Pip's confused

Erin.R · 04-09-2014, 07:32 PM

This is Pip, he is about 15 weeks old. He is full grown (I think) and he is still very tiny. About a week ago I noticed pip looked a little different, I couldn't put my finger on why, but I knew something was different. So about 2 days ago I got him out and realized he is turning white. Not turning just a little white, very white, when I got him he was dark all over, abut still had the darker lines on his back. I would say the rest of him was about the color of his back not including the stripes. I was just wondering if this was normal or if he's fur is just confused

I may be able to dig up a before pic so you all can see, its just crazy that now that spring is actually here he's getting a winter coat. i hope the winter coat does not get thicker along with turning white. Can anyone give me info on why he might be changing and if it could be a problem, like too thick of a coat for summer?
Actually I found 2 pics that are out of focus and too bright or dark but you can still see how his color has change particularly on his face. The 1st ones are form when he was darker.
Please excuse the mess, the only bad part about using the camera on my computer lol.

**DrKMcK** · 04-09-2014, 07:38 PM

I don't know about winter whites, so you'll have to wait for someone who does to come along

. But I just want to say that Pip is adorable.

Erin.R · 04-09-2014, 07:43 PM

Thank you, he is super sweet too. He was so tiny, 3 times smaller than his cage mates when I got him. i was a little worried about him being scared due to his size but he acts like a little tough guy lol.

**DrKMcK** · 04-09-2014, 07:57 PM

LOLOLOLOLOL! It's called the Napoleon complex. How cute is that?

Erin.R · 04-09-2014, 08:15 PM

haha, should have called him Napoleon

Smara · 04-10-2014, 02:19 AM

I'm not sure if this is correct but it might be that he is changing coat and getting white due to the environment where his cage is placed. It really must be difficult for their biological signaling mechanisms to correctly trigger a coat colour change in captivity. I wouldn't worry about it. My winter white pearl was also darker when i first got him and had the typical black line down his back and a very cute dark mask around his face but then he turned all white in a matter of weeks and stayed like that. Almost same thing happened to my friends winter white saphire, she got a lot whiter at around 3 months of age and really looked like a very cute case of coat colour confusion. Some darker lines are always present in youngsters but tend to fade out with age.

Erin.R · 04-10-2014, 08:08 AM

That's good to know then, I really didn't want him to get a thick coat and be too hot, thanks!