Question on colours (ebony, tan)

[Kaoriu]

Do ebony chinchillas get darker as they age? Or do they remain the same colour since birth?
In the case of TANs, is it the beige gene that is responsible for gradual darkening or is it ebony gene?

 

[lauralynne]

Many ebonies will lighten a little from birth to adult.

The ebony gene is what makes a the color on a tan go all the way around, including the stomach (also called a wrap). Anything that is a wrap has the ebony gene.

 

[EMSChins]

Beiges and tans will oxidize with age which may account for them appearing to darken.

 

[Kaoriu]

Thanks for the answers. ^^

Many ebonies will lighten a little from birth to adult.

So if a medium ebony is born, it'll more likely become a light ebony with age, not a dark one?

If the ebony gene was responsible only for the belly wrap, then it would be a beige gene in the TANs that make them darker with age? I think it makes sense.

Beiges and tans will oxidize with age which may account for them appearing to darken.

Mh.. but due to oxidation hair become lighter (see any hair dye). I guess there's other reason why the produce more pigment. Nethertheless, they do darken.

 

[Spoof]

Do ebony chinchillas get darker as they age? Or do they remain the same colour since birth?

They both lighten and darken. They lighten as the underfur comes in and spreads out the black tipping on the fur. They can darken as they prime in the first time and the full veil comes in. Of course this amount of darkening will vary with how darkly veiled the line is.

Many lines here can be judged by the darkness of the tail fur when born. They usually end up a few shades lighter than the tail.

In the case of TANs, is it the beige gene that is responsible for gradual darkening or is it ebony gene?

Tans are different. The combination of ebony and beige for me take on a mutation of their own. I'm not sure about the strains over on that side of the pond, but here there are the fading (they fade in and out) and the spotting varieties.

The ones that spot in (you can see some on my website here) will usually darken to the tail color they are born with and end up with tails as light as the bodies they start out with. One could say it is due to priming but they will continue to darken until two years of age which is well beyond first prime and the tail lightening is odd as they do not shed the tail fur yet it becomes extremely light in some cases. I'm not sure why this is. These often have pale underfur.

The ones that fade in will darken according to the veil darkness of the standards used as with the ebonies I talked about above. Their tails remain the same color. These often have dark underfur.

Oxidization makes them ruddy rust orange colored all over and I can't say it lightens or darkens. I imagine if one laid in the sun all the time it might lighten but on a normal chin I've never seen it. Humans get streaks from being in the sun or bleach. )

 

[Kaoriu]

Thank you! That clarified a lot. I had no idea that the tail furr can be used to predict the colour of the final coat.
Ps. Very informative website and wonderful chins. I love the photos too ^^