Basic Gerbil Genetics
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	Basic Terms: phenotype: what it looks like, appearance (e.g. coat color, eye color) genotype: the actual genes the gerbil has, genetics (e.g. DNA that make up the genotype) genetic color: the name given to a gerbil's color that fits within a set of allowed genes.
	Genotype can be the same while phenotype differs.   a.k.a. The genetics can be the same while the appearance differs. Genotypes can differ but have the same phenotype.   a.k.a. The genetics can be different but they look the same. Although named the same color, they can differ in genotype.    a.k.a.  The color can be called the same, but they won't be the same genetically.

A   white belly
a   self (same color on belly and back)

C dominant
ch (chch is a white gerbil)
cb (cbcb or cbch are colorpoint)

D dominant
d dilute (not available in North America)

E dominant, controls extent of orange in coat
e recessive (creates DEH/nutmeg, etc)
ef orange fades with age (schimmel)

      Note:
              ef is an interesting gene, eef fade with age, but slower than those that are efef.   
               DEH can still be a DEH and have ef, same with nutmeg.  They will fade with age   
               as a schimmel would, but not to such extremes.  

G dominant, yellow in the coat
g recessive, gg means faded color, often faded yellow

      Note:
              Gg are often darker than GG.

P dominant, black eyes
p recessive, pp are red/ruby eyes

Sp spotted, SpSp is lethal and does not exist
sp non spotted

      Note:
               Spotting/Pied/Mottled are all Spsp
      
               Spotting also causes a white underside, but does not make them necessarily A*