Dilute (dd) & Dense (Dd, DD) Colours

Colours can be split into two different categories, which are black based, and chocolate based. It should be noted that chocolate and Black are both dense colours. So with black, two dilute genes will turn the black to blue.  Similarly, Wth chocolate based bunnies, two dilute genes will turn the chocolate to lilac. Therefore, for every black colour, there is a corresponding blue colour: for example (Chestnut Black agouti) to Opal (Blue agouti). Then for every chocolate colour there is a corresponding lilac colour  an example of this could be Chocolate Tort to Lilac Tort.

The Genetics Behind it
So firstly, the dominant d-gene is the “dense” gene which is known as “D.”  So Dense color gene rabbits (Black or Chocolate) can be either “DD” or “Dd.”  The “DD” rabbits are often known as “true-breeding” which means that they are not dilute carriers. Where as rabbits that are “Dd” carry the dilute gene. Please note that the “dilute” gene is a recessive gene and is known as "d". Dilute bunnies are always “dd” and cannot carry nor produce dense coloured rabbits when paired together. In conclusion; There are only three different combinations of the dense/dilute gene which are:  “DD," (Dense NOT carrying dilute) “Dd,” (Dense CARRYING dilute) and “dd.” (DILUTE)


Dense Color Family DD or Dd        Dilute Color Family dd
Black                                                        Blue
Chocolate                                               Lilac
Black Tort                                               Blue Tort
Chocolate Tort                                      Lilac Tort
Chestnut (Black Agouti )                      Opal (Blue Agouti)
Cinnamon (Choc Agouti)                     Lynx (Lilac Agouti)
Orange (Orange Agouti)                      Fawn
Chocolate Orange                                Lilac Fawn
Chinchilla                                              Squirrel (Blue Chinchilla)
Chocolate Chinchilla                           Lilac Chinchilla
Black Frosty.                                        Blue Frosty
Chocolate Frosty                                Lilac Frosty 
Seal Point                                             Blue Point
Chocolate Point                                  Lilac point
Siamese Sable (Black Sable)              Siamese Smoke 
Chocolate Sable                                  Lilac Sable

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How is this shown in Breeding?

DD (Dense NOT carrying dilute) x dd (Dilute)

        d                 d
D|    Dd              Dd
D|    Dd              Dd

= 100% Dense CARRYING  dilute (Dd)
Therefore, Only Dd bunnies are possible from this mating
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Dd (Dense CARRYING dilute) x dd (Dilute)

        d                 d
D|    Dd              Dd
d|    dd              dd


50% Chance - dd
50% Chance- Dd
Approximately 50% Chance of producing a "dd" dilute based kits or a "Dd" kit which is a Dense carrying dilute
____________________________
Dd (Dense CARRYING dilute) x Dd (Dense CARRYING dilute)

        D                d
D|    DD           Dd
d|    Dd             dd

25% Chance - DD
50% Chance- Dd
25% Chance- dd
Approximately 25% will be True-breeding dense "DD" which are dense that do NOT carry dilute, 50% chance of producing a dense that does CARRY dilute which is "Dd" and finally a 25% chance of producing a Dilute based kit
____________________________
DD (Dense NOT carrying dilute) x Dd (Dense CARRYING dilute)

        D                d
D|    DD           Dd
D|    DD           Dd

50% Chance - DD
50% Chance- Dd
This is the last combination possible in breeding dense/dilute. On average, half of the kits will be "DD" which means they are dense NOT carrying the dilute gene, or they may be "Dd" which is Dense that does CARRY the dilute gene. All babies will be DENSE colours so test breeding is the only way to find the true genotypes


Please note that Dilute x Dilute CANNOT produce a dense colour! For example: Lilac x Lilac CANNOT produce chocolate based babies, Same as Blue x Blue CANNOT create black based babies; and if this was to happen to you then one of your parents are mis-identified colours :) Hope this helps clear up bunny dilution genetics!