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Every breeding program begins with a vision.
At Guldsten Fancy Rats, we don’t aim to breed as many colours or varieties as possible. Instead, we focus on a small number of carefully planned breeding projects that are developed consistently over multiple generations.
Each project has a clear purpose. Some focus on preserving and improving a specific colour or marking, while others aim to gradually eliminate unwanted genes from a bloodline or establish healthy foundation lines for future generations.
Health, temperament, type and genetic diversity always remain our highest priorities.
On this page, we would like to introduce our current breeding projects and share the long-term goals behind each of them.
Burmese & Siamese
Burmese & Siamese
This breeding group is dedicated to the long-term development of healthy, well-tempered and genetically diverse Burmese and Siamese bloodlines.
Our long-term goal is to breed Seal Point Siamese, English Blue Point Siamese, Black Burmese and English Blue Burmese with excellent temperament, good health and strong type.
To achieve this goal, this breeding group is intentionally maintained free from Roan, Agouti and Russian Blue. At the same time, we place great importance on preserving genetic diversity and continuing to develop these bloodlines responsibly.
As genetic testing is currently unavailable for many colour genes and carrier traits, carefully planned test breedings are an essential part of this project. These pairings may intentionally include colours or genes that are not intended to become part of this breeding group in the long term. Their sole purpose is to identify or rule out hidden genetics, allowing us to make informed breeding decisions for future generations.
We consider this project a long-term commitment that requires patience, careful planning and responsible breeding over multiple generations.
Silvermane
Silvermane
What is Silvermane?
Silvermane is not a colour, but a dominant gene that alters the appearance of the coat.
It causes a subtle silvering of the coat colour, giving the underlying colour a lighter, shimmering appearance. In addition, it slightly modifies the coat texture, resulting in a noticeably softer, silkier feel.
Silvermane should not be confused with Satin. Unlike the Satin gene, Silvermane does not create a glossy coat. Instead, it produces a characteristic silvered appearance combined with a soft, silky coat texture.
Goal:
This breeding group is dedicated to the long-term development of healthy, well-tempered and genetically diverse Silvermane bloodlines.
Our long-term goal is to breed Black Silvermane and English Blue Silvermane with excellent temperament, good health and strong type.
To achieve this goal, this breeding group is intentionally maintained free from Roan, Russian Blue, Colourpoint, Pink Eye and Ruby Eye genetics.
As genetic testing is currently unavailable for many colour genes and carrier traits, carefully planned test breedings are an essential part of this project. These pairings may intentionally include colours or genes that are not intended to become part of this breeding group in the long term. Their sole purpose is to identify or rule out hidden genetics, allowing us to make informed breeding decisions for future generations.
Our goal is to develop the darkest possible Silvermane line. In our opinion, the most beautiful Silvermane rats are those based on Black or English Blue.
We consider this project a long-term commitment that requires patience, careful planning and responsible breeding over multiple generations.
Red Eyed Devil (Marten)
Red Eyed Devil (Marten)
What is a Red Eyed Devil?
Red Eyed Devil is not a colour, but a colour variety produced by the Marten gene.
It is characterised by bright ruby-red eyes combined with a dark base colour. At the same time, the Marten gene creates a distinctive lightening of specific areas of the coat, producing a striking contrast between the darker body colour and the lighter shaded areas.
Depending on the genetic background, Red Eyed Devil can occur in several colour varieties. Our breeding project focuses exclusively on Black Red Eyed Devil and English Blue Red Eyed Devil.
Goal:
Red Eyed Devil is one of the most fascinating breeding projects within our rattery.
Although the Marten gene is located on the same genetic locus (C-locus) as Burmese and Siamese, we manage Red Eyed Devil as a separate breeding project. Due to the dominance of the Marten gene over Burmese and Siamese, establishing a stable Red Eyed Devil line requires careful long-term planning and selective breeding.
Our long-term goal is to breed Black Red Eyed Devil and English Blue Red Eyed Devil with excellent temperament, good health and strong type.
In the long term, we aim to establish homozygous Marten lines whenever possible. At the same time, maintaining a broad and healthy gene pool remains a priority. For this reason, Burmese and Siamese lines will occasionally be introduced to increase genetic diversity. Their offspring will then be carefully selected and bred back towards the Red Eyed Devil project.
This breeding group is intentionally maintained free from Roan, Agouti and Russian Blue genetics.
As reliable DNA tests are still unavailable for many colour genes and carrier traits, carefully planned test breedings are an essential part of this project. These pairings allow us to identify or exclude hidden genetics, enabling informed breeding decisions and the long-term development of stable bloodlines.
Our goal is not simply to breed beautiful Red Eyed Devils, but to establish a genetically well-defined, healthy and long-term stable Marten line.
Masked, Capped & Down Under
Masked, Capped & Down Under
What are Capped, Masked and Down Under?
Capped, Masked and Down Under are among the most distinctive markings found in fancy rats.
A Capped rat has colour only on the head, while the rest of the body remains almost entirely white. Masked rats are recognised by their unique facial markings, often creating the appearance of a mask or even a charming “pirate eye.”
Down Under is a rare dominant marking that produces additional markings on the underside of the rat, making it one of the most unusual and eye-catching varieties in the fancy.
No two markings are ever exactly alike, making every rat a truly unique individual.
Goal:
This breeding group is one of our personal passion projects.
Our goal is to preserve and further develop distinctive Capped and Masked markings, with a particular focus on unique facial expressions, asymmetrical markings and the characteristic Pirate Eye.
In the future, we also hope to introduce Down Under into this breeding project. Although we do not currently own a suitable Down Under breeding animal, it is part of our long-term vision. Our aim is to combine this fascinating marking with carefully selected Capped and Masked lines while maintaining excellent health, temperament, strong type and genetic diversity.
In the long term, we aim to establish these markings on both Black and English Blue, always placing the welfare and quality of our rats above appearance alone.
Our goal is not perfect symmetry, but expressive, unique markings and healthy bloodlines that make every rat truly one of a kind.
English Blue
English Blue
What is English Blue?
English Blue is a recessive colour variety produced by the dilution gene (dd).
This dilution gene lightens the base colour, giving the coat its characteristic cool steel-blue to blue-grey appearance. Depending on the bloodline and genetic background, English Blue can occur in various shades. Internationally, names such as British Blue, German Blue, Slate Blue, American Blue, Powder Blue, and Sky Blue are sometimes used. Despite these different names, they are all based on the same genetic mutation.
English Blue differs significantly from Russian Blue, both genetically and visually. Although both are beautiful blue varieties, they are produced by completely different genes and should not be confused.
As English Blue rats age, especially those based on a black (aa) background, the coat may develop a slight brownish hue. This natural process, known as rusting, is completely normal and not considered a fault.
Goal:
This breeding group is dedicated to the long-term preservation and development of healthy, well-tempered and genetically diverse English Blue bloodlines.
One of the primary goals of this project is to preserve genetically pure English Blue lines. Over the years, Russian Blue has become increasingly popular in many breeding programmes. As a result, traditional English Blue bloodlines have gradually become rarer or have been combined with Russian Blue.
Our goal is to preserve the original character of the classic English Blue. For this reason, our English Blue lines are intentionally developed without Russian Blue. Not because Russian Blue is any less valuable, but because we want to help preserve this beautiful and increasingly uncommon variety.
As with all of our breeding projects, carefully planned test breedings may occasionally be necessary. In such cases, Russian Blue animals may be used when required to answer specific genetic questions. These pairings are carried out solely for genetic evaluation and are not intended to influence the long-term direction of this breeding group.
In addition, English Blue, and especially Opal, are among our personal favourite colours. We hope to preserve these beautiful, cool blue shades for future generations.
Our goal is not simply to breed blue rats, but to preserve and develop genetically pure English Blue bloodlines for generations to come.
A Final Word
A Final Word
Every breeding project presented on this page reflects our long-term vision and the direction in which we hope to develop our bloodlines over the coming years.
Genetics, however, cannot always be planned with absolute certainty. Along the way, rats in colours or markings outside of our primary breeding goals will naturally be born.
These rats are never considered less valuable. Every single one is raised with the same love, care and dedication.
Some will become cherished companions in loving homes, while others may remain with us to contribute to carefully planned test breedings or future breeding projects.
Every rat has a purpose. Some help shape the future of our breeding programme, while others simply become someone’s best friend. Both are equally important.
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