Click these links for charts about genetics(percentages, hets, etc).
Probability of HetsGrey CarriersProbability of Carrier & Color
• Genetic Vocabulary •

In the below definitions blood type will be used as examples. Blood types come in AA, AO, BB, BO, AB, and OO. Genes are simply traits that are passed down by previous generations like hair color, blood type, ear lobes, eye color, baldness, etc. and depending on the genes an individual receives will determine how that certain trait is expressed.

Dominant genes are those that are expressed even when there is only one copy.
Example: Both parents have BO type blood, on their blood cards they are type B blood because even though they have O genes the B genes “cancel” them out.

Recessive genes are those that must come in pairs in order to be expressed.
Example: Blood types BO and AO have both a dominant and a recessive gene yet on the individuals blood cards their blood types would read “B type blood” and “A type blood” in order for the blood to be classified as type O the individual would need two O copies.

Het or Heterozygous means that the individual carries both the Dominant and Recessive gene.
Example: Father is type OO blood which is recessive and the Mother is type AA blood which is dominant, their offspring will be AO.

Homozygous means that the individual only carries one form of the gene whether it is dominant or recessive.
Example: Father is type AO blood and Mother is type AO also, the baby has 2 chances to be AO, 1 to be Homozygous AA or Homozygous OO.

Codominant refers to an individual who carries no recessive genes for a trait but more than one form of the dominant trait for that gene.
Example: Mother is type AO blood and Father is type BO blood, their offspring is born with type AB blood, meaning they have both dominant forms of blood type.

• Sugar Glider Genetics •

WFB – White Face Blonde

WF – White Face

The white face gene is most likely Heterozygous Dominant due to the fact that two WF Hets can produce both types of offspring. Those white faces proclaimed super white faces are likely Homozygous Dominants. There are many theories about gene modifiers and the likelihood of whether or not the WF gene is a true dominant trait.

BB – Black Beauty

WT – White Tip Tail

Having a white tip tail is likely a recessive or normal trait.

Leu – Leucistic

Is a recessive type gene both parents must carry the gene in order to produce offspring that is Leucistic. This is why hets can produce white offspring, they carry both forms of coat color. A white sugar glider in appearance will be homozygous recessive.

Mosaic gliders are likely to be codominant. They will express two types of coat color, patterns of white and standard grey. This gene probably cannot produce hets because it has been seen that if the trait is inherited then it will always be expressed, if it not inherited then it will not be expressed.

Red Series Gliders include Lions, Brown Beauties, Cinnamons, and Buttercreams. These gliders seem to be the most easily mistaken classified gliders and it is incredibly unlikely to have a true red since this color variation also appears in standard gliders fed an unbalanced diet. This color variation is much like hair color in humans. One parent with blonde hair and another with brown hair will likely produce offspring that is dark blonde, but neither one or the other. This means that Red Series gliders probably get their coat color from more than one gene. In humans we clearly can see that brown hair is dominant but blonde hair will dilute the brown hair this is true for red gliders bred to grey gliders, the red still appears in the next generation but diluted. Red series gliders do not appear to be born red but as they age their color deepens. An adult true red glider should have red coloring from root to tip but also be one fluid color throughout their coat. They should not be blotchy in complexion or patchy and their hair color should continue from the roots to the tips.

Credits: ViciousEncounters, Reece, Jane B., and Neil A. Campbell. Biology. Boston, MA: Cummings, 2011. Print.

If you have any information you would like to share and put on this page PLEASE contact us!