Agouti

A-C-E-G-P

This is the wild color of the gerbil. It is brown with orange and grey trough the airs. The eyes are black and the belly is white  

Pigments: The eyes are black and the skin is pinkish/greyish. The arms will be lighter, pink. 

Fuzz: A nice brown appears and also the black tip of the hairs.

Agoutis can have different coloration depending of the recesives genes they carry. On the left picture below, you can see a gerbil  carring the "e" gene (top) and next to a more regular agouti (below). This can also be seen with the "g" and "ch".

Argente Golden

A-C-E-G-pp

The Argente Golden is rich yellow/ beige. The eyes are red and the belly is white. The "pp" gene remove the black pigment form the fur and the eyes. It is pretty hard to distinguish from the Argente Cream. The Golden always seems to have some grey under the golden. In the top left picture, it's the top one. 

Pigments: The eyes are pink. You can see some grey on its back with the yellow after some days of age. 

On the picture below, you can see 2 Argente Golden. The one on the left is a regular Argente Golden. The one on the right is a Argente golden carring the "e" gene. He is not a Yellow fox because the under coat is gray as it is suppose to be in a regular Argente. Notice how hight the white goes on the right gebril. This is one of the caracteristic of the "ee" gene. 

Topaz

A-Cc[chm]-E-G-pp

The Topaz is between the Argente Golden and the Argente Cream. But as those 2 colors are already hard to distinguish, I got lots of difficulties myself to say which one it is. We could say that the topaz have the same taint then the Argente Golden but without the grey on the rump. The eyes are red and the belly is white.

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The color appears faster then the Argente Cream. 

Argente Cream

A-Cch-E-G-pp

The Argente Cream is similar to the Argente Golden but lighter. The eyes are red and the belly is white. In additon to the pp gène, the c[h] gene light up the fur color making the grey on the rump much lighter. It is quite hard to ditinguish both color unless you got both next to each other. The yellow is richer in the Argente Golden. On the top left picture, it's the bottom one.

Pigment: The eyes are pink and the skin stays pink longer the Argente Golden and topaz before it gets yellow/cream.

Black

aa C-E-G-P-

The black is totally black. The white marks on the front paws and under the chin are totally normal and are a characteristic of that color. The aa gene makes the color the same all over the gerbil body. The eyes are black and the belly is black too.

Sometimes, the black gerbil may seem slate. But in some cases, it can be the recessives gene that carries the gerbils that produce that color. A gerbil with aaCchEGPp will be lighter then a pure black gerbil with aaCEGP.

Pigment: The eyes are black. We can see some grey/brown show rapidly in the first few days. The belly may seem pink at first but it will become the same color then the backside after a few more days.

Lilac

aa C-E-G-pp

The Lilac is a dark plain grey and it's possible to see the white marks on the paws and the chin as on the black gerbil. The pp gene removes the black pigment in the fur and the aa gene makes the color even on all the fur. The eyes are red and the belly is the same color then the back.

Some says that colors with pp have smaller eyes. I agree but it doesn’t make them bad gerbils for this reason!

Note on the picture on the left, below, often, the light of the camera makes the color very different from one picture to the other. Also, when they are approximately 1 month, they moult and they get pretty fuzzy and the fur seem more light then the real color. You can observe that in black gerbils too.

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The grey color become rapidly visible compared to the Argented and the Dove.

Sapphire

aa-Cc[chm] E-G-pp

The Sapphire is evenly grey in-between the dove and the lilac. More light then the lilac it can easily be confused with the dove especially when the gerbil is still young. I feel like it is some kind of bluish as we say that the lilac is a little purplish.

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The grey color appears more rapidly then the Dove.

Dove

aa Cc[h] E-G-pp

The Dove is a nice light grey. The eyes are red and the belly is grey as the back. The grey color is softer then the Lilac.

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The baby Dove will stay pink and the almost white for a while before that the grey become apparent. If there is a white in the same litter, you'll see that he becomes grey and if there is no white one, you may think you got a white one! 

Pink Eyed White (PEW)

A-c[h]c[h] E-G-pp

The Pink Eyed White is totally white with pink eyes. The double c[h] and pp, light the fur to white. 

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The skin will be pink and will stay pink a while before that white fur appears.

Fuzz: It will become totally white.

Dark Tail White (DTW)

A-c[h]c[h] E-G-P-

The Dark Tail White is almost totally white except the tail is dark. The tail begins to become dark around the age of 4 to 6 months.   

Pigment: The eyes are pink. The skin will be pink and will stay pink a while before that white fur appears.

Fuzz: It will become totally white.

Dark Eyed Honey (DEH)

A- CC ee G- P-

The Dark Eyed Honey is deep orange. The eyes are black and have a more pronounce almond shape. The belly is white and goes higher on the side, then a normal agouti gerbil. The ee gene makes the yellow pigment more intense.

Pigment: The eyes are black. The babies have a very typical pigmentation. The skin around the eyes, the ears and the extremities is dark. All colors with ee will have this characteristic. The skin elsewhere will be pink

Fuzz: It will be orange and will stay that color as he age but may become darker over time.

Light Dark Eyed Honey (LDEH)

A- Cc[h]/c[chm] ee G- P-  

The Light Dark Eyed Honey is orange cream. The eyes are black and the belly is white. Like the DEH, the white belly goes higher on the side of the gerbil. The ee gene makes the yellow pigment more intense and the c[h] gene makes it lighter. 

Pigment: The babies have the same typical pigmentation as the DEH. The fur will appear the same tint then the DEH but lighter. 

Fuzz: It will be light orange with few brown ticking. The color will stay the same as the gerbil ages but may get darker a little.

Honey Cream

(Spotted Light DEH)

A- Cc[h]/c[chm] ee G- P- Sp 

The Honey Cream has a creamy white coloration with trace of orange on the back. it's in fact, a Light DEH with white spots. It is possible to see the white diamond shape on its forehead. The eyes are black and the belly is white. The ee gene is very sensitive to decolouration. With the presence of Sp (spotting gene) it becomes very white. The eyes are black and the belly is white. 

Pigment: Like the DEH, the skin of the eyes and ears will be black. But the paws will be pink due to the spotting gene.

Fuzz: The color will be the same as adults and the orange fur may become more orange over time.

Nutmeg

aa- C- ee -G P-

The Nutmeg is brown with black ticking and an orange undercoat. You can easily see it by pushing the fur backward. The belly is the same color as the body and the eyes are black.

Pigment: Almost identical to the DEH but maybe a little more orange. 

Fuzz: Very orange a little darker then the DEH. It is difficult to see the difference. (Both gerbils on the right picture are Nutmeg, sorry, no comparison.)  

1 month: Still very orange, the belly won't be as white as the DEH or Light DEH. 

For more infos about Nutmegs, visit Gerbilsite.com

Silver Nutmeg

aa- C- ee -gg P-

The Silver Nutmeg grey with black ticking. The eyes are black and the belly is the same color then the body. 

Pigment: Same characteristics then the DEH but lighter.

Fuzz: Hard to define, peach, pinkish and greyish all at the same time! 

1 month: Still the same orange pinkish color. Less grey.

Slate

aa- C- E gg P-

The Slate is a very dark grayish brown. It's almost black, but faded brown shine lights up the black coloration just a little. The coloration can be different from a gerbil to the other, concidering the recesive genes. The eyes are black and the belly is the same color then the rest of the body. Some white marks are present on the chin and on the front paws, just like the black gerbils. 

Pigment: Same as the black

Fuzz: Looks like a lot like the black gerbil on the first look, but a brown shine makes you doubt about the real color. On the pictures on the right, you can see each Slate next to regular black to observe the difference. 

1 month: It may be very difficult to see any difference. On the top picture on the left, the center gerbil is a Slate. Belive me! 

Adult: The same coloration stay. And it's always as hard to tell if it's really a Slate.

Polar Fox

A- C- ee -gg P-

The Polar Fox is a light ticked grey. The eyes are black and the belly white 

Pigment: Same characteristics then the DEH but lighter.

Fuzz: Hard to define, peach, pinkish and greyish all at the same  time! 

1 month: Still the same orange pinkish color. 

2 month: Like the Nutmeg, a change occurs. It will turn from cream to a grey ticking following the same process then the Nutmeg and silver nutmeg but lighter.

(from left to right) Spoted Polar Fox, Polar Fox, Silver Nutmeg 

Schimmel

A- CC efef G- P-

The adult Schimmel is white with an orange tail. As the gerbil ages, the tail will lighten. The eyes are black and the belly is white. The fading gene (ef) makes the orange baby turn white at 2 months old. 

Pigment: Will be similar to the Light DEH. The paws will be dark. 

Fuzz: To distinguish the Schimmel from the Light DEH, ... it's hard at first. it's as if, when you look in the fur, the orange color was not to much confident... As if the tip of the hairs were a creamy color. 

Champagne

(Spotted Schimmel)

A- CC efef G- P- Sp

Like the Schimmel, the Champagne loses all its color but keep an orange tail. Because it's in fact, a spotted Schimmel, you can see a white tip on the tail. You can also see the diamond shape on its forehead when the gerbil is younger.  

Pigment: Like the DEH, the skin of the eyes and ears will be black. But the paws will be pink due to the spotting gene. 

Duvet: It will be almost white with a little of orange trough the fur. The Champagne will be more light then the Honey cream to this stage.

Black Eyed White (BEW)

A- c[chm]c[chm]- e e/ef -gg P-

The Black Eyed White gerbil doesn’t need any explanation! It’s a white gerbil with black eyes. The ears and the nose will be slightly grey.

Pigment: Very light with black/grey eyes. Paws and ears are pink too. 

Fuzz: I can't say any more that it will be a white gerbil with black eyes! 

Burmese

(Similar color: Colorpoint Slate)

aa c[chm]c[chm] E- G- P-

The Burmese is a dark solid brown with black points. The tail, paws and ears will be black. There may be some white on the paws and chin as in the black gerbil. The eyes are black and the belly is the same color the the back. 

The "aa" makes the gerbil black but the double "c[chm]" makes the center of the body lighter then the points. 

The colors produced by the "c" genes are temperature sensitive. This means that more the temperature is low the darker are the points. That's why the babies don't have any colored points. Babies tend to pass long hour in the warmth of mom. 

Pigment: The eyes won't be as black as with an agouti but grey. The skin will be /pinkishgreyish. 

Fuzz: It will be solid brown/grey with no dark points.

1 month:  It will be solid brown with almost no dark points beside the tail.

2 month: Solid brown body with black points.

Siamese

aa c[chm]c[h] E- G- P-

The Siamese is light brownish/gray with dark points. The eyes are black but with a slight redish color when place in the light.The belly is the same color then the back. The c[h] genes light up the color.

Pigment: The eyes won't be as black as with an agouti but grey. The skin will be /pinkishgreyish. 

Fuzz: It will be solid light brownish/gray with no dark points.

1 month:  It will be solid light brownish/gray with almost no dark points beside the tail.

2 month: Solid brownish/gray body with black points.

Colorpoint Agouti

A- c[chm]c[chm] E- G- P-

The Colorpoint Agouti is gray with black ticking like salt and pepper. The tail is almost the same color as the one of a normal Agouti with some yellow hairs in it. The eyes are black. The belly is white. The doucle c[chm] gene keeps the point dark and light up the center of the body. In theory, the points should look like an agouti color.

Pigment:  

Fuzz: Gray with black ticking 

As it gets colder, the ticking become darker.

Light Colorpoint Agouti

A- c[chm]c[h] E- G- P-

The Light Colorpoint Agouti is light gray with brown ticking. The eyes are black but may seem red depending of the light. The belly is white. The adding c[h] gene make the gerbil lighter. 

Pigment: The eyes are more light gray the black. The skin is pink and stays pink just until fur grows. 

Fuzz: may look white at first but then some light gray appears. The tail has an "arrow" of brown on the tip. (see the right/center picture)

As it gets colder, the ticking become darker.

Gray Agouti

  A-C- E-gg P-  

The Gray Agouti may look like an agouti seen in a black and white movie. Some yellow may show up trought the fur. The "g" gene removes almost all the yellow color of the hairs. the eyes are black and the belly is white. 

Pigment: The eyes are black and the skin is gray/brown. This is very similar to the regular Agouti. You'll see the difference as it ages. 

Fuzz: It's very easy to see that it's not a regular agouti.

In the top left picture you can see a normal agouti next to a Gray Agouti.

Colorpoint Gray Agouti

A- c[chm]c[chm] E-gg P-

The Colorpoint Gray Agouti is very similar to the Colorpoint Agouti. The only variation is that the "g" gene removes almost all the yellow color in the tail. The eyes are black and the belly is white.

Pigment:  

Fuzz: Light gray with tickings.

Colorpoint Nutmeg

aa- c[chm]c[chm] E-G- P-

The colorpoint Nutmeg is light grey, the eyes are black but some red may be visible depending of the light.

Pigment:  Very light, the eyes are grey.

Fuzz: Totaly white, beside the tail that will be light grey. He may look alike very much to the Black Eyed White. 

1 month: The tail will be grey as the colorpoint Agouti. The ears and tail nose too. 

2 month: Just like the regular Nutmeg, un color change will occur. The white coloration will become grey. 

Spotted

The Spotted gerbils have only a small diamond on their forehead and sometimes, a small amount of white on the neck. The white marking on the neck don't go down the shoulders but stay on the back.

Pied

The Pied gerbils have white marking on the forehead and also on the neck. This time, the white of the neck goes down on the shoulder and down to the front paws. Some white marking can be visible on their lower back. 

Mottled

The Mottled gerbils will have more white again then the Pied ones.The markings on their lower back will be more pronounced.

 Heavy Mottled

The heavy Mottled gerbils have more white markings then the Mottled ones. In some extreme cases, it's almost impossible to say the real colour of the gerbil, so much there is white on the body.