Razzle Dazzle, shown by Donna Anastasi of ABC Gerbils, Portland, Maine, Schimmel, male, 12 weeks, standard coat
2025_050 While he’s obviously not a fully mature male, he has an outstanding body type for a pup. Compact body with head well set into the shoulders and a level topline. Good head shape, eye shape. Ears are a good size and position, but the edges look uneven, not sure if they’re torn or there’s a cartilage issue? Can’t make out whiskers, but they’re at least the right color. Nice thick tail with a great tuft. He’s started fading, but has a frankly shocking lack of molt lines, except for perhaps some thin spots on the paws. Apricot body with good orange mask and tail color, and at least some color retention on the ears (hard to see). Looks bright and engaged. First place.
2025_050 While he’s obviously not a fully mature male, he has an outstanding body type for a pup. Compact body with head well set into the shoulders and a level topline. Good head shape, eye shape. Ears are a good size and position, but the edges look uneven, not sure if they’re torn or there’s a cartilage issue? Can’t make out whiskers, but they’re at least the right color. Nice thick tail with a great tuft. He’s started fading, but has a frankly shocking lack of molt lines, except for perhaps some thin spots on the paws. Apricot body with good orange mask and tail color, and at least some color retention on the ears (hard to see). Looks bright and engaged. First place.
Algernon, shown by Shanna Nelson of Khulan Gerbils, Pacific, Missouri, Burmese pup, male, 10 weeks, standard coat
2025_001 Good size and development for age. Head is a good shape with almond eye. Ears are a bit more upright than I’d like, more 11-and-1 than the correct 10-and-2. Pretty whisker fan, though some are white. Nice thick tail with what looks like a promising tuft that’s not really shown off well. Rich chocolate color with lovely dark points already, including the front feet! Does have white on chin, chest, and paws. No molt lines. Please avoid fluffy surfaces in the future, especially with pups; it makes judging their nails difficult. Second place.
2025_001 Good size and development for age. Head is a good shape with almond eye. Ears are a bit more upright than I’d like, more 11-and-1 than the correct 10-and-2. Pretty whisker fan, though some are white. Nice thick tail with what looks like a promising tuft that’s not really shown off well. Rich chocolate color with lovely dark points already, including the front feet! Does have white on chin, chest, and paws. No molt lines. Please avoid fluffy surfaces in the future, especially with pups; it makes judging their nails difficult. Second place.
|
|
Shush, shown by Donna Anastasi of ABC Gerbils, Portland, Maine, Slate pup, female, 8 weeks, standard coat
2025_048 Looks mature for age; still in a bit of an awkward teen phase with an extra-long tail. Head looks a touch narrow in the front view, with ears a little too upright. Can’t see eye shape well. Tail is too long, but thick and straight with a good tuft. Slate coloring is a nice shade overall, but uneven along her sides, contributing to pale eye circles. Correct nail and majority whisker color; lowest whiskers are white, matching the white moustache. No white at all on the paws, though! Slight molt line across the forehead. Coat looks soft and well-prepared for show. Third place.
2025_048 Looks mature for age; still in a bit of an awkward teen phase with an extra-long tail. Head looks a touch narrow in the front view, with ears a little too upright. Can’t see eye shape well. Tail is too long, but thick and straight with a good tuft. Slate coloring is a nice shade overall, but uneven along her sides, contributing to pale eye circles. Correct nail and majority whisker color; lowest whiskers are white, matching the white moustache. No white at all on the paws, though! Slight molt line across the forehead. Coat looks soft and well-prepared for show. Third place.
Taffy, shown by Shanna Nelson of Khulan Gerbils in Pacific, Missouri, Argente pup, female, 10 weeks, Rex coat
2025_002 Looks quite immature for 10 weeks, but some of that is the rexing distorting her outline, making it more rounded like a younger pup. Very nice head shape, with well-placed ears and almond eye. Great spray of crooked whiskers. Tail is hard to assess since it’s not held out straight, but there does seem to be some bristle to it and a good tuft. Nice curl on the front half of the body. The rump is pretty smooth, but that will probably work itself out in future molts. A very dark Argente, more reddish than orange, with tuft fur medium gray rather than silver/white. Perhaps the lighting is too low; I can barely tell that the eyes are red, either. Fairly even demarcation line, but the top color runs down onto the feet. Please avoid fluffy surfaces in the future, especially with pups; it makes judging their nails difficult.
|
|
Sheesh, shown by Donna Anastasi of ABC Gerbils, Portland, Maine, Gray Agouti, female, 8 weeks, standard coat
2025_049 Looks somewhat immature for age, still with a more rounded silhouette and large eyes relative to other facial features. I’d have guessed closer to 7 weeks than 8 – not a huge gap, but enough to make a difference when most of the class looks their stated age or older. Good head shape; eyes are large and overly round. Thick, straight tail with a great tuft. Lovely bicolored whisker fan. Significant brown tones in the topcoat; these often decrease with age. Demarcation line is a bit muddled, but very nice bright white feet! Some molt lines, but coat looks clean and soft.
Luna, shown by Laura Goly of Angel's Burrow Gerbils, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mottled Black, female, 6.5 weeks, standard coat
2025_060 The youngest in the class by far, and definitely looks it. Rounded baby body type. No good side view of the head; shape looks good, but ears are nearly straight upright rather than 10-and-2 position. Thick, straight tail. Hints of a promising tuft, but unfortunately it’s either out of focus or cut off in all photos. Black base color is very faded over most of the body. She has an attractive mottling pattern at the moment, but it’s fairly low-contrast. If she’s this faded/flecked already, I suspect she’ll roan out with age, her pattern becoming too muddled to show well as Mottled. Seems uncomfortable in front photo: head retracted/ears pulled back. Some red crusting on the nose. Appears to have been a challenge to photograph.
|
|