Colors in Our Caviary - Stage 3 - Minifluffs Caviary

We've always liked the slate marten color we see in the British standard (where it is called slate fox), but have had no luck finding any. We brought Serendipity in hope he was a slate marten only to have him darken to a sable tone. We decided 2021 was the year to get serious about producing our own when a friend offered us a beautiful little black marten (Flurry). Flurry turned out to already be pregnant (a child-assisted 'oops' during the sale photo session) so Solstice and Serafina were born here a few months after she arrived (a nice bonus of two more black martens). Their sire was 'most likely' another black marten, but that isn't 100% certain. We will be crossing the martens to our slate tan line boars for the next few generations in search of the elusive slate marten (and hoping not to lose the rufus on the bellies of the slate tan line in the process). Getting two recessive genes to align is only a one-in-sixteen chance on the second generation, so wish us luck! The same friend also later provided us with Titan who really jump-started this phase.

With satin unexpectedly popping back out of our core line (and now being showable) Josh wants slate satin martens, so the new goal is to align 3 (!) recessive genes -- this requires a temporary expansion of our breeding program and targeting to align the genes pairwise first -- slate-satin, slate-marten, and marten-satin. In order to not lose our progress with the slate tans, the slate-satin line will also focus on maintaining high rufus. Determining which offspring in each generation carry the critical recessive genes requires test-breeding.

Details for animals from the 1st row can be found at the end of the previous page (Colors in Our Caviary Phase 2), except for Titan (below)

Not wanting to attempt a full-sibling cross and with no idea what else in our line carried satin, we decided on a 'clean start' with an outcross mate for Rocket. Rocket's information can be found at the end of the previous page (Colors in Our Caviary Phase 2); Amelia's is below.

Having successfully gotten slate marten much sooner than anticipated and a fair start on the satin line, we went ahead and started crossing the slate martens with the satins (generations ahead of what I expected we would achieve). The starting pigs for this phase all come from the phase 3 charts above with details for each animal below.

Titan (Candyland Cavies)

Slate tan boar from Candyland Cavies in Ohio. Proven carrier of marten and satin. He's also one of the darkest slates we've seen!

Bred to Ezmerelda - 3 slate tans
Bred to Lucinda - 1 slate marten (Dazzle), 1 slate tan, 1 black tan

Amelia

Black tan satin sow from Sue Davies, Ohio.

2 litters with Rocket. Produced 6 red satins (Odessa, Athena, Blair, Nova, Antares, and Arcturus) and 2 black tan satins (Kyoto and Obsidian).

Crocus (Titan x Esmerelda)

Slate tan boar

at(at)B-C-pg-E-

Both parents are marten carriers, so high odds (66%) of carrying marten (cr).

Sire carries satin as does the maternal great-grandsire, so >50% chance of carrying satin.

Significantly larger than siblings, but lighter in tone.

Lotus (Titan x Esmerelda)

Iris (Titan x Esmerelda)

Slate tan sow

at(at)B-C-pg-E-

Both parents are marten carriers, so high odds (66%) of carrying marten (cr).

Sire carries satin as does the maternal great-grandsire, so >50% chance of carrying satin.

Smallest of the litter (failed to reach 2 pounds as an adult), intermediate in tone. Left in group photo.

Frazzle (Titan x Lucinda)

Slate tan boar, nice rich color

at(at)B-crcrpg-E-

Both parents (and sibling) are marten carriers, so high odds (66%) of carrying marten (cr).

Sire carries satin as does the maternal great-grandsire, so >50% chance of carrying satin.

Died of an URI before we had a chance to breed him.

Dazzle (Titan x Lucinda)

Slate marten boar, born lighter, but darkened to a fair surface color but fades in the undercolor. (need updated photo!)

at(at)B-crcrpg-E-

Both parents (and sibling) are marten carriers, so high odds (66%) of carrying marten (cr).

Sire carries satin as does the maternal great-grandsire, so >50% chance of carrying satin.

Dazzle was bred to Glacie to produce more slate-satins -- Valentino, Tango and Jazzy.

Test bred to Odessa and Athena. Odessa's litter was stillborn except for 1 slate tan that was tiny that lived just a few days. Athena's litter included our first slate tan satin (Hestia) as well as a black tan satin (Apollo) and a black self (Lilith).

While Dazzle has been central to the start of our slate-satin marten project as the darkest slate-marten we have produced as well as being a satin carrier (and is apparently healthy himself), we are concerned about potential weakness introduced with Titan -- Both Titan and his father as well as Dazzle's brother Frazzle passed due to upper respiratory infections, Iris failed to reach senior weight (topping out at 1.5 pounds), Tango struggled to gain weight as a pup (though he did reach 2 pounds eventually) and died relatively young and suddenly, and Odessa lost her litter. This is way out of proportion to our normal loss rates (but not consistent with satin-syndrome given all losses were at most carriers, not satins).

Mysticka (Titan x Lucinda)

Black tan sow
at(at)B-C-PpgE-

Both parents (and sibling) are marten carriers, so high odds (66%) of carrying marten (cr).

Sire carries satin as does the maternal great-grandsire, so >50% chance of carrying satin.

sold to another breeder

Alpine (Spyro x Solstice)

Slate marten boar with pale color and ruby-cast eyes.

at(at)B-crcrpg(p)E-

Solstice more likely carries lilac than slate, sire is from our core line assumed pgpg, making him likely pgp. Can't entirely rule out Spyro as pgp which could make him a dark lilac (pp). But even as a newborn, he was darker than Lila (our last lilac marten).

Black marten siblings make sire Ccr, so cannot be sable.

Sire has a satin sibling, so he may carry satin (33% chance).

Bred to Stormy - 1 black marten (Blizzy) and 2 slate tan (Breezy and Bluster).

Glacie (Spyro x Solstice)

Slate marten with pale color and ruby-cast eyes. (need adult photo!)

at(at)B-cr-pg(p)E-

Solstice more likely carries lilac than slate, sire is from our core line assumed pgpg, making her likely pgp.

Black marten siblings make sire Ccr, so cannot be sable.

Sire has a satin sibling, so she may carry satin (33% chance).

Shadow (Spyro x Solstice)

Black marten boar.

at(at)B-crcrP(pg)E-

Second gene would be from the sire; sire is from our core line assumed pgpg, making him likely Ppg

Sire has a satin sibling, so he may carry satin (33% chance).

Loki (Spyro x Solstice)

Blaster (Spyro x Solstice)

Ocean (Spyro x Solstice)

Slate tan boar -- mid-range tone, not quite as dark as sire)

at(at)B(B)Ccrpg-E-

Assuming Spryro is pgpg, and Solstice is Pp (based on Alpine and Glacie above) he should be pgp.

Sire has a satin sibling, so he may carry satin (33% chance).

Eureka (Spyro x Solstice)

Black tan sow

at(at)B(B)CcrPpgE-

Second gene would be from the sire; sire is from our core line assumed pgpg, making her likely Ppg

Sire has a satin sibling, so she may carry satin (33% chance).

Bred to Rocket she had 4 babies -- Nightshade is satin black tan, confirming she carries satin. Yolanda is an extremely dark slate tan (cannot confirm whether she is a high-luster satin carrier or a low sheen satin), Flash is a dark slate tan (but definitely not satin), Thunderous is a black tan (also not satin).

Sold to another breeder after her first litter.

An interesting conundrum! - pgpg and pgp are reported to have distinctly different tones depending on whether they are pgpg (darker and with truly dark eyes) or pgp (lighter with ruby eyes). Although we've seen some variation in our slate tans, we see more of a gradation consistent with modifiers rather than two distinct tones consistent with pgpg versus pgp. Over the years, we've consistently selected for the darker tone and fully dark eyes. Marten (crcr) is reported to have a diluting effect on eumelanin pigments.

Some examples of the gene interactions with martens...

Our black martens have always been full intense black (with stark white markings) - e.g., Cupcake (top photo) - no evidence of a diluting effect of the crcr.

Our first marten baby born to 2 slate parents, Lila, was born near white and darkened to lilac (we assume she was a lilac marten, with both parents pgp) (next 2 photos, left she's the lighter baby behind her slate tan sister, right is her adult photo).

Our first 'slate marten' (purchased), Serendipity, darkened over time from a slate baby color (next row left, he's in front of a black marten for comparison) to an uneven near-black surface tone with faded undercolor (right - with a slate tan for comparison...he's the DARKER pig in this photo). Crossed to a slate-carrier, he produced all blacks, so we assume he was a sable marten (crchP-).

Spyro, a dark slate from our core line crossed to Solstice (black marten), gave us Alpine and Glacie. These two started lighter than typical for our slate tans and with distinct ruby-cast eyes (also lighter than typical for our core slate tans), but not so light as Lila (assumed lilac marten) -- and then darkened to a color somewhere between a dark lilac and light slate (baby photo left, Alpine at ~8 weeks - Glacie stayed a similar tone). We are currently assuming these are pgp.

Titan, a dark slate tan from Candyland Cavies was bred to Solstice's black tan half-sister and produced Dazzle. Dazzle was born only slightly darker than Alpine and Glacie (still much lighter than his slate tan brother Frazzle in this baby photo on left), but got darker over time (adult photo on right, Alpine top and Dazzle bottom).

Stormy (Astro x Serafina)

Paradys (Astro x Serafina)

Roman (Astro x Serafina)

Black tan boar

at(at)B(B)CcrPpgE-

Second gene would be from the sire; sire is from our core line assumed pgpg, making him likely Ppg

Sire has a satin sibling, so he may carry satin (33% chance).

Kyoto (Rocket x Amelia)

Black tan satin boar

at(at)B(B)C-P-Ee

Sire is red (so carries e). Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance he carries pg.

Nova (Rocket x Amelia)

Red satin boar

at(at)B(B)C-P-ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance he carries pg.

Odessa (Rocket x Amelia)

Red satin sow

at(at)B(B)C-P-ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance she carries pg. Odessa was bred to Dazzle but her litter was mostly stillborn (one survived a couple of days but was very weak and small) - possibly premature. Sold.

Athena (Rocket x Amelia)

Red satin sow

at(at)B(B)C-P-ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance she carries pg.

Bred to Dazzle - Athena's litter included our first slate tan satin (Hestia) as well as a black tan satin (Apollo) and a black self (Lilith).

So surprise! self has also apparently been lurking in our core line (or was brought in with Amelia).

sold to another breeder after her first litter.

Blair (Rocket x Amelia)

Red satin sow

at(at)B(B)C-P-ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance she carries pg.

Bred to Alpine produced 2 slate tans (Expedia & Raya), and 2 black tans (Jet and Turbo)

Obsidian (Rocket x Amelia)

Black tan satin sow

at(at)B(B)C-P-Ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance she carries pg.

Arcturus & Antares (Rocket x Amelia)

Red satin boars

at(at)B(B)C-P-ee

Sire has a slate parent (from core line) - 50% chance they carry pg.

Breezy (Alpine x Stormy)

Slate tan sow

at(at)B(B)C-pg(pg)E- Snsn

possible carries p (sire is likely pgp), but dark eye color suggest pgpg.
possible carries marten (marten sibling so 66% chance)

bred to Kyoto produced a slate satin marten (Amaryllis) so carries satin.

Blizzy (Alpine x Stormy)

Black marten sow.

at(at)B(B)crcrP-E-Sn-

carries either pg or p (sire is likely pgp)

sibling proved to be a satin carrier, so she may be as well.

Bluster (Alpine x Stormy)

Slate tan boar

at(at)B(B)C-pg-E-

carries either pg or p (sire is likely pgp)

sibling proved to be a satin carrier, so he may be as well.

Jazzy (Dazzle x Glacie)

Slate marten sow

at-B(B)crcrpg-E- Sn-

sire was proven to carry self and satin, so 50% (per gene) chance she does as well.

dam likely pgp so 50/50 whether she is pgpg or pgp -- she is darker colored than her dam but lighter than her sire, and does have a strong ruby-cast to her eye color.

Valentino (Dazzle x Glacie)

Tango (Dazzle x Glacie)

Slate marten boar

at-B(B)crcrpg-E- Sn-

sire was proven to carry self and satin, so 50% (per gene) chance he does as well.

dam likely pgp so 50/50 whether he is pgpg or pgp -- he is darker colored than his dam but lighter than his sire, and does have a strong ruby-cast to his eye color.

The runt of Glacie's litter (bottom in picture) he struggled to gain weight and died relatively young (~6 months, but did hit 2 pounds)

Yolanda (Rocket x Eureka)

Slate tan sow

at(at)B(B)C-pgpgEe ?sn

We keep debating whether or not she is satin. She is extremely dark in tone (both the slate and red). Her fur feels fine (thinner hairs) but not the super softness of the confirmed satins. She wasn't DQ'ed when we showed her as a satin, but the judge commented that she lacked sheen (and suggested breeding her to a satin to attempt to prove).

Flash (Rocket x Eureka)

Slate tan boar

at(at)B(B)C-pgpgEe Snsn

almost identical to Yolanda as a pup, his color settled to a more matte tone and we are pretty confident he is only a satin carrier now. Shown as an American, one judge commented that the 'brown' tones in his coat are a fault, the other that they loved his dark tone.

Nightshade (Rocket x Eureka)

black tan satin boar.

at(at)B(B)C-P-Ee snsn

Not shown (yet), but confirmed by another breeder as a satin

Thunderous (Rocket x Eureka)

Black tan boar

at(at)B(B)C-P-Ee Snsn

no sign of satin on this one. gorgeous clear markings.

Hestia (Dazzle x Athena)

slate tan satin sow

at-B(B)CcrpgpgEe snsn

No question on this one. Definitely a satin!

Sibling is self, so high odds (66%) that she carries a.

Apollo (Dazzle x Athena)

black tan satin boar.

at-B(B)CcrPpgEe snsn

No question on this one. Definitely a satin!

Sibling is self, so high odds (66%) that he carries a.

Lilith (Dazzle x Athena)

black self

aaB(B)-crPpgEe Snsn

2 breeders looked and neither considers her satin, despite her coat being softer and slightly longer than normal.

probably Ccr, but may be crcr - her color isn't as rich as the good black showing on the tables currently, but that could equally be due to carried pg, sn, and e (or just not having been selected for good self color for generations)

Expedia (Alpine x Blair)

slate tan sow

at(at)B(B)Ccrpg-Ee Snsn

carries satin from her mum and marten from her sire. Mum carries pg and sire is likely pgp so 50/50 chance whether she is pgpg or pgp (nice dark eye color though)

Raya (Alpine x Blair)

Jet (Alpine x Blair)

black tan sow

at(at)B(B)CcrP-Ee Snsn

carries satin from her mum and marten from her sire. Sire is likely pgp so 50/50 chance whether she is Ppg or Pp

sold to another breeder

Turbo (Alpine x Blair)

black tan boar

at(at)B(B)CcrP-Ee Snsn

carries satin from his mum and marten from his sire. Sire is likely pgp so 50/50 chance whether he is Ppg or Pp

Icy, Tundra and Gleam + Balthazar (Kyoto x Jazzy)

2 slate tan sows (Icy and Tundra), a slate tan boar (Gleam) and a black tan boar (Balthazar). -- uncertain yet whether any are satin or (more likely) just satin carriers

at-B(B)CcrpgpgE- Snsn (slates)

at-B(B)CcrPpgE- Snsn (black)

all carry cr from their mom and satin from their sire.

red paternal grandsire gives a 50% chance they carry e
maternal grandsire (Dazzle) as well as father's sister (Athena) proved to carry self, so ~35% chance they carry a

Amaryllis (Kyoto x Breezy)

slate tan satin sow

at(at)B(B)C-pgpgE- snsn

red paternal grandsire gives a 50% chance she carries e

Kyoto's sister (Athena) carries self, so a 50% chance he does as well and ~25% chance Amaryllis carries a.

mum carries cr, so a 50% chance she does as well.