Mini Rex, Netherland Dwarf, Lion-Heads and Mini Lops!

..::Vienna Gene::..

The Vienna gene, which makes BEW, is not one of the five major color genes, and acts differently than the other genes. A BEW, bred to any other color, including ruby-eyed white, will produce colored rabbits the first generation. These are sometimes called "Dutch marked," because they almost always have some white on them, in the same pattern arrangement as a non show quality Dutch breed rabbit. Most have a white blaze or spot on the forehead and/or nose. Some have one or two white feet. I have even had a few with more white than color. A few may even have a pretty good Dutch breed pattern, even though the Vienna gene has no relationship to the dutch gene at all.

I prefer to call these "Dutch marked" rabbits, "Vienna marked", so there will be no confusion in termonology with the Dutch rabbit breed. Some Vienna marked rabbits have all blue eyes. Most have eyes that are part blue (a distinct section of the iris) and part brown, or blue gray (in the case of dilute colors). This variation in eye color, is another similarity with the Dutch rabbit breed.

These Vienna marked rabbits are good for breeding to get BEW, but aren't showable, because of the white markings and off-colored eyes.

Once in a while, a bunny is born that has one Vienna gene, but is normal colored, without any white, and with normal colored eyes. This is the exception, rather than the rule. I like to call these rabbits "Vienna carriers", because they do have one Vienna gene, but it doesn't show. They are a dual purpose animal - breeding stock for BEW, and showable too.

Vienna marked rabbits have one Vienna gene, and one normal gene. It takes two Vienna genes to make a BEW. When two Vienna marked rabbits are bred together, there is a 25% chance of getting BEW, a 50% chance of getting more Vienna marked rabbits, and a 25% chance of getting a normal colored rabbit (two normal genes - no Vienna gene). When a Vienna marked rabbit is bred to a BEW, there is a 50% chance of getting BEW, and a 50% chance of getting Vienna marked offspring. If two BEWs are bred together, there is a 100% chance they will produce BEW.

The exception to the above, is if the rabbits have albino genes (which produce ruby-eyed white), or himi genes (which produce pointed white). That lowers your chances of getting BEW. A rabbit may have two Vienna genes, which would normally make it BEW, but if it also inherits two albino genes, two himi genes, or one of each, those genes keep the color in the iris of the eye from forming, making the eyes red/pink.