AFRMA Fancy Rats

AFRMA Fancy Rats - Self

The following are the rat self colors as recognized by the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association. These are one solid color (genetically black-based) with no white markings. See Fancy Rat Genes: Black-based colors for genetics. See also the series of Rat Genetics articles.

Color is to be even over the entire body, extending to the skin, and including the underparts, ears, feet and tail.

General Self Faults – Faded or rusty color; mottling or shading of color; light underparts; white feet.

General Self Disqualifications – White spot on the body; white on the tail.
See the Standards book for additional details on each color.

For complete details of these Standards including points, faults, and disqualifications, please refer to the AFRMA Show Regulations & Standards book.

Note: The pictures on this page are not meant to be true representatives of the animal’s color. Because of differences in monitors (CRT/LCD) and how the monitor is adjusted, the colors may be different. Seeing in person is always best.

Beige Black Blue Blue-Beige Champagne Chocolate Cocoa Lilac Mink
Pink-Eyed Platinum Platinum Powder Blue Russian Blue Russian Dove Sky Blue Black-Eyed White Pink-Eyed White

BEIGE - Color is a warm grayish-tan, not too dark. Eye color is dark ruby. Note: is a ruby-eyed Black Beige rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©1999 Craig Robbins. Read the article Beige/Champagne vs. Fawn/Amber Rats, a.k.a. Black Colors vs. Agouti Colors
BLACK - Color is a good solid black throughout, showing no rustiness or white hairs. Eye color is black. Black rat owned and bred by Mayumi Anderson. Photo ©2007 Karen Robbins. For more photos, see the AFRMA Facebook pages: Rat Belly Colors (Agouti vs. non-agouti) or on web site KK Rats (2102) (Black and Agouti) or on web site AFRMA articles: “The Black Rat” Beige/Champagne vs. Fawn/Amber Rats, a.k.a. Black Colors vs. Agouti Colors
BLUE - Color is a slate blue, as dark as possible showing no brown patches or silvering. Eye color is dark ruby or black. [Standardized April 12, 1992] Note: Original one for AFRMA found in pet shop by Sheryl Leisure in 1990; is genetically the same as the Blue in England; light undercolor a fault, color to extend down length of hair shaft Blue Dumbo rat owned by Kimberly Millspaugh, bred by Michelle Grissett. Photo ©2011 Karen Robbins. AFRMA articles: Mink vs. Blue Rats “The Blue Rat”
BLUE-BEIGE - Color is a grayish-tan, not too dark, with a blue cast running throughout, not to be confused with Beige. Eye color is dark ruby. [Standardized March 13, 1999] Note: Originated in Karen Robbins’ Russian Blue breedings in 1994; is Beige + Russian Blue Blue-Beige rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©1995 Craig Robbins.
CHAMPAGNE - To be an evenly warm beige, with no suggestion of dullness or grayness. Eyes red. (English, N.F.R.S.) (added October 7, 1984) Note: is a P.E. Black (very light Champagne are P.E. Chocolate) Champagne rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©2005 Karen Robbins. Read the article Beige/Champagne vs. Fawn/Amber Rats, a.k.a. Black Colors vs. Agouti Colors
CHOCOLATE - A deep rich chocolate, as even as possible, devoid of dinginess and white hairs or patches. The feet to match top color. Eyes black. (English, N.F.R.S.) Chocolate rat owned and bred by Brian Shafer. Photo ©2008 Karen Robbins. Read the information on Chocolate.
COCOA - Color is a light chocolate, similar to Swiss Miss powdered cocoa. Eyes dark ruby or black. (Karen Robbins/Karen’s Kritters) [Standardized August 28, 1999] Note: Originated out of Chocolate breedings Cocoa rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©1996 Craig Robbins.
LILAC - Color is a medium dove gray, evenly mixed with brown, not too dark. Eye color is ruby or black. Note: Original one found in pet shop in Riverside, CA, May 17, 1978, by Karen Hauser with ruby eyes; Lilac and Mink look similar (just selected for different shades) and work the same in producing other colors but are not the same gene Lilac rat. Photo ©AFRMA. See photos from 1978 of original U.S.A. Lilac male Hershey and here, owned by Karen Hauser.
MINK - To be an even mid gray-brown devoid of dinginess, silvering or patches, and having a distinct bluish sheen. Foot color to match top color. Eyes black. (English, N.F.R.S.) Note: Mink and Lilac look similar (just selected for different shades) and work the same in producing other colors but are not the same gene Mink rat owned and bred by Mayumi Anderson. Photo ©2011 Karen Robbins. For more photos, see the AFRMA Facebook pages: Mink and Pearl Rex Rats or on web site KK Mink, Silver Mink, and Pearl Rats (2142) or on web site KK Rats (Variegated, Mink, Pearl, Russian Blue) or on web site KK English Rats (Cinnamon Pearl, Cinnamon, Mink, Pearl, Russian Cinnamon Pearl or on web site AFRMA articles: Mink vs. Blue Rats “The Color Safir (Mink/Lilac)”. Difference Between Mink and Blue Agouti Rats Research article: “Mink and Pearl: New Color Mutants in the Norway Rat” R. Robinson. Journal of Heredity, Volume 85, Issue 2, 1 March 1994, Pages 142–143.
PINK-EYED PLATINUM - Color to be an off-white with a grayish cast, not too light (medium shade), not to be confused with Silver, Beige, or Champagne. Eye color is red. Genetics: recessive [Standardized March 7, 2015] P.E. Platinum rat owned and bred by Jozzette & Mike Hagemann. Photo ©2013 Karen Robbins.
PLATINUM - Color to be a light gray with no blue cast similar to platinum paint. Eye color is dark ruby or black. [Standardized July 24, 1999; B.E. added April 26, 2008] Note: is Blue + Mink (ruby-eyed) or Blue + Chocolate (black-eyed B.E.) Platinum rat owned by Kimberly Millspaugh, bred by Michelle Grissett. Photo ©2012 Karen Robbins.
POWDER BLUE - Color to be a very light powder blue color with no suggestion of rustiness, grayness, or silvering, not to be confused with Sky Blue. Eye color to be dark ruby or black. Genetics: aa gg (selected for very light shade—light version of Blue) [Standardized March 7, 2015; amended October 7, 2015] Note: Light undercolor a fault, color to extend down length of hair shaft Powder Blue Rex rat owned and bred by Jozzette & Mike Hagemann. Photo ©2013 Karen Robbins.
RUSSIAN BLUE - Color to be similar to the blue mice or blue cats, a very dark slate blue color with dark ticking throughout. Eyes black. (Geri Hauser) [Standardized January 27, 1996] Note: Originated 1993 by Geri Hauser out of Velvet carrier stock from Karla Barber; same Blue color seen in mice, rabbits, cats, dogs Russian Blue rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©2003 Craig Robbins. For more photos, see the AFRMA Facebook page: Russian Blue Rats: Agouti vs. Non-Agouti Versions or on web site Read the article on “Russian Blue Rats”. Research articles: “A Blue Mutation in the Rat (Mus norvegicus)” Elmer Roberts. Science, 04 Oct 1929:Vol. 70, Issue 1814, pp. 334 “Shorter Articles and Discussion, Linkage Studies in the Rat” E. Roberts and J. H. Quisenberry. The American Naturalist, Vol. 70, No. 729 (Jul. - Aug., 1936), pp. 395–399. “An independent recurrence of the blue mutation in the Norway rat and a blue-black mosaic” M. R. Curtis W. F. Dunning. Journal of Heredity, Volume 31, Issue 5, 1 May 1940, Pages 219–222
RUSSIAN DOVE - Color to be a warm dove with ticking throughout similar to Russian Blue. Not to be confused with Platinum or Lilac. Eye color is black. (These came out of Russian Blue. Were called Silver Dove.) [Standardized February 7, 2004] Note: is Russian Blue + Mink Russian Dove rat owned and bred by Jozzette Hagemann. Photo ©2016 Karen Robbins.
SKY BLUE - Color to be in between blue and powder blue, a clear sparkling blue. Color showing no brown patches or silvering. Eye color to be dark ruby or black. [Standardized April 4, 1998] Note: This is the basic color of the Blue gene with no selection; light undercolor a fault, color to extend down length of hair shaft Sky Blue rat owned and bred by Jozzette Hagemann. Photo ©2012 Karen Robbins.
BLACK-EYED WHITE - To be as white as possible, devoid of creamy tinge or staining. Any colored hairs to be severely penalized. Eyes black. (English, N.F.R.S.) (added July 26, 1987) Note: These are a marked rat with all the markings bred off Black-Eyed White rat owned and bred by Cindy Maresic. Photo ©2004 Karen Robbins.
PINK-EYED WHITE - Color is a pure clean white, free from ivory, cream, or beige tint. Eye color is red. Note: Albino is genetically a colored or marked rat but the gene hides the color/marking; P.E. White can also be created from pink-eyed marked with all the markings bred off or from diluted color genes Pink-Eyed White rat owned and bred by Karen Robbins. Photo ©1999 Craig Robbins. Read the article on “The Pink-Eyed White Rat”. Research articles: “Linkage in Mice and Rats” L. C. Dunn. GENETICS, 5: 325 My 1920, 325–343. “Linkage Studies of the Rat (Rattus norvegicus) V” W. E. Castle. PROC. N. A. S., VOL. 27, 1941, 394–398. “Linkage in the Albino Chromosome of the Rat.” W. E. Castle. PROC. N. A. S., VOL. 32, 1946, 33–36. Origins of Albino and Hooded Rats: Implications from Molecular Genetic Analysis across Modern Laboratory Rat Strains Takashi Kuramoto, et al. PLOS ONE, August 2012, Volume 7, Issue 8, pp. 1–7, e43059

For complete details of the Standards including points, faults, eliminations, and disqualifications, please refer to the AFRMA Show Regulations & Standards book.

Purchase the AFRMA Official Color Standards Rat book.

Updated March 27, 2023