A Banded rat is not the same as a Banded mouse or rabbit, where the white "band" encircles the belly and cuts off solid color on either end of the animal. Instead, a Banded rat resembles a Berkshire, but instead of ending at the belly line, the white comes up on the rib cage and sides of the rat - thus the appellation of "whiteside." Unlike a "vari-berk" rat, the Banded rat should have a straight, even line of demarcation between white and color on the sides. Standards also allow a blaze on the face.

Associated with the Hooded H locus, it should ideally be H/h and modifiers which bring the white up the sides. Sometimes this marking is associated with white-spotting genes instead and carries an increased risk of megacolon; care should be taken to breed from known lines.

RSA

"The banded rat shall have as symmetrical of markings as possible. The chest, belly, sides and all legs should be completely white. Color will not extend under the jaw line (white chin). The band of color continues from the pigmented area of the head onto the shoulders, the back and part of the hips, being of even width at all points. The band width will be approximately 2 inches wide on rats of standard stature. Generally speaking, the band should be as wide as the head is. Demarcation between white belly and top color shall be as even and clean cut as possible. A white tail tip to extent no farther than 1/4th its length. Legs and feet white. The color shall conform to a recognized color. Blazes permissible and will conform to the blazed standards and be shown in blazed classes."

RatsPacNW

"Color covering head, down shoulders in a wide spine/body mark down through tail.  Mark should be at least as wide as the shoulders.  The underside of the rat, including the head will be white.  Blazes are accepted and preferred."

URS

"Jaw line, neck, legs, feet, sides and underside of rat to be completely white leaving a very wide band of color across the back. There should be a clear demarcation line between top color and white around the entire rat. Wedge-blazes acceptable.

Fault: Overmarked (seeming berkshire), undermarked (seeming hooded)."