SILVER FOX and RECESSIVE MUTANTS of the SILVER FOX
Silver is a coloration present in both wild and captive populations, and is very common in the latter due to market demands. The fur quality of the silver fox described as silkier and longer than that of the red fox. The coloration was originally called black fox before the foxes were selectively bred for their silver hairs, a polygenetic change in appearance.
Silvers are difficult to tell apart, and to many pet breeders the type of silver is not important. However, knowing the underlying genetics at work are important for creating certain colors as some colors can only be produced with a certain type of silver. Breeding experiments can determine the type of silver of a fox. For example - if a fox is a true Alaskan silver (aa BB) if it is bred with a gold fox (AA Bb) , no silver foxes should be born, only gold cross and silver cross foxes (Aa BB or Aa Bb).
Silver foxes in captivity have selectively been bred for their black and silver fur, but silver foxes can appear almost brown and still have small amounts of brown. Wild born silvers can be brown in appearance, especially those living in thick forest ranges.
The brown and grey color mutants described in this section refer to colors expressed on a silver background.
Silvers are difficult to tell apart, and to many pet breeders the type of silver is not important. However, knowing the underlying genetics at work are important for creating certain colors as some colors can only be produced with a certain type of silver. Breeding experiments can determine the type of silver of a fox. For example - if a fox is a true Alaskan silver (aa BB) if it is bred with a gold fox (AA Bb) , no silver foxes should be born, only gold cross and silver cross foxes (Aa BB or Aa Bb).
Silver foxes in captivity have selectively been bred for their black and silver fur, but silver foxes can appear almost brown and still have small amounts of brown. Wild born silvers can be brown in appearance, especially those living in thick forest ranges.
The brown and grey color mutants described in this section refer to colors expressed on a silver background.
SILVER FOXES
Standard silver Fox
AA bb (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) When it was curated in Canada, it was dubbed the ‘Eastern black’, but later the color of the standard silver was selectively bred. The standard silver is smaller than the Alaskan silver, with silkier, softer hair and clear black and silver coloration. This color, and derivatives of this color (substandard or double silver) are preferred by fur markets. Substandard silver fox Aa bb (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) Offspring of the Alaskan silver and standard silver - same in appearance as the standard silver fox. Double silver fox aa bb (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) Offspring of the substandard silver fox and standard silver fox. As clear in color as the standard silver fox. |
Alaskan silver fox
aa BB (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) The ‘Alaskan black’ was the origin of this color, and had coarser fur and less clear black and more brown in the fur until selective breeding made the differences in color between this color and the standard silver nearly indistinguishably. However, Alaskan silvers today account for the silvers that have brown in their fur, particularly around the sides of the fox and around the ears. This coloration is less common in fur markets, particularly Scandinavian markets, as a clear black color is preferred over a coat with brown tinting. Sub-Alaskan silver fox aa Bb (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) Offspring of the Alaskan silver and double silver - resembles the Alaskan silver more in appearance and coat quality. |
Black fox
(occurs within any silver fox) (Live photo) The amount of silver hair on the pelts depends not on the genotypes, but on quantitative inheritance, or simply speaking, the ‘strength’ of the genes involved. There are six categories based on the amount of silver in the coat, on a spectrum from dark (black fox), 1/4, 1/2, 5/6, 1/1 silver. Because the fur markets favor paler silver foxes, black and near black foxes are rare. The black fox can occur within any type of silver fox. |
BROWN MUTANTS of the SILVER FOX
Brown mutants are colorations in which the black fur of the silver fox is replaced with a brown color. Burgundy is often used as a catch-all name for brown mutants, as well as a specific genetic name for true-burgundy foxes.
Colicott brown
(Colicott) (—) or brCbrC* (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) Colicott brown is not to be mistaken for burgundy or cinnamon. However, colicott brown lacks a gene symbol in the Scandinavian system as the relationship between colicott brown and other brown mutants is not clear. However, the American system distinguishes the colicott brown as brCbrC. True collicott brown foxes will have blue eyes, as opposed to the brown, yellow or gold eyes of a burgundy fox. Colicott brown and mutations associated with it are responsible for producing the fire factor seen in red foxes. *Colicott brown does not have a gene assignment within the Scandinavian system. This gene assignment is from an American-based, standardized color systems for mammals. |
Burgundy
(Cinnamon, Fromm brown, chocolate) Silver + burgundy - gg (Live photo from US Fox Shippers Council) In comparison to colicott brown, true burgundy foxes have a more reddish-brown appearance. This color is also known as cinnamon, or Fromm brown, named after the Fromm brothers where the color was first documented. Cinnamon is also generally used for redder burgundy foxes. It is a more common color than colicott brown, accounting for most of the brown foxes seen in the pet trade, particularly in the United States. Burgundy can be combined with gold foxes or cross foxes carrying the burgundy gene to create burgundy gold foxes. |
Bollert’s Brown*
?? Bollert’s brown is a brown mutant out of Bollert’s farm in Canada, described as being a deep golden-brown, with pink noses and pale eyes. The color is uncommon, and it’s relationship to other brown mutants is not understood. This color, however, is sought after to create dawn glow as it is the only color that can produce it. Because of the rarity of the color, it is not seen in the pet trade at this time. *There are no live pictures or pelts that I could find, so this based purely on text description and guesswork. |
Pastel
(Polish pastel, Swedish pastel, Norwegian pastel. Lavender, Chocolate) (Live photos from Northern Myst Creations) Pastel foxes includes the Polish (Live photo), Swedish or Norwegian pastel. The pastel name comes from its resemblance to the pastel color type of mink and nutria. Early pastels had notably poor temperaments, but continued breeding created a stable, healthy population comparable to the typical silver fox’s. Pastel foxes range in coloration from pale beige to dark brown, and there is a wide variation in the amount of silver present. The underfur of the fox can be pale beige, blue brown, or dark brown. Paler pastel foxes, with a fair amount of silver hairs and a smoky undercoat are sometimes referred to as Lavender foxes. (Live photo) Darker pastel foxes have brown eyes, but the color of the eyes can be yellow, green, or in paler pastels, blue. However, most pastels are not blue eyed, and the presence of blue eyes are a rough indicator of whether or not the fox in question is pastel or colicott brown. Experimental breeding with colicott foxes revealed that they are not allelic; not genetically the same despite looking very similar. Swedish pastel foxes are described as chocolate colored. Norwegian pastel (live photo) was a once common coloration that went largely extinct in the 1950’s, but the gene was carried in silver fox populations and reappeared later on. The Norwegian pastel is dark brown with brown eyes. Neither the Polish or Norwegian pastel appears to be as wide spread as the Polish pastel, nor are the exact relationships between the different pastel types fully understood. |
GREY MUTANTS of the SILVER FOX
(Pearl types)
Grey mutants are also called the pearl types, as this category of mutants consists only of pearls. They’re also informally referred to as blue foxes, and wild colorations are often generically referring to as blue foxes because the exact genotype cannot be determined. In captivity, there’s two genetically distinct pearl foxes, pearl foxes (pearl 1) and Mansfield pearl foxes (pearl 2).
Pearl 1/ Pearl
(less commonly, Eastern pearl, Western pearl, Cherry pearl, etc) Silver + pearl - pp (Live photo from Tiny Tracks Exotic Animals) Pearl appeared in the 1920’s in the USA, but deviating colors were not tolerated on silver fox farms and individuals displaying the color were pelted. Carriers survived and reappeared when the carriers were sold and exported to farms across North America and Europe. Most pearl types that showed up later at the same time were speculated descendants of the original pearl foxes through the silver carriers. When the pearl color appeared, again appeared across several farms and occurred at the same time, resulting in many different names for the same pearl type. The coloration also may have simply appeared in separate silver populations. Eastern and western pearl are genetically the same and Eastern is generally the name used to refer to the first pearl type. |
Pearl 2 / Mansfield pearl
(Omberg pearl, Pavek’s pearl*) Silver + Mansfield pearl- ss (Live Photo from US Fox Shipper’s Council) Mansfield pearl was named after the Canadian farm where it first was documented. In comparison to the pearl, the Mansfield may have a brownish tint, that was once more distinctive in the coloration but was improved with selective breeding for a more clear grey color. An important characteristic of this type it it’s bleeding tendencies, caused by a disease known as Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS). This interferes with the coagulation of the blood and results in longer bleeding times. The Omberg pearl is a color sold and considered the same as a Mansfield, despite being more similar in appearance to the regular pearl type, but has the same bleeding tendency of Mansfield, in addition to having a weak immune system. Pigment in the hairs of the Mansfield and Omberg pearl is also clumped as opposed to evenly distributed. Both phenomenons are also symptoms of CHS. Mentioned in literature is the Pavek’s pearl, only in reference to the Pavek’s sapphire, which was a cross of a Pavek’s pearl and eastern pearl. Pavek’s sapphire, despite not having a Mansfield parent, still had bleeding tendencies, so it’ could be assumed that Pavek’s pearl was another variation of the Mansfield type if it passed the bleeding tendency to its offspring. It is recommended that if one wishes to produce a Mansfield pearl, that the father is a Mansfield and the mother is a silver carrier of the gene, as a Mansfield mother risks anemia and death from bleeding out during birth, losing the litter, or weak, slow developing pups, partially due to poor milk production of the mother. This coloration, alongside sapphire foxes, are quite rare and near non-existent in the pet fox trade. *Pavek's pearl not confirmed to be alleic with Mansfield and Omburg. |
BROWN and GREY COMBINATION MUTANTS of the SILVER FOX
Recessive combination types are the result of combining grey and brown mutants together. These combination types, like the brown and grey mutants, occur on a silver background, and the type of silver used can have an impact on the color variation’s appearance. These combination types often come out as a result of multiple generations of work in isolating the color. The term amber can also refers to all light brown color combination types, including fawn glow, true amber, snow dawn, etc.
Amber
(“Golden Glory”, snow dawn) Burgundy + pearl - gg pp (Live photo of a privately owned fox) It is believed that the Amber was first developed by the Fromm brothers and named the ‘golden glory’, but the name amber was established as the marketing name. Amber is the result of burgundy and pearl genes combined. There is wide variation in the color of the amber due to underlying genetics, and the type of silver fox that is used to produce the color. Ambers can range from a muted gray-brown color to a bright, pale brown that can be mistaken for a pink fox (live photo). Amber foxes can have distinctive green eyes as well. However, it is said that the main indicator between an amber fox and a fire factor fox such as a colicott or a fawn glow fox is the presence of blue eyes, as amber foxes will not have blue eyes. Breeding tests can confirm or refute the fire gene in an individual. Snow dawn is a color mentioned in literature as being a color similar to amber, possibly even just a bluer shade of it. Snow dawn is also used as a name for amber and fawn glow foxes. |
Pink
(Champagne, Pink champagne) (Collicott brown suspected to be involved) - ?? (Live photo from Tiny Tracks Exotic Animals) This is a color present in Canada, the US and in Scandinavian countries, where it is believed to have originated and just recently entered the pet trade in the past few years. It is, however, not considered valuable by the fur markets, perhaps because similar colors can be produced more easily and consistently and therefore it is easier to color match fur products. The fire factor present in the pink fox can also cause the unwanted dilution of colors desired by a fur farmer. The color of the pink fox varies from a darker, dirty beige that can be mistaken for amber, to a pale, nearly white color. Pink foxes often have blue eyes and pink noses. The exact genetics behind this color is largely unknown, but it’s believed to be derived from colicott brown and colors carrying the colicott gene such as fawn glow. This is reaffirmed by fire factor kits being born out of litters with champagne parents, indicating that the pink fox carries the fire gene, as well as fawn glow foxes being born out of litters of champagne parents or parents carrying the champagne gene. This color is often confused as being albino or leuistic but it is not likely to be related to either. Should the pink fox be related to the fire gene as it is speculated, the fire gene is suspected to operate within the D locus or the dilution system, which dilutes color pigments. Should this be true, it is a separate effect of that of albinism and leucism which operates in the C locus or in the albinism system that controls whether or not certain pigments are expressed at all. This color is also frequently mistaken for a true amber fox, but amber foxes are a combination of burgundy and pearl, whereas pink foxes are not born from this combination. |
Fawn glow
Collicott brown + Pearl 1 (Eastern pearl) (Live photo from US Fox Shipper Council) Fawn glow is created by the combination of the factors colicott brown and pearl. The color is similar to amber, but is more of a blue color, brown tinting, resembling a muddy sapphire, but the color can vary to look almost indistinguishable from amber. The color, as well as varying in brown or gray, can vary in darkness to a deep, rich color a pale, light, smoky one. A defining feature of the fawn glow is the blue eyes, as blue eyes are not present in amber foxes. Fawn glow also is responsible for the fire factor, and therefore has a completely different effect on gold and cross foxes than amber does. Fawn glows seem to appear in litters from pink fox parents or with pink fox lineages, which could be further evidence for the connection of pink to the colicott gene. |
Dawn glow
Bollert’s brown + pearl - ?? (Pelts from the US Fox Shippers Council) When Bollert’s brown is applied to pearl, it creates the dawn glow, not to be confused with fawn glow or the snow dawn. This color can only be produced with Bollert’s brown. Dawn glows are a pale gray-brown, with a darker colored cross. The silver guard hairs over the pale undercoat make for a very radiant appearance. It has been rumored that Bollert's brown and dawn glows are connected to pink foxes, but this does not appear to be the case. |
Sapphire
(Pavek’s pearl) Pearl + Mansfield pearl - pp ss (Live photo) (Pelt) When the two types of pearls are combined, sometimes a very bright, clear blue fox is produced, called a sapphire. Though the amount of silver can vary, large amounts of silver guard hairs over the blue coat creates a very brilliant, bright appearance. It is speculated that if more than two genetically distinct pearl types exist, other blue combinations similar to sapphire could be produced. Because the Mansfield pearl factor is involved in this coloration, these foxes unfortunately have CHS and the associated bleeding tendency. For this reason, the two pearl parents should be a eastern pearl mother, and a Mansfield pearl father, and female sapphires should not be bred. As mentioned before, this color has also possibly been referred to as Pavek’s sapphire when a Pavek pearl parent replaces a true Mansfield, but they aren’t notably different genotypically or phenotypically. Sapphire foxes are quite difficult to breed even within the fur trade, and are practically non-existent within the pet trade. |
Pearl amber
(Sapphire amber) Burgundy + pearl + Mansfield pearl - gg pp ss (Live photo, fox on the farthest left, from US Fox Shipper Council) (Pelt) When amber is used instead of eastern pearl and combined with a Mansfield pearl, the pearl amber, also known as a sapphire amber in North America, is created. The color comes as a result of the burgundy factor being added to the two different pearl types. The pearl amber strongly resembles a sapphire, but instead of a clear blue, the fox has a brown tint, resulting in a lavender appearance. This fox is very similar in appearance to the fawn glow, but is distinct in that it does not have the fire factor gene. It is in fact a rarer coloration, because it requires both pearl types. |