Since the beginning of the stud there have been seal sables - a black based, shaded cavy that is an old breed but hardly seen here in the UK. Tartuffe Cavies has consistently bred for size, type, robustness and vigor.
The original sables cam from Elaine Milliard at Crystal Cavies of Northamptonshire and with some good genetics advice from knowledgeable sources soon expanded into a sustainable line that produces consistently good results in both terms of development of the breed and on the show bench.
The picture show highlights the mink colour variation that is desirable and selected for at birth - darker babies are useful in the breeding programme but will not be showable.
The original sables cam from Elaine Milliard at Crystal Cavies of Northamptonshire and with some good genetics advice from knowledgeable sources soon expanded into a sustainable line that produces consistently good results in both terms of development of the breed and on the show bench.
The picture show highlights the mink colour variation that is desirable and selected for at birth - darker babies are useful in the breeding programme but will not be showable.
Sable Varieties in progress at Tartuffe
Sable Fox
Java Moon Scarlett O'Hara of Tartuffe - a crested marten sable sow that started my love affair with sables that have the fox gene added.
Sadly now passed, Scarlett was undoubtedly my favorite cavy in the shed from when I got her as a 6 month old in May 2004 until her death in December 2010. In her show career Scarlett won no less than 19 New and Emerging Grand Challenge Titles including top honours at both London Champs in Reading and Bradford Excell Champs at Harrogate.
Now officially recognised by the RVCC the Sable Fox (proper term) is a New Emerging breed that can be created using sable x sable fox.
As in the sable, good babies are born a pale mink and then colour/mask up at 8-12 weeks.
Sadly now passed, Scarlett was undoubtedly my favorite cavy in the shed from when I got her as a 6 month old in May 2004 until her death in December 2010. In her show career Scarlett won no less than 19 New and Emerging Grand Challenge Titles including top honours at both London Champs in Reading and Bradford Excell Champs at Harrogate.
Now officially recognised by the RVCC the Sable Fox (proper term) is a New Emerging breed that can be created using sable x sable fox.
As in the sable, good babies are born a pale mink and then colour/mask up at 8-12 weeks.
Sable Otter
Tartuffe Cordelia - Sable Otter sow, bred from sable x black otter.
The sable colour is dark as with all seal sables the base colour is black.
Work will continue on creating good colour shading, and intensifying the otter markings.
The sable colour is dark as with all seal sables the base colour is black.
Work will continue on creating good colour shading, and intensifying the otter markings.