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This page is a work in progress regarding questions we receive on identifying rabbit colors. These are general descriptions - specific breed descriptions may vary slightly and are listed in the ARBA standard of perfection. For specific genotype information click here
All pictures shown are of Welsh's Honeybuns rabbits and is a work in progress.
Note: Only 5 of these colors are on the first degree of certification. Once any color passes certification, you will not be able to show any other colors until they are also individually certified (possibly years later)

The Cimmaron site has excellent color descriptions

Self Variety (no shading, banding or ticking)
REW (Ruby Eyed White) ___cc____
	Description: Pure white coat and undercoat.
	Comments: If the eyes are blue the rabbit is a BEW (Blue Eyed White) Here is an example of a blue eye.
	Correct Eye Color: Red
Black aaB_C_D_E_
	Description: Rich uniform black color over entire body. Undercoat is dark slate blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the black color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be black on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Note: double manes will still have bald flanks.
	Comments: Fault animals for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light undercolor
	Correct Eye Color: Brown
Blue aaB_C_ddE_
	Description: Rich uniform blue color over entire body. Undercoat is also blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the blue color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be blue on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Note: double manes will still have bald flanks.
	Comments: Fault animals for having color, scattered white hairs, or a light undercolor White toenails are a DQ.
	Correct Eye Color: Blues are the dilute of black therefore the eyes should be dark blue / gray. Brown eyes are a DQ.
Shaded Variety -
Sable Point aaB_chl_D_ee
	Description: Newborns will almost look like REWs. Their points take a little bit to develop. Cold weather does affect their points and will make the points darker. Adults - The nose, ears, feet, and tail are to be a rich sepia brown. The color of the points is to fade rapidly to a rich creamy body surface color, which has a creamy white undercolor. Darker shading is permissible around the eyes. HOW can I tell a Sable Point from a Sable Frost or a Frosty
	Comments: Fault animals that have streaks, blotches, or smut on the body. Point color that is so light as to lose the contrast with the body color is to be faulted. Scattered white hairs. Disqualify animals having a white underside of tail.
	Correct Eye Color: Brown
Siamese Sable aaB_chl_D_E_
	Description: Newborns will NOT be the dark rich color of the adults. They will be a light brown mocha color. Almost a silvery color with a brown tinge. This picture is of a baby siamese sable on the left and a sable point baby on the right. Adult description - The surface color is to be a rich sepia brown on the head, ears, back, outside of legs, and top of the tail. The surface color will fade to a lighter sepia on the sides, chest, belly, inside of legs, and underside of the tail. Dark face color is to fade from the eyes to the jaws and all blending of color is to be gradual and free from blotched or streaks. The undercolor will be slightly lighter than the surface color.
	Comments: Fault animals that have streaks, blotched, or poor color blending. Scattered white hairs, or lack of darker color in the loin area is a fault.
	Correct Eye Color: Brown
Tortoise aaB_C_D_ee
	Description: Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks and dark insides and outsides of the ears like the picture to the right. With the exception of the dark ears they will look like orange babies. On adults the points (ears and face) will be very visible in a dark brown. The undercoat will be lighter than the surface. HOW can I tell an orange from a fox (torte otter) or a tortoise
	Comments: Disqualify animals with a white belly or underside of tail.
	Correct Eye Color: Brown
Agouti - (have banded hair shafts) You can see the rings caused by the banded hair shaft when you blow into the fur.
Chestnut A_B_C_D_E_
	Description: Newborns will have very dark bodies and will look similar to black newborns. BUT the insides of the ears will be cream colored like the picture below (black babies have dark ears inside and out). The first few days they will have pink underbellies. A week or so later they will have perl white underbellies and tops of the feet like these pictures. Adults - The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be a light brown, ticked with jet black. The intermediate band is to be a well defined orange over a dark slate-blue undercolor. The chest is to be a light brown over a dark slate-blue undercolor. The undercolor of the belly is to be slate-blue. The top of the tail is to be black, sparsely ticked with light brown, over a dark slate-blue undercolor. The nape of the neck is to be orange, with the ears laced in black.
	Comments: Fault animals that are too light or too dark in surface color, or too light in the color of the intermediary band or undercolor. White toenails are a DQ. Correct Eye Color: Brown
Chinchilla (Silver Agouti) A_B_chd_D_E_
	Description: The fur should look silver with black ticking. Blue undercoat. The ears should be black laced. When you blow into the fur you should see prominent rings like those on the left. This is caused by the banded hair shaft of an agouti. The rings should be off white and slate gray. Inside of the ears, feet, ring around eyes and nose should be pearl white. Underside of the tail and belly should be white or silver. HOW can I tell a sable chinchilla (technically not a showable color) from a chinchilla
	Comments: Disqualify animals with extreme dark or light color, brown patches of color, or extreme brownish tinge in ring color. Animals without black lacing on ears are to be disqualified.
	Correct Eye Color: gray blue or light brown/gray
Opal A_B_C_ddE_
	Description: The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be blue mingled with fawn. The intermediary band is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The chest is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The undercolor of the belly is to be slate blue. The top of the tail is to be blue, sparsely ticked with fawn, over a medium slate-blue undercolor. The nape of the neck is to be fawn. Newborns will be mostly blue expect for their bellies and the inside of the ears which will be a pearl white like the picture to the right.
	Comments: Fault animals that have light color on the surface, in the intermediary band, or in the undercolor.
	Correct Eye Color: Opals are a dilute and therefore the eyes should be dark blue / gray.
Others
Orange A_B_C_D_ee
	Description: Orange coat with cream undercoat. Back of the ears should also be the same color orange. Inside of the ears, ring around the eyes and nose, belly and chest should be cream. Underside of tail and around genitals should be white. Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks - they will look similar to a tortoise at birth. BUT the insides of the ears will be white and oustides of the ears will be orange - not dark colored. HOW can I tell an orange from a fox (torte otter) or a tortoise
	Comments: Faults include any smut (darker hairs) in the coat.
	Correct Eye Color: brown
Himilayan
	Description:
	Comments:
	Correct Eye Color: