The Vienna Gene: What is it?

5/21/2019

The Vienna Gene is what makes Blue eyed Whites (aka BEW). Blue eyed whites have bright blue eyes. A blue eyed white (also known as BEW) is rabbit with two Vienna genes: vv. Opposed to a non-vienna rabbit that has two regular genes: VV. A Vienna marked rabbit is a rabbit that carries just one Vienna gene and one normal gene which is: Vv.

Vienna marked rabbits generally have ‘dutch’ markings or white on its nose, head or feet. A Vienna carrier still has the same genetics of Vv but they don't visually express the gene with Vienna markings.

Breeding Vienna rabbits
VIENNA MARKED X VIENNA MARKED
When two Vienna marked rabbits are bred together there is a 25% chance for each offspring being a BEW, 50% chance of being Vienna marked rabbits and 25% of being a ‘Normal rabbit’ with no Vienna gene.

V v
V| VV (Non Vienna) Vv (Vienna)
v | vV (Vienna). vv (BEW)

VIENNA MARKED X BEW
When a Vienna marked rabbit is bred to a BEW, there is a 50% chance of the Kit being BEW and a 50% chance of it being a Vienna marked offspring.
v v
V| Vv (Vienna) Vv (Vienna)
v | vv (BEW) vv(BEW)

BEW X BEW
If two BEW rabbits are bred together, then there would be a 100% chance of BEW offspring.
v v
v| vv (BEW) vv (BEW)
v| vv (BEW) vv (BEW)

NON-VIENNA MARKED X BEW
When a ‘Normal’ non-Vienna, rabbit are bred with a BEW then there is a 100% chance the offspring with be Vienna marked or Vienna carriers.
V V
v| Vv (Vienna ) Vv (Vienna marked)
v| Vv (Vienna) Vv (Vienna marked)

NON-VIENNA MARKED X VIENNA MARKED
When a Non-Vienna marked is crossed with a Vienna marked rabbit, each kit has a 50% chance of Vienna marked rabbits and 50% chance being Non-Vienna offspring.
V V
V| VV (Non-Vienna) VV (Non-Vienna)
v | Vv (Vienna) Vv (Vienna)

What does a Vienna mark look like?
Vienna marked rabbits typically have ‘dutch’ markings or white on its nose, head or feet. Vienna marked bunnies can also be born with blue or marbled eyes but can have brown eyes. Whether they are ‘split’ with blue eyes or have a white spot and brown eyes, they are both genetically Vv.

Within this blog you may see me call a bunny with the Vienna gene a 'Vienna marked' , Please note the rules and information in this blog also applies for Vienna carriers. If a bunny carries the Vienna gene (Vv) There is a 50/50 chance if they express the gene through markings or as carriers.

7 Comments

Rachel

5/4/2020 08:29:58 pm

Please explain the next generation to me. If a BEW was bred to a non Vienna Broken tort that produced two solid black and one broken tort. Can the BEW be bred out?

Kristin W

7/27/2020 02:56:33 pm

As much as any recessive. The rabbit could be a vienna carrier, carrying the gene without showing it. By test breeding, you can hope the gene is bred out, but it won't be guaranteed.

Maegan

5/26/2020 08:25:27 pm

Hello. My little Lovie Leo was surprise gifted to me from a likely October 2019 batch of bun buns. His breeder shares that he is a New Zealand Cross bunny. The gifter chose him in part because he had adorable french manicure white markings on his blacker, yet now some brown toned, fur. What I've noticed is that in addition to his usual brown eyes, he sometimes gets deep navy blue eyes. Oddly, he also can get quite aggressive when his eyes go to this navy blue tone. He has rarely bit me out of aggression, yet I have noticed the deep blue eyes a few times prior to his bite. Is it common for there to be a shift in periodic eye color in bunnies that apparently have a vienna gene? He doesn't display the navy hued eyes often and I fond it odd.

5/26/2020 08:42:34 pm

And, is Vienna a bunny breed? Or, is it merely a gene that expresses eye color? I was told that my Leo is a New Zealand Cross in that all of the bunnies are of the New Zealand breed, yet the breeders do not keep colors of New Zealand breeding parent bunnies separate. Does that make sense? Both parents are supposedly New Zealand bunnies. Yet Leo is definitely black with white hock markings and I've noticed the occasional deep blue Navy eyes with him. Hmmm. Thanks,

Brodie

7/1/2020 03:17:09 am

Hi i have a Vienna marked sable buck and a chocolate doe unknown on their parents, what do you thunk the bubs might be?

Brooke

8/24/2020 11:26:24 am

My question is does the Vv get placed with the genotype? I have a VM black harli and I'm wondering if I list the Vv in the genotype or not?

Ameen aman

9/20/2020 06:37:51 pm

I have ten Vienna marked bunnies but not a single piece of Vienna carrier

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The Vienna Gene: What is it?

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