breeding foxes

A black fox mouse is one who is black tan (at/at) and also chinchillated (cch/cch).

You need a chinchilla mouse to introduce the cch allele into the population. Breeding a black tan to a chinchilla will create a lot of agouti tans (assuming the chinchilla is Aw/Aw, which many show chinchillas in the UK are) and crossing the agouti tans together (four or five litters of them) will give a couple black foxes.

Thanks Jack i had a feeling thats what i needed but i like to back up my views as with mouse genetics i am very new. i'm used to sheep genetics and i am still getting used to the vast differences each gene can affect colouring/patterning in mice.

Would a silver agouti work to a lesser extent then as they have the chinchillated gene as well do they not?

You're very welcome!

A silver agouti would work, too. It might actually be better since you wouldn't be dealing with the Aw/Aw. I always forget about silver agoutis because they're not very common over here.

thanks again. now all i have to do is find someone with silver agoutis that need a new home! i'm in no rush though. patience is a virtue and all that. that and i already have many other breeding programs under go, moving house and 8 show cavies due to give birth currently. so a little strapped for time.lol

i might have found some show black tans and chinchillas to give me a go at this while also being able to keep both of those colours pure just because they are amazing.

You could try... a black fox! :lol: Seriously, that would be easiest; first generation would be black tans, second generation would be black foxes. I've seen a lot more black foxes at shows than chinchillas, and I've never seen a silver agouti.

Sarah xxx

Which is a shame, because silver agouti's are gorgeous looking creatures! <3

i would try that however i seem to find them hard to get hold of up here and i do like to try and breed my own from scratch in all my animals. i managed to breed a grey fox in sheep a couple of years ago in two generations which i got told i couldn't do (shetland sheep so it would be a gulmoget) i don't go for creating new colours as i think too many leaves others without support, i know this is the case with breeding cavies which i also keep. however as i like chinchillas and black tans it seems like the best use of poorer black tans and try and create a different strain of black fox.
however if anyone will have a black fox available for harrogate maybe...