Virgil, Sapphire spot male, 12 weeks, standard coat, shown by Shanna Nelson of Khulan Gerbils in Pacific, Missouri
2024_008 Nice crisp photos! Unfortunately, I can’t make out any white on his paws or tail-tip; I’m not sure if that’s the lighting, his pale base color, or he’s really missing spots. There’s the barest hint of a nose spot. The head spot is small and centered, but it looks like it might trail off into a streak. Nape spot is asymmetrical and rough-edged, a common fault. Fairly good development for age. Eye looks round, but it’s not a great angle. Nice whiskers. Straight tail with good tuft, but there’s something very odd in the top view: somehow I can see the outline of his actual tail-tip through the fur of the tuft. His fur is quite greasy and separated, and there’s staining on his tail, possibly what’s causing the strange effect in the top view. Dirty show area. Color is a soft, light gray; a little too dark for a Dove when taking the lightening effect of spotting into account, but of course that’s because he’s not really a Dove.
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Snickerdoodle, Silver Nutmeg female, 11 weeks, Rex coat, shown by Lauren Rothe of Silver Star Mousery in Vero Beach, Florida
2024_023 Sturdy little doeling. Still has the proportions of a younger pup, but I think at least part of that is the curly fur obscuring her outline. The head itself is a good shape, but the ears are positioned too high, making it look longer and narrower than it really is. Eye is very round. Tail is a good length and looks to have a fair tuft (hard to make out), but has a pronounced bend. Looks to be fully molted into her adult color. Only a couple obvious molt lines, impressive in a Nutmeg-based Rex pup! Nice dark head, body is a little light but I think that’s in part due to the rexing making the cream undercoat show through the dark ticking. Appropriate amounts of white on the paws and tail, nose spot is a bit small. Head spot has very nice shape and placement, but I’m not quite sure whether there’s color breaking up the white or it’s just the rexing making the surrounding fur lay strangely. Nape spot is really hard to make out, as it’s right where the darker head fur transitions to lighter body fur, and the rexing doesn’t help. Rex and Classic Spot is a difficult combination, especially in a virtual show where the judge can’t move things to get a better view! On the Rex front though, she’s quite nice. Good whisker curl, and I like the way the fur stands up and out on her face. That contrast between the dark tips and the cream underlayer really highlights the way the hairs curl along her body. Nice bristling throughout the length of the tail; I wish I could properly judge the tuft, but it blends into the backdrop. The race for second place was close, but ultimately a few small faults brought her down. Third place.
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Oreo, Jr., Spotted Black female, 10.5 weeks, Rex Coat, shown by Lauren Rothe of Silver Star Mousery in Vero Beach, Florida
2024_022 The youngest pup in the class, and she looks it, but still appropriate development for her age. I think the fluffy fur is also giving her a younger silhouette. Well-shaped head, correct ear placement, but round eye. Straight tail with good tuft. Base color is not jet black, but between her age, her coat type, and the fact that she has spotting, I think that’s acceptable. Very nice spotting pattern! Appropriate amounts of white on paws and tail; nose spot could be a little bigger. Head spot is centered and round, the outline is broken up a bit by the rexing. The nape spot is particularly good, small and mostly symmetrical; somewhat jagged edges, but that’s very common. A lot of Classic Spot gerbils either have a large asymmetrical nape spot, or the nape spot is small but other spots are -too- small. Her pattern is nicely balanced. Good whisker curl, bristly face fur. Tighter curls in the forequarters, with looser waves over the hindquarters. Probably in an in-between pup phase. Nice bristling on the tail and tuft. Second place.
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Wilder, Dark-Eyed Honey female, 11 weeks, standard coat, shown by Shanna Nelson of Khulan Gerbils in Pacific, Missouri
2024_010 What a wonderfully mature doeling—if not for a couple tells, I would have thought she was an adult! Very well photographed, as well. Growing into a good feminine body type. Lovely bicolored whisker fan. Short, broad head, eye is just a little round. Ears positioned correctly. Thick, straight tail. Tuft seems somewhat lacking, but I see hints that it’s better than it looks and just not displayed well. Rich orange-gold topcoat with nice even ticking, shading to bright white underbelly. Does have a bit of color on the heels. Correct unticked tuft. Not a single molt line! First place.
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Scout. Mottled Agouti male, 12 weeks, standard coat, shown by Pamela Thompson of I Love My Gerbil in Yorkville, Illinois
2024_043 Well-built buckling, not a mature male body type yet but he’s on his way. Good head, nice almond eye, but ears are positioned a bit too high. Tail looks okay, but is blurred in all photos—unable to judge tuft. Interesting reddish base color, not the golden brown desired in Agouti. Attractive Mottled pattern, with flecks of color in the collar and blaze and white streaked over the rump. Best Opposite Sex.
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