Rabbit Genetics Tutorial – Cutesy Chart for Easy Learning

Last Updated on August 2, 2011 by The Rabbit Smarties Team

Here’s a fun little tutorial on the very basics of hereditary genetics.

It’s very important that a rabbit breeder understands how their rabbits pass genes on to their offspring. Now not every trait has its own specific gene — I don’t think there’s a “low shoulders” gene, for instance. But with things like color genetics, malocclusion, and the wool gene, it’s easy to see how both parents contribute to the genotype of the offspring.

These easy-to-understand illustrations show how Mama and Poppa Rabbit pass on genes to their offspring, and how the line continues. These aren’t meant to be any specific color gene; don’t pay attention to the varieties of the rabbits in the photos.

These rules of inheritance apply to many bunny color genes series such as agouti and self [A and a], Dense and dilute [D and d], Black and Brown / Chocolate [B and b], Full-extension and non-extension [E and e] and Color Gmany more. The same principles apply for fur genes, the malocclusion gene… and much more.

Here’s the text version:

Poppa Rabbit has a purple gene and a yellow gene. Mama Rabbit has a purple gene and a blue gene. They both give one gene to junior, but it could be either gene; it’s a “random”
chance.

As it so happens, Junior got a purple gene from both parents.

Now suppose Junior met somebunny. Guess what happens …

BABY RABBITS!

Junior Rabbit has only two purple genes to give. He might pass on one or the other, but since they’re both purple, all babies will get a purple gene.

But Lady Rabbit can give both purple and blue genes. She gives a blue gene to two babies and a purple gene to one baby.
…and the cycle continues.

If you’d like more information about rabbit coat color, check out “A book About Bunny Colors,” the Practical Breeder’s Guide to Rabbit Coat Color!