Mutation Combinations

Tan

The Tan is the most common mutation combination involving the Ebony, and is a combination of Ebony and Tower Beige. The colour of this chinchilla strongly resembles that of a Beige or Brown Velvet, with the exception that the veiling coverage extends throughout the belly strip of the animal. This is a very striking colour, and has spawned a number of names such as Chocolate and Pastel to describe the differing colour phases of them. The Tan is the main combination colour of Ebony, with other combinations rarely or never seen on show tables.

Colour Phases of the Tan

The descriptions below follow those as described in the Ebony section of this chapter, assuming that the Ebony mutation is comprised of four cumulative genes (See the Tasco section within theEbony page).

• Extra-Dark Tan - A true 'Every-Hair-Shiny-Brown' Tan with no paling or fading in the veiling coverage anywhere on the animal. The fur colour and intensity should be a true Deep-Brown colouration, and should show the blueness which ALL chinchillas should exhibit if of quality.

• Dark Tan - A 'Mostly-Every-Hair-Shiny-Brown' Tan, except for some slight paling or fading in the veiling coverage over the hips OR the shoulders of the animal. Some slight Beige colouration, rather than Deep-Brown colouration in the belly strip from the desired intense Deep Brown. The fur colour and intensity other than the areas of Beige veiling should be a true Deep-Brown colouration, and should show the blueness which ALL chinchillas should exhibit if of quality.

• Medium-Dark Tan - A 'Mostly-Every-Hair-Shiny-Brown' Tan, except for some slight paling or fading in the veiling coverage over the hips AND the shoulders of the animal . Some additional beige colouration in the belly strip from the desired intense Deep-Brown. The fur colour and intensity in the centre of the back (Centre of the Grotzen) should be a true Deep-Brown colouration, and should show the blueness which ALL chinchillas should exhibit if of quality.

• Medium Tan - A Tan that shows some Brown colouration, but which has Beige Agouti fur type with a bar around the sides of the animal (over the hips, rump and shoulders), and does not have the necessary intensity of Deep-Brown colouration. The Belly Strip will be Beige, not Brown and will tend to show some white/whitishness.

• Light Tan - An animal that is predominantly Beige-looking, possibly showing little Brownish/Ebony Characteristics such as Brown tipping and a discoloured belly. These animals may also resemble the Beige and may have a whitish belly strip.

Genetics of the Tan

The Ebony, as has been stated, is a cumulative dominant mutation. Dependant on the number of genes it inherits from it's parents, an Ebony will resemble whatever the 'base' colouration the animal is which has some Ebony genes. If this is Beige, the chinchilla would look like a Beige, only the veiling coverage will extend to include the belly fur, and the effect of the additional darkening due to the Ebony genes will darken the offspring. This is why there are several colour phases of Tan, ranging from the deepest dark brown colour (due to Beige + Extra-Dark Ebony), to the lightest Beige colour (Beige + Light Ebony).

Breeding Tans

Tans are a complex mutation to breed, since they involve the Ebony mutation which in itself is a complex cumulative dominant Mutation. It is imperative that when attempting to breed a Tan, that only the finest examples of Ebony and Tower Beige are used, paying specific attention to the fur qualities, and the clarity of your chinchillas. The darkening effect which the Ebony adds to the Beige to become the Tan is not attractive if the clarity of colour is poor and if the animal is tinged or not blue (the blue hue which all chinchillas should have, if of high quality). The addition of the Beige gene may imporve the appearance of the veiling and intensity of the Ebony, since Beiges tend to have good veiling coverage.

The following is a list comprising the possible colour-phase combinations of Tans and Ebonies. This is based on the theory discussed in the Ebony webpage of this site, which is a point of conjecture. The aims of this information is not to encourage the breeding of Ebony-to-Ebony, but to state, based on the theories outlined, the expected colour phases it is possible to produce. It is imperative that high quality Standards are used in the breeding of all Mutations if they are to become, or remain chinchillas of quality and beauty.

Extra-Dark Tan x Extra-Dark Ebony

• 3/10 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 3/10 Extra Dark Tans
• 4/50 Dark Ebonies
• 4/50 Dark Tans
• 4/50 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 3/50 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/25 Medium Ebonies
• 1/25 Medium Tans
• 1/50 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/50 Light Ebonies (Resembling Beiges)

Extra-Dark Tan x Dark Ebony (or Ex-Dk Ebony x Dark Tan)

• 1/4 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 1/4 Extra Dark Tan
• 1/10 Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Dark Tan
• 3/40 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 3/40 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/20 Medium Ebonies
• 1/20 Medium Tans
• 1/40 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/40 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Extra-Dark Tan x Medium-Dark Ebony (or Ex-Dk Ebony x Med-Dark Tan)

• 20% Extra Dark Ebonies
• 20% Extra Dark Tan
• 10% Dark Ebonies
• 10% Dark Tans
• 10% Medium Dark Ebonies
• 10% Medium Dark Tans
• 6.7% Medium Ebonies
• 6.7% Medium Tans
• 3.4% Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 3.4% Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Extra-Dark Tan x Medium Ebony (or Ex-Dk Ebony x Medium Tan)

• 3/20 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 3/20 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/10 Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Dark Tans
• 1/10 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/10 Medium Ebonies
• 1/10 Medium Tans
• 1/20 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/20 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Extra-Dark Tan x Light Ebony OR Standard (or Ex-Dk Ebony x Light Tan OR Beige)

• 1/10 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/10 Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Dark Tans
• 1/10 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/10 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/10 Medium Ebonies
• 1/10 Medium Tans
• 1/10 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/10 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Dark Tan x Dark Ebony

• 3/16 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 3/16 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/8 Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Dark Tans
• 3/32 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 3/32 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/16 Medium Ebonies
• 1/16 Medium Tans
• 1/32 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/32 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Dark Tan x Medium-Dark Ebony (or Dark Ebony x Med-Dark Tan)

• 1/8 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/8 Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/12 Medium Ebonies
• 1/12 Medium Tans
• 1/24 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/24 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Dark Tan x Medium Ebony (or Dark Ebony x Medium Tan)

• 1/8 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/8 Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Tans
• 1/16 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/16 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Dark Tan x Light Ebony OR Standard (or Dark Ebony x Light Tan OR Beige)

• 0 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 0 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/8 Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Tans
• 1/8 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/8 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Medium-Dark Tan x Medium-Dark Ebony

• 1/18 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 1/18 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/9 Dark Ebonies
• 1/9 Dark Tans
• 1/6 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/6 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/9 Medium Ebonies
• 1/9 Medium Tans
• 1/18 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/18 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Medium-Dark Tan x Medium Ebony (or Med-Dk Ebony x Medium Tan)

• 0 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 0 Extra Dark Tans
• 1/12 Dark Ebonies
• 1/12 Dark Tans
• 1/6 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/6 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/6 Medium Ebonies
• 1/6 Medium Tans
• 1/12 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/12 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Medium-Dark Tan x Light Ebony OR Standard (or Med-Dk Ebony x Light Tan OR Beige)

• 0 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 0 Extra Dark Tans
• 0 Dark Ebonies
• 0 Dark Tans
• 1/6 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/6 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/6 Medium Ebonies
• 1/6 Medium Tans
• 1/6 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/6 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Medium Tan x Medium Ebony

• 0 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 0 Extra Dark Tans
• 0 Dark Ebonies
• 0 Dark Tans
• 1/8 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 1/8 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/4 Medium Ebonies
• 1/4 Medium Tans
• 1/8 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/8 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Medium Ebony x Light Ebony OR Standard (or Med Ebony x Light Tan OR Beige)

• 0 Extra Dark Ebonies
• 0 Extra Dark Tans
• 0 Dark Ebonies
• 0 Dark Tans
• 0 Medium Dark Ebonies
• 0 Medium Dark Tans
• 1/4 Medium Ebonies
• 1/4 Medium Tans
• 1/4 Light Ebonies (Resembling Standards)
• 1/4 Light Tans (Resembling Beiges)

Exhibiting Tans

Tans possess the same problems as the Ebonys, namely that they have a tendency to be small, to have a soft fur type,and to be off-colour, or tinged and brownish. Again this does not have to be the case if the best Standards and Tower Beiges are used in their breeding lines, and only the best Ebony type animals selected for future breeding. It is through this method of selection, using the best Standards and Tower Beiges, that Ebonies and Tans will improve.

Top