Black is a base rat color - all non-Agouti rats are Black, before recessives take affect. Easily one of the most recognized colors, a good Black is an amazingly handsome animal. An ideal Black rat has dark pigment that goes down to the skin, including nail beds, foot and tail color. While markings may alter the amount of black on a rat, the black parts of the rat should still remain as dark as possible, without discoloration or white hairs.

A bad Black - one carrying a lot of recessives, one in poor condition, or bred without concentration on depth of color, may be mistaken for a chocolate or other brown rat. Bad blacks may "rust" or have brownish tones or patches in the fur, or may have a greyish tone to the fur and hair.

a/a

A Black rat is a double-recessive non-Agouti on the Agouti locus of the rat's gene. Two Black-based rats can never be bred together to produce a ticked or Agouti-type offspring.

AFRMA

"Color is a good solid black throughout, showing no rustiness or white hairs. Eye color is black."

RSA

"Color: To be a deep solid black, devoid of browning or rusting. Base fur is to be black to the skin, foot and belly color to match the top. Faults: patchiness or rusting. Eye Color: Black."

RatsPacNW

"Black to the skin, black eyes.  Should not exhibit rusting or brown spots."

URS

"A deep, lustrous black down to the skin.

Eye Color: Black

Faults: Silvering (white hairs), rusting, dullness."

LSRC Raven (c) Sarah Easter