. The 2 kits that appear opal would be Aa ____ES- making them gold tipped blue steel. They can't be simply opal bc mom doesn't show her agouti gene. The other 2 should be aa ______ES- because we know the sire is Ee (out of a tort and black)

My head is spinning.

 

[DutchBunny03]

The picture is pretty small on my screen, so I'm not sure. But are you completely sure that those are steels? I have a few steels, and they look a lot different.

 

[promiseacres]

The picture is pretty small on my screen, so I'm not sure. But are you completely sure that those are steels? I have a few steels, and they look a lot different.

In Dutch steels only come in black. These would be blue based plus being a rex fur won't look the same. If you've any insight on how 2 selfs would create agouti bunny, let me know. But haven't found any other explanations. I don't even own an adult agouti buck. So absolutely know the sire. I am definitely keeping the buck so will keep everyone updated. But from a conversation with another vlop breeder these can't be simple opals.