The North American Rat Registry

The NARR does not maintain rat standards. Check the standards of your preferred club for descriptions/genetics of colors or markings to determine the best way to register your rat. For colors and markings, the NARR does not limit registration to those listed below. These are only examples. However, colors and markings must be acknowledged (standardized or provisional) by at least one recognized rat organization. This is done in an effort to maintain uniform terms for genetically known mutations and the combinations of them. Currently, those organizations (and their standard terms) recognized by NARR are American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association (AFRMA), National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS), RatsPacNW, Rat Society of America (RSA), and United Rat Standards Affiliation (URSA). If you know of and use another recognized organization for your standards, please submit this information to info at ratregistry dot org. A list of current standards from the above organizations is available upon request. On occasion, you may come across a genetic combination that is not a standard in one of these organizations. If this is the case, there are two options for registration. The first is that the genetic combination is known and a sensible, descriptive term is already in place in the rat community. Once this name is established with NARR, an alternative term will not be accepted in the database. This is in order to keep terminology uniform. If later, the standard is accepted into one of the recognized organization, NARR will inform that organization that terminology is in place for that standard in the database, with the hope that the naming system will be accepted and uniformity will be maintained. However, it is up to each individual club, and they may use different terminology for showing purposes. Good examples. Russian Blue + Pearl = Russian Pearl, Mink + Burmese = Mink Burmese, Russian Blue + PED = Russian Champagne Bad Example. Russian Blue + PED = Ice Blue The second is that the genetic combination is not known. If the full genetics are not known, the best way to register your rat is to include the most genetic information you have, along with the unknown portions. If later the genetics of these combinations are found, simply submit an update to NARR, and the color or marking will be updated for you. Good examples. Russian Blue + unknown dilute = Russian Blue (unk. dilute), Blue + RED + unknown dilute = Platinum (unk. dilute). Bad example. Russian Blue + maybe RED + another unconfirmed dilute = Moon. (While it is nice to name a color that is reproducible, without knowing the genetic basis of it, nomenclature cannot accurately be assigned).
If any organization decides to use alternative terms for showing purposes, this is of no concern with NARR. Registration will still occur with the preexisting nomenclature based on genotype. Show terminology is up to each organization. Example. Blue Beige = Russian Blue + Beige (NARR established), but an organization may show the rat as Russian Beige For descriptive purposes, marked Siamese rats should be registered with the pattern. ie. Seal Point Siamese Hooded Dumbo rather than Seal Point Triamese. Using the marking gives far more background on the breeding of the rat. If you are registering a rat that does not fall into a standard or provisional that is accepted by a recognized organization, please register your rat with the closest marking, noting it as a mismark. ie. Black Split Capped Rex would be registered as either Black Capped (mismarked) Rex or Black Blazed Capped Rex depending on the particular rat. For clarification or questions, contact your preferred organization to find how your rat best fits the standards, or suggest a new standard or term.
Color Examples Beige (Black + RED) Black Black Eyed White Blue Beige (Russian Blue + RED) Russian Fawn (Russian Blue Agouti + RED) Blue Champagne (Black + PED) Chocolate Lilac Mink Pink Eyed White Platinum Russian Blue Russian Silver (Russian Blue + Blue) Agouti Blue Agouti Russian Blue Agouti Cinnamon (Agouti + Mink) Fawn (Agouti + RED) Merle Pearl Russian Dove (Russian Blue + Mink or Chocolate) Color Point Examples Blue Point Siamese Mink Point Siamese Russian Blue Point Siamese Seal Point Himalayan Seal Point Siamese	Marking Examples Self Baldie Banded Bareback Blazed Berkshire Collared Dalmatian Downunder Berkshire Downunder Hooded Downunder Hooded/Spotted Downunder Spotted Downunder Variegated English Irish Essex Headspot Hooded Irish Masked Possum Roan Turpin Van Variegated Coat Types (combinations allowed) Standard Double Rex Hairless Harley Rex Satin Velveteen Ear Types Standard Dumbo Tail Types Standard Tailless Eye Types Standard Oddeye Double Oddeye Body Types Standard Dwarf

Last Updated: 02/19/10

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