A new variation in gerbils called Dark-Patched Pied (DPP) has recently come about. The cause of DPP is currently unknown and often does not breed true. DPP has only been found on gerbils with some form of spotting. DPP causes the overall color of the gerbil to become faded (this is normal and caused by the spotting gene), but there will be clean-lined dark "normal-colored patches". These patches always have clean lines and are normally relatively circular in shape. Patches vary in size from very small to covering over half the gerbil (this is very rare). Most gerbils will only have one patch (normally small), but other will have more. I have never heard of over two patches on an individual gerbil. We have bred a total of 3 DPP gerbils all from the same line. DPP has showed up in the UK; however, in the UK DPP gerbils have often been sickly. This is not the case in the United States. All of our DPP gerbils have been average size and our most recent addition is the largest in his litter.

Our DPP Gerbils

Update 3/23:  We recently discovered that one of Trey's babies and Fabio's sister (Ophelia) has what appears to have a small dark patch on her tail. I will try to photograph it, but as they grow up it is harder and harder to see. Much like Fabio's markings are getting harder and harder to see. Trey - A mottled siamese gerbil. His patch is so large that at first we didn't even realize that he was DPP. Fabio - Trey's son, a mottled black. He has one small round patch on his left side and a large patch on his lower right hip. Rebel - Trey's brother, a spotted burmese. He is only a suspected DPP because his markings have manifested themselves on his tail only. We have never heard of this, but there is no reason why it couldn't.