Part Albino??

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by Orleander, Jun 1, 2009.

  1. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    We have a squirrel living in our tree that has a white tail. Only the tail. Its looks healthy, no skin disease. The tail is nice and fluffy, but oddly white.
    Is it possible for an animal to be partly albino?
     
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  3. Steve100 O͓͍̯̬̯̙͈̟̥̳̩͒̆̿ͬ̑̀̓̿͋ͬ ̙̳ͅ ̫̪̳͔O Valued Senior Member

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    Yes. I have seen people that are part albino.

    Blacks end up looking like cows.
     
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  5. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    oh, Vitiligo?? But that isn't present at birth is it?
     
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  7. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    Pics or it didn't happen.
     
  8. Xylene Valued Senior Member

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  9. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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  10. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Not all white animals are albinos. White dogs, cats, cows, leopards, sheep, rats, bunnies, ermines, foxes, etc., certainly aren't. Why do you think a squirrel has to be albino to be white? Can you get close enough to see if he has no pigment in his eyes? That's the giveaway.

    It's very common for animal populations that have established themselves in northern regions with lots of snow to slowly develop white pigmentation for camouflage. Polar bears are descended from grizzlies.

    Although oddly enough, the squirrels that are coming down from Canada are black. It's been hypothesized that being more visible keeps them from being run over by cars, which are the most dangerous "predators" in cities. I see black squirrels all the time in Washington now.
     
  11. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    in adition to FR's post. Its more than just being "white" which makes someone (or something) albeno. Its an inability to produce pigment and there for there whole body is VERY pale and there eyes are red because the pigment also gives us eye colour
     
  12. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    I knew a girl who was albino, but her eyes were violet. Really pretty color though.
     
  13. granpa Registered Senior Member

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    the white on a cat or dogs chest is partial albinism. during development pigment cells start off at the neural thingamajig on the back and work their way around to the chest. sometimes they dont make it all the way.
     
  14. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    wow, I love when real scientists use Latin.

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  15. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    because the only white squirrels I have ever seen are albinos. I don't know how it all works. An albino mates with a normal squirrel and has Snickers (that's what we named him)
     
  16. Liebling Doesn't Need to be Spoonfed. Valued Senior Member

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  17. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Do you know for sure? You'd have to see their pink eyes. You can't usually get that close to a squirrel except in a city park where they've learned to act cute and mooch food like raccoons. White fur can simply be a mutation.
     
  18. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I don't remember their eye colour. I saw a possum once with pink eyes
    Snickers has deep brown soulful eyes.

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  19. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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  20. chris4355 Registered Senior Member

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  21. chris4355 Registered Senior Member

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    I know dogs can be albino, so yes, animals can be albino.
     
  22. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    LOL, looks like he is wearing a little toupée.
     

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