Siamese and Himalayan are colorpoint rats, meaning the body is pale and the "points" of nose, feet, rump and ears are shaded with darker color. While a colorpoint rat may be any color genetically, from Agouti to Mink to Black to Dove, it is only recognized by clubs in Seal Point (Black,) Russian Blue Point and American Blue Point. Generally speaking, Siamese and Himalayan rats have red/pink eyes, however they also appear with the expression of a Black-Eyed gene, first bred in England.

The colorpoints on a colorpoint rat should always include as much color on the feet as possible, ideally down to the toenail bed. It is considered a serious fault for a colorpoint to have white feet or markings of any kind.

Himalayan rats are a lighter version of a siamese, carrying only a single copy of the colorpoint gene with an albino one (see genetics below.) The body should be a completely clear, bright white. The points should be minimal in placement, not extending upwards far from nose, feet and tailbase to color the body. The points should be clear and as dark as possible, but well-defined and not as dark as a Siamese colorpoint. Currently no club recognizes any particular color of Himalayan.

Siamese on the other hand, having two copies of the colorpoint gene (see genetics below) can express viably in a variety of recognized colors. Rat show clubs recognize Siamese in Seal (Black), Russian Blue and American Blue. Unlike Himalayan, Siamese points should ideal extend upwards as far as possible into the body of the rat. The coat will range from a pale ivory to an almost beige shade, and should gradually darken into the points.

Seal should be a deep chocolate color on the points, shading outward to sepia on the body. The body fur shouldn't be white, but ivory at the lightest.

Russian Blue should have an ivory body with a cold cast to it, and heathering should clearly be seen in the shading. The points themselves should carry a steely blue tone to them.

American Blue should have a warm, pale cast to it, and the body should be a light ivory. The points often have a yellowish cast to them, though ideally they will shade more toward blue-grey.

Other expressions of Siamese on Mink, Agouti, Fawn and other colors have been bred, but are not recognized for show by any clubs. The points on these dilutes tend to be very pale, muddy, grainy or without satisfying shading.

Siamese: A/- or a/a c(h)/c(h)

Himalayan: A/- or a/a c(h)/c

The Siamese gene is located on the full color/no color locus of the gene. It is a modification of the albino gene, which is described as recessive c on the locus. The gene that gives us Siamese is described as recissive c(h). A single copy of the c(h) gene along with albino c gives the colorpattern known as Himalayan, which is a lighter, "cleaner" looking Siamese. Double-recessive c(h) gives us the full Siamese.

Siamese genes will only express with either a double recessive or with recessive albino. A rat with a copy of the dominant full-color gene on the locus, described as C, will appear to be a completely normally colored rat. Normally colored rats carrying a copy of c(h) gene can have Colorpoint offspring.

Siamese points can express in any color, ticked or solid, however, it will only "show" with darker colors. Attempts to breed "flamepoint" rats using Red-based dilutes such as Fawn and Beige have failed to turn up anything other than a very pale-colored Siamese that resembles a bad Himalayan more than a full siamese. Most Siamese breeders therefore stick to Black, Blue, and Russian Blue as they express and shade well. Most breeders also avoid ticked colors, as it gives a grainy or muddy appearance to the point, which is considered a fault.

Colorpoint rats should be unmarked selfs, with the color ideally down to the nailbeds.

AFRMA

Himalayan

"Body color to be white, free from stains and even throughout. The points to be a rich dark sepia (as dark as possible). Eyes red. Note: Color should not extend past the following areas: 1. Face – not to extend upwards from the eyes. 2. Ears – not to extend downwards from the base. 3. Fore legs – not to extend upwards beyond the elbows. 4. Hind legs – not to extend upwards beyond the ankle. 5. Tail – not to extend more than half way up to the rump. 6. Feet – the color to be solid throughout, devoid of any white. (English N.F.R.S.) Himalayan to be shown only in AOCP class."

Seal Point Siamese

"Body color to be medium beige gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at base of tail. Tail color to extend down the length of the tail. Belly to be light beige. Points to be rich dark sepia and to shade evenly into the body color. Eyes red or light ruby."

Russian Blue Point Siamese

"Body color to be medium beige gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at base of tail. Tail color to extend down the length of the tail. Belly to be light beige. Points to be rich dark sepia and to shade evenly into the body color. Eyes red or light ruby."

Blue Point Siamese

"Body color to be ivory (the darker the better) with a warm blue cast gradually and evenly shaded over the saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. The points (nose, ears, feet, tail, and tail-root) to be a medium slate blue. They should not have a definite or distinct line of demarcation but rather a toning or merging with the remainder of the coat. There should be no white hairs, blotches, streaks, or mealiness of the color. Eyes red or ruby."

AFRMA does not recognize Black-Eyed Siamese or Himalayan at this time

RSA

Himalayan

"Body color to be white, free from stains and even throughout, with points to be as dark as possible. Eyes red. Note - Color areas: 1. face - not to extend upwards from eyes. 2. ears - not to extend downwards from the base. 3. forelegs - not to extend upwards beyond the elbows. 4. hind legs - not to extend upwards beyond the ankle. 5. tail - not to extend beyond the tail root. 6. feet - to be solid color throughout, devoid of any white."

Seal Point Siamese

"Body color to be medium beige, gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. There should be no white or very pale areas anywhere on the body, feet or tail. Tail color to extend down the length of the tail. Belly to be light beige. Points to be as dark as possible and shade evenly into the body color. Eyes ruby. Seal Point Siamese: body color to be a medium beige gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being the darkest at base of tail. Points to be a rich, dark sepia and to shade evenly into the body color."

Russian Blue Point Siamese

"Body color to be ivory with a deep gray cast, the darker the better, gradually and evenly shaded over the saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. The points to be a dark gray-blue."

Blue Point Siamese

"Points to be a medium slate blue. Body color to be ivory. Warm blue cast gradually and evenly shaded over the saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being the darkest at the tail."

RSA Provisionally recognizes Black-Eyed Siamese and Himalayan

Black-Eyed Himalayan

"Body color to be white, free from stains and even throughout, with points to be as dark as possible. Eyes black. Note - Color areas: 1. face - not to extend upwards from eyes. 2. ears - not to extend downwards from the base. 3. forelegs - not to extend upwards beyond the elbows. 4. hind legs - not to extend upwards beyond the ankle. 5. tail - not to extend beyond the tail root. 6. feet - to be solid color throughout, devoid of any white."

Black-Eyed Siamese

"Body color to be medium beige, gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being darkest at the base of the tail. There should be no white or very pale areas anywhere on the body, feet or tail. Tail color to extend down the length of the tail. Belly to be light beige. Points to be as dark as possible and shade evenly into the body color. Eyes black. Seal Point Siamese: body color to be a medium beige gradually and evenly shaded over saddle and hindquarters towards the belly, being the darkest at base of tail. Points to be a rich, dark sepia and to shade evenly into the body color."

RatsPacNW

Siamese

"Seal Point Siamese - aa c(h)c(h)

Blue Point Siamese - aa gg c(h)c(h)

Russian Blue Point - aa dd c(h)c(h)

  All Siamese shall have a beige based body ranging from light beige on the blue & Russian blue point to a deeper beige on the seal point. 

Deep colored points will be found on nose, ears, all four feet, tail fading up back.  Eye color is deep ruby

Faults:  too light of beige (intensity of color); missing points; white toes

DQ:  white feet, white blaze, stripes"

Himalayan

"Himalayan will be of a white base with deep colored points on nose, ears, all four feet, tail base/tail.  Faults: white on tips/points; too light of beige; missing points; white markings. Eye color is pink to pale ruby.  Faults: white on tips/points; too light of beige (intensity of color); missing points, white toes;   DQ white markings - blazes; stripes; white feet."

URS

Siamese

"Body color to be ivory to medium beige depending on the colorpoint variety. Color to be gradually and evenly shaded over the head, shoulders, back and belly of the rat. Points to be dark as possible - shaded evenly into the body color and located on the nose but should not extend past the eyes, on the ears but not extending past the ears, on all four feet but not extending past the legs, and the base of the tail shading up over the hindquarters. Eyes: Red to Ruby

Faults: Patchy or uneven coloration, pale or light areas

    * Seal Point

      Points to be a rich dark seal color shading into a medium beige color over the rest of the rat.

    * Russian Blue Point

      Points to be a distinct smokey blue-gray shaded into a bright ivory color over the rat. Light heathering is normal for this Russian Blue-based colorpoint variety. Contrast between the shaded points and the ivory color of the body to be very distinct.

    * American Blue Point

      Points to be subdued cool yellow-brown shaded into a bright ivory color over the rest of the rat. Contrast between the shaded points and the ivory color of the body to be very distinct. "

Himalayan

"Body to be an even clean white base with points to be dark as possible - shaded evenly into the body color and located on the nose but should not extend past the eyes, on the ears but not extending past the ears, on all four feet but not extending past the legs, and the color on the tail is not to extend beyond halfway up the rump. Eyes: red.

Faults: stains, yellowing, or white on the feet/toes

    * Seal Point

      Points to be a rich dark seal/sepia color shade. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct.

    * Russian Blue Point

      Points to be a distinct smokey blue-gray shade. Light heathering is normal for this Russian Blue-based colorpoint variety. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct.

    * American Blue Point

      Points to be subdued, cool yellow-brown shade. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct."

Black-Eyed Siamese (provisional)

"Body color to be ivory to medium beige depending on the colorpoint variety. Color to be gradually and evenly shaded over the head, shoulders, back and belly of the rat. Points to be dark as possible - shaded evenly into the body color and located on the nose but should not extend past the eyes, on the ears but not extending past the ears, on all four feet but not extending past the legs, and the base of the tail shading up over the hindquarters. Eyes: Black

Faults: Patchy or uneven coloration, pale or light areas

Shown: 0/10

    * Seal Point

      Points to be a rich dark seal color shading into a medium beige color over the rest of the rat.

    * Russian Blue Point

      Points to be a distinct smokey blue-gray shaded into a bright ivory color over the rat. Light heathering is normal for this Russian Blue-based colorpoint variety. Contrast between the shaded points and the ivory color of the body to be very distinct.

    * American Blue Point

      Points to be a subdued cool yellow-brown shaded into a bright ivory color over the rest of the rat. Contrast between the shaded points and the ivory color of the body to be very distinct."

Black-Eyed Himalayan (provisional)

"Body to be an even clean white base with points to be dark as possible - shaded evenly into the body color and located on the nose but should not extend past the eyes, on the ears but not extending past the ears, on all four feet but not extending past the legs, and the color on the tail is not to extend beyond halfway up the rump. Eyes: Black.

Faults: stains, yellowing, or white on the feet/toes

Shown: 0/10

    * Seal Point

      Points to be a rich dark seal/sepia color shade. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct.

    * Russian Blue Point

      Points to be a distinct smokey blue-gray shade. Light heathering is normal for this Russian Blue-based colorpoint variety. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct.

    * American Blue Point

      Points to be a subdued, cool yellow-brown shade. Contrast between the shaded points and the white color of the body to be very distinct."

Seal Point Siamese Dumbo Doe (c) Sarah Easter

Blue Point Siamese (c) Gabriel Edson

Himalayan (c) Sarah Easter