# Hutchline, full text > A free pedigree maker for rabbit and cavy breeders and small catteries: link sires and dams once, and every 3, 4 or 5 generation pedigree fills itself in. Private, in your browser. Hutchline is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, the American Cavy Breeders Association, The International Cat Association, the Cat Fanciers' Association or any other registry or breed club. Breeder's pedigree, not registration papers. Everything below is our own summary of the published documents; the documents win if they differ. Site: https://hutchline.app/ # How to make a rabbit pedigree for free URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/how-to-make-a-rabbit-pedigree/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 To make a rabbit pedigree, put the rabbit's own details at the top and fill its ancestors back from the sire and dam: 2 parents, 4 grandparents and 8 great-grandparents for three generations. Give every ancestor a name (the ear number will do), its ear number, its variety and its weight, write Unknown where you do not know, then sign and date it. You can do it free in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/), by hand or from a saved herd. ## Make a rabbit pedigree in seven steps These steps work on paper, in a spreadsheet or in the pedigree maker here. The maker simply saves you the retyping. 1. **Gather the records you already have.** Find the pedigrees that came with the rabbit's sire and dam, your own breeding notes, and any registration or grand champion certificates. A pedigree can only be as good as the records behind it. 2. **Write the rabbit's own details.** Name, ear number from the tattoo in the left ear, breed, variety, sex, date of birth, current weight, and the breeder and owner. Add a registration or grand champion number only if one has been issued. 3. **Fill in the sire and the dam.** The sire goes on the upper line of the chart and the dam on the lower. Give each a name (the ear number will do), the ear number, a variety and a weight, plus registration and grand champion numbers where they exist. 4. **Work back one generation at a time.** Copy the sire's pedigree into the sire's half of the chart and the dam's pedigree into the dam's half. Each box has its own sire above and dam below it in the next column. 5. **Mark what you do not know.** Write Unknown in any box you cannot fill, and leave the boxes behind it blank. Never guess an ancestor to make the chart look complete. 6. **Check for repeats and for mistakes.** An ancestor that appears twice is normal in a linebred herd, but the same rabbit in its own line is a copying error. Check every ear number against the source pedigree. 7. **Sign, date and print.** Sign the certification line as the breeder, date it, and hand it over with the rabbit. Keep a copy, and keep the sire's and dam's pedigrees for the next litter. ## What a rabbit pedigree is for A pedigree is the breeder's written record of a rabbit's ancestry. Buyers use it to see the line they are buying into, show breeders use it to plan pairings, and it is what a registrar asks to see before a rabbit can be registered. The rabbit registration instructions ask for a complete three generation pedigree in which every ancestor shows a name (the ear number will do), the ear number, a variety and a weight, and every ancestor is of the same breed. A pedigree you write is a breeder's pedigree. It is not registration papers, and the page should say so. [Breeder pedigree vs registration papers](https://hutchline.app/guide/breeder-pedigree-vs-registration-papers/) explains the difference. ## Free ways to make one - On paper or a printed blank chart. Quick for one rabbit, slow for a litter, because every kit needs the same ancestors copied again. - In a spreadsheet or a design tool. Neat, but nothing links: change a grandparent's weight and you must find every copy. - In the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) here, by hand. Type one pedigree of three or four generations and print it, free, with no account. - From a saved herd in [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/). Type each rabbit once and link it to its sire and dam, and every pedigree it belongs to fills itself in. ## Worked example: Clover, from the demo herd Clover is a Mini Rex doe in the invented demo herd. Her sire is Bramble MR38, Castor, 4 lb 4 oz. Because every rabbit in the demo herd is linked to its sire and dam, her three generation pedigree fills 14 of its 14 ancestor boxes with no retyping, and the three generation check in the maker finds 0 boxes missing a name, ear number, variety or weight. The same chart shows that one ancestor, Oakley, appears twice in three generations, once through the sire and once through the dam's dam, Hazel. That repeat is deliberate linebreeding, and it is why the maker estimates her inbreeding at 3.13 percent from these records. Open the demo herd in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) to print it yourself. ## Common mistakes - Copying a grandparent's weight from a junior show card instead of its senior weight. Weights go in as the adult weight you have on record. - Putting the dam on top. By convention the sire is always the upper box of each pair and the dam the lower one. - Guessing an ancestor to fill a gap. Unknown is honest, and a guessed ancestor is how pedigrees stop being trusted. - Writing a grand champion number for an animal whose certificate has not been issued yet. Legs are not a certificate. - Forgetting to sign and date it. An unsigned pedigree tells the buyer nobody stands behind it. ## Frequently asked questions **Is there a free rabbit pedigree maker with no sign up?** Yes. The pedigree maker on this site is free, needs no account, and keeps what you type in your own browser. Type one pedigree by hand and print it, or keep a herd and let the ancestors fill in. **How many generations should a rabbit pedigree show?** Three generations of ancestors is the usual minimum, because rabbit registration asks for a complete three generation pedigree. Four or five generations show more of the line and are common on show stock. **Where is the ear number on a rabbit?** The breeder's own tattoo goes in the left ear, and the show rules ask for a permanent, legible mark there. A registration mark is tattooed in the right ear by the registrar. ## Sources - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [FAQs](https://arba.net/faqs/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, dated 14 February 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What each ancestor on a registration pedigree needs, and the same breed rule. - [Official Show Rules](https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs. # What goes on a rabbit pedigree, box by box URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/what-goes-on-a-rabbit-pedigree/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 A rabbit pedigree gives the rabbit's name, ear number, breed, variety, sex, birth date, weight and any registration number, then one box per ancestor with its name, ear number, variety and weight. Add the breeder and owner, and each ancestor's registration and grand champion numbers where it has them; a name can be just the ear number. The page ends with the breeder's signature and date. The [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) prints every one of these boxes. ## The rabbit itself Table: The details at the head of the pedigree | Box | What to write | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | Name | The call name you gave it | How people refer to it at the table | | Ear number | The tattoo in the left ear | The show rules ask for a permanent left ear mark; it is the rabbit's real identity | | Breed and variety | For example Mini Rex, Castor | Registration needs an accepted variety and the same breed throughout | | Sex | Buck or doe | Planning pairings and checking grand champion legs | | Born | The kindling date | Age, and when it becomes a senior | | Weight | Its current weight with the unit | Registration looks for senior weight | | Registration and GC numbers | Only once issued | Proof that a registrar or the grand champion process has seen it | | Breeder and owner | Rabbitry names or people | The breeder is the owner of the doe when she was bred | ## Each ancestor box The registration instructions ask that every ancestor show a name, even if the name is only the ear number, plus the variety and the weight, and that the registration number be added when the ancestor was registered. A rabbitry name on its own is not enough, and neither is an ancestor marked only as an import. Grand champion numbers are worth adding when they exist, because buyers look for them. A grand champion certificate is only issued once the rabbit has legs from at least three shows under at least two judges, one of them won as a senior or 6/8, and after it has been registered. ### Where things sit Each pair of boxes has the sire above and the dam below. Moving right, every box has its own parents beside it. On a three generation chart that is 2 parents, 4 grandparents and 8 great-grandparents: 14 ancestor boxes. ## The foot of the page - Your rabbitry name and a way to contact you, at the head or the foot. - A certification line: the breeder's statement that the pedigree is correct to the best of their knowledge, signed and dated. - A line saying it is a breeder's pedigree, not registration papers. The 4-H rabbit production record from Oregon State University has the same pedigree block, which is a good sign a youth member's pedigree from the [herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/) will fit a record book. ## Worked example: the sire's box on Clover's pedigree In the demo herd, Clover's sire box prints as: Sire, Bramble MR38, Castor, 4 lb 4 oz, Reg R-6012. That is a name, an ear number, a variety and a weight, plus a registration number, which covers everything the registration instructions ask of an ancestor. Across all 14 boxes of her three generation chart, the maker's check found 0 boxes missing something. Try it on your own rabbit in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/): the Before you print panel lists any box that lacks a name, an ear number, a variety, a weight, or the same breed. ## Common mistakes - Leaving the variety blank on an ancestor because it is obvious. It is not obvious to a registrar or a buyer three states away. - Writing a rabbitry name in the name box instead of the rabbit's own name. - Mixing breeds in the chart. A cross in the third generation means the pedigree will not support registration. - Recording a junior weight for an ancestor that has since matured. - Swapping the left ear and right ear numbers. The left ear is the breeder's tattoo; the right ear is for the registration mark. ## Frequently asked questions **Does a rabbit pedigree need the date of birth of every ancestor?** No. The registration instructions ask each ancestor for a name (the ear number will do), the ear number, a variety and a weight. Birth dates of ancestors are useful breeder practice but not required. **Can an ancestor's name just be its ear number?** Yes. The registration instructions accept an ear number as the name. What is not accepted is a rabbitry name alone or an ancestor listed only as an import. **Who counts as the breeder on a pedigree?** The owner of the doe at the time she was bred. The 4-H rabbit production record uses that definition, and it is the common one. ## Sources - [FAQs](https://arba.net/faqs/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, dated 14 February 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What each ancestor on a registration pedigree needs, and the same breed rule. - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [Grand Champions](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grand-Champion-How-To.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, undated how-to sheet, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How grand champion legs add up to a certificate, and that the animal must be registered first. - [Official Show Rules](https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs. - [4-H Rabbit Production Record (761-00R)](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/8426/rabbitproductionfillable0.pdf), Oregon State University Extension Service, May 2014, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The pedigree block a 4-H member keeps, and the definition of the breeder as the owner of the doe when she was bred. # Three, four and five generation pedigrees URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/three-four-five-generation-pedigrees/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 A three generation pedigree shows 14 ancestors (parents, grandparents and great-grandparents) and is the depth rabbit and cavy registration asks for. A four generation pedigree shows 30 ancestors and a five generation one shows 62. Choose three for registration and pet sales, four for most show stock, and five when a buyer wants to see a linebred family in full. The [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) prints all three depths from the same records. ## How the boxes add up Table: Ancestor boxes at each depth | Depth | New boxes in the last column | Ancestor boxes in total | Typical use | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3 generations | 8 great-grandparents | 14 | Registration, pet and 4-H sales | | 4 generations | 16 great-great-grandparents | 30 | Show stock and breeding stock | | 5 generations | 32 in the fifth column | 62 | Linebred families, serious buyers | Each extra generation doubles the last column. That is why a blank template gets unwieldy past four generations, and why typing the same ancestors for every kit becomes the real cost of a deep pedigree. ## Choosing a depth Registration asks for a complete three generation pedigree, so three is the floor for anything that may be registered. A deeper pedigree is not more official, it simply shows more. Deeper generations are also where unknown ancestors pile up, so a five generation chart with many Unknown boxes can tell a buyer less than a clean three generation one. Depth also changes the inbreeding estimate. The coefficient is computed only from the ancestors on the chart, so a deeper chart can find common ancestors a shallow one misses. ## Blank templates versus a linked herd A blank three, four or five generation template is fine for one animal. The trouble starts with the second kit of the litter, when every box has to be copied again, and with the first correction, when every copy has to be found. A linked herd turns the template around: each ancestor is typed once, in one record, and every chart that includes it is drawn from that record. Keep your animals in [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/) and the depth becomes a menu choice at print time rather than a new template. ## Worked example: the same doe at three depths Table: Clover from the demo herd, computed by the pedigree maker | Depth | Boxes recorded | Ancestors appearing more than once | Inbreeding estimate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3 generations | 14 of 14 | 1 | 3.13 percent | | 4 generations | 29 of 30 | 5 | 5.47 percent | | 5 generations | 54 of 62 | 12 | 8.2 percent | At three generations the chart is complete and only Oakley repeats. At five generations 54 of 62 boxes are known, 12 ancestors repeat, and the estimate rises from 3.13 percent to 8.2 percent, with the largest shares through Oakley (3.13 percent), Granite (1.17 percent), Alder (0.78 percent). Nothing about Clover changed: the deeper chart simply sees more of her line. The sample below is her three generation pedigree exactly as the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) prints it. ## Common mistakes - Printing five generations with a third of the boxes Unknown. Choose the depth your records actually support; at four generations Clover's chart has 29 of 30 boxes known. - Treating a deeper pedigree as more official. Depth shows more of the line; it does not change what the paper is. - Comparing inbreeding figures computed at different depths. Say how many generations a figure used. - Using a template that puts dams on the upper line. Keep sires above dams in every pair so charts can be read side by side. ## Frequently asked questions **How many ancestors are on a 4 generation pedigree?** Thirty: 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents and 16 great-great-grandparents. A 3 generation pedigree has 14 and a 5 generation pedigree has 62. **Is a 5 generation pedigree better for registration?** No. Registration asks for a complete three generation pedigree. Extra generations are welcome information, but they do not replace a missing box in the first three. **Can I print a blank 3, 4 or 5 generation template?** Yes, at three or four generations: choose Type one by hand, pick the depth and print. The sire and dam print as Unknown and the boxes behind them print blank, ready to fill in by pen. ## Sources - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals (G2911)](https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2911), University of Missouri Extension, reviewed March 2021, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Wright's path formula for the coefficient of inbreeding and the textbook values for common matings. - [Coefficients of inbreeding and relationship](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2456273), The American Naturalist, volume 56, pages 330 to 338, published 1922, bibliographic record read 27 September 2026. Used for: The original definition of the coefficient of inbreeding used for the estimate. # Pedigrees for a whole litter in one print URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/litter-pedigrees-in-one-print/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 Every kit in a litter has the same sire and dam, so they all share the same ancestors. Record the litter once with its dam, sire and date, add each kit with its own ear number, sex, variety and weight, and print a pedigree for every kit in one run: the ancestors are identical and only the top block changes. In [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/), record the litter, then choose Pedigrees for a whole litter in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Why litters are where pedigrees get expensive A single pedigree is quick to write. A litter is not: every kit needs the same 14, 30 or 62 ancestors copied again, and every copy is a chance to transpose an ear number. Breeders who sell a litter of six at four generations are copying 180 ancestor boxes that say the same thing. Linking fixes this at the source. The kits are linked to the dam and sire, the dam and sire are already linked to theirs, and every kit's chart is read from the same records. Correct a grandparent's weight once and every kit's pedigree is correct. ## Recording the litter 1. Make sure the dam and the sire are in the herd with their own parents linked. 2. Open the Litters tab in [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/) and record a litter: species, dam, sire, kindling date and number born. 3. Add the kits as new blank records, or tick kits already in the herd. New kits take the dam, the sire, the breed and the date from the litter. 4. When the kits are tattooed and sexed, fill in each one's ear number, sex, variety and weight. 5. Print the litter pedigrees, and the litter record for your own files. The litter record prints the dam, the sire, the date and one row per kit with columns for weaning weight and where it went, plus a blank row for each kit born but not yet recorded. ## Worked example: four kits, one set of ancestors The demo herd's rabbit litter has 4 kits: Clover, Thistle, Sorrel, Fennel. At four generations each pedigree has 30 ancestor boxes, so writing them by hand means 120 boxes. Recorded as a litter, the only links typed were the dam and the sire, and each kit's chart comes out with the same 29 of 30 boxes filled. Printing Pedigrees for a whole litter gives four sheets, one per page, each with its own name, ear number, sex, variety and weight at the top and the identical ancestor chart below. Try it on the demo herd in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Common mistakes - Printing kit pedigrees before the kits are tattooed. The ear number is the kit's identity; print once it exists. - Adding a kit to the litter that came from a different doe. The kit takes the litter's dam and sire, so the wrong kit gets the wrong pedigree. - Recording the number born as the number raised. Keep both: the litter record has a column for each kit and blank rows for the rest. - Handing out pedigrees for kits whose sire is uncertain. If a doe was exposed to two bucks, record the sire as unknown. ## Frequently asked questions **Do littermates have the same pedigree?** They share every ancestor, so the ancestor chart is identical. Only the details at the top differ: each kit's own name, ear number, sex, variety, weight and later its registration number. **Can I print litter pedigrees for cavies and kittens too?** Yes. A litter can be recorded for rabbits, cavies or cats, and the print uses the right words for each species. **What if I sell one kit before the others are tattooed?** Print that kit's pedigree on its own from the pedigree maker, and print the rest of the litter later. Nothing is lost by printing in stages. ## Sources - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [Official Show Rules](https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs. - [4-H Rabbit Production Record (761-00R)](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/8426/rabbitproductionfillable0.pdf), Oregon State University Extension Service, May 2014, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The pedigree block a 4-H member keeps, and the definition of the breeder as the owner of the doe when she was bred. # Import a rabbit herd from a spreadsheet URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/import-from-a-spreadsheet/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 Save your herd sheet as CSV with one row per animal (ear number, name, sex, variety, birth date, sire, dam), then open Import in your herd and match each column to a field. The Import tab is in [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/); check the report before you import. Sires and dams named in a row are linked by ear number first and then by name, and any not in the file can be added as ancestors. ## Getting the spreadsheet into shape - One row per animal, one header row at the top. Blank rows are skipped. - Put the sire and the dam in their own columns, written as the ear number (best) or the name. - Write sex as B, D, buck, doe, boar, sow, M or F. Anything else imports as unknown. - Keep dates in one format throughout. You tell the importer whether they are month first, day first or year first. - If the file mixes species, add a Species column with rabbit, cavy or cat. CSV is plain text. A field with a comma, a quote or a line break inside it is wrapped in double quotes, and a quote inside such a field is doubled; every spreadsheet does this for you when it saves as CSV. Semicolon separated files from European spreadsheets are read too. ## Coming from another program Most herd programs can export or print a list of animals that pastes into a spreadsheet. The Evans rabbit program says it imports and exports pedigrees, but its page does not document a file format, so there is no special Evans import here: export or copy your animal list into a spreadsheet, save it as CSV, and use the column matcher. If a program only exports pedigrees as web pages, copy the animal list rather than the pedigrees. ## What the importer does 1. Reads the file inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded. 2. Guesses what each column holds from its header (Ear #, Tattoo, Color, DOB, Sire and so on). You can change any guess. 3. Skips rows with neither a name nor an ear number, and rows whose ear number is already in the herd if you ask it to. 4. Links each sire and dam to an animal in the file or already in the herd, by ear number and then by name, within the same species. 5. Refuses any link that would make an animal its own ancestor or name a doe as a sire, and tells you the row. ## Worked example: four rows, three missing parents Table: The sample spreadsheet | Ear # | Name | Sex | Color | DOB | Sire | Dam | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | MR10 | Oakley | B | Castor | 3/15/2021 | (blank) | (blank) | | MR27 | Hazel | D | Castor | 5/30/2022 | MR10 | Tansy | | MR41 | Juniper | D | Black | 4/6/2024 | MR29 | MR27 | | MR52 | Clover | D | Castor | 6/14/2026 | Bramble | Juniper | The importer matched the headers as: Ear # to Ear number, tag or microchip; Name to Name; Sex to Sex; Color to Variety or colour; DOB to Date of birth; Sire to Sire (ear number or name); Dam to Dam (ear number or name). Run on an empty herd it added 4 animals, created 3 ancestors that were named but had no row of their own (Tansy, MR29, Bramble), and made 6 sire and dam links. Clover's pedigree then showed Juniper as her dam and Hazel and Oakley behind her, straight away in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Common mistakes - Putting the sire's name in one column and its ear number in another. Use one column per parent, ear number preferred. - Mixing month first and day first dates in the same file. Pick one and tell the importer. - Importing the same file twice. Leave Skip rows whose ear number is already in the herd switched on. - Leaving two animals with the same ear number in one species. Links follow the first match, so fix duplicates first. ## Frequently asked questions **Can I import rabbits from Excel?** Yes. In Excel, save the sheet as CSV and choose that file on the Import tab. The same works from Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice. **Is there an Evans import?** Not a dedicated one, because the Evans file format is not publicly documented. Copy or export your animal list into a spreadsheet, save it as CSV, and match the columns. **What happens to a sire that is not in my spreadsheet?** If you leave Add sires and dams that are not in the file switched on, it is added as an ancestor only record with the ear number or name you wrote. Otherwise the link is left unknown and the report lists the row. ## Sources - [Common Format and MIME Type for Comma-Separated Values (CSV) Files (RFC 4180)](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4180), Internet Engineering Task Force, October 2005, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How quoted fields, commas inside fields and header rows are written in a CSV file. - [Rabbit Software](https://evsoft.us/winrbro.shtml), Evans Software Services, version 15 page, last modified 22 July 2022, read 27 September 2026. Used for: That the program imports and exports pedigrees; the page does not document a file format. - [Official Show Rules](https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs. # Cavy pedigrees: what to include and how to print them URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/cavy-pedigree/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 A cavy pedigree gives the cavy's ear number, breed, variety, sex, birth date and weight, then its boars and sows back three generations, each with name, ear number and variety. It is laid out like a rabbit's, and each ancestor carries a weight too; a name can be just the ear number. Cavy registration asks for the same complete three generation pedigree as rabbits, with one breed throughout, except that satin and normal coats of one breed may be mixed if marked. Choose Cavy as the species in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Where cavies differ from rabbits Table: Cavy and rabbit pedigrees side by side | Topic | Cavies | Rabbits | | --- | --- | --- | | Male and female | Boar and sow | Buck and doe | | Young | Pups | Kits | | Identification | A legible ear mark or ear tag | A tattoo in the left ear | | Registration mark | A registration tag in the right ear | A tattoo in the right ear | | Same breed rule | Satin and normal coat of one breed may be mixed if marked | Every ancestor of the same breed | | Weight | Usually ounces or grams | Usually pounds and ounces | Cavies are registered through the same national body as rabbits, by a licensed registrar who examines the animal in person. The show rules disqualify a cavy from its class if it is not legibly ear marked or ear tagged, so the ear mark belongs on the pedigree as the cavy's identity. ## Breeds and varieties The breed box offers the common show breeds as suggestions (Abyssinian, American, Coronet, Peruvian, Silkie, Teddy, Texel, White Crested and their satin forms) and accepts anything you type. Varieties are free text, so write them the way your standard describes them, for example Self Black or Tortoiseshell and White. 4-H cavy record books include a pedigree record page, and the Ohio State cavy record book explains why members keep records at all: a pedigree printed from [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/) can be clipped straight into one. ## Worked example: Bean, a young American boar In the demo herd, Bean TX7 is out of Coal TX5 and Amber TX6. His grandparents were bought in with no pedigrees, so his three generation chart has 6 of 14 boxes recorded and the three generation check lists 8 boxes that need an ancestor before a registrar would accept it. That is a useful answer on its own: it says exactly which great-grandparents to chase from the breeder you bought from. Print his pedigree now, marked Unknown where it is unknown, from the demo herd in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Common mistakes - Recording an ear tag number that has since been replaced. Update the record when a tag is lost and replaced. - Mixing satin and normal coats without marking which is which. - Writing weights in pounds for some ancestors and ounces for others. Pick one unit for the whole chart. - Calling a pup by its litter number on the pedigree once it has a proper ear mark. ## Frequently asked questions **Is there free cavy pedigree software?** Yes. This pedigree maker covers cavies as well as rabbits and cats. It is free, needs no account, and keeps your herd in your own browser. **How many generations does a cavy pedigree need for registration?** A complete three generation pedigree, the same as for rabbits, examined by a licensed registrar who fits a registration tag in the right ear. **Can I keep guinea pigs and rabbits in the same herd?** Yes. Each animal has a species, sires and dams must be of the same species, and the herd list, filters and prints keep them apart. ## Sources - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [Official Show Rules](https://arba.net/official-arba-show-rules-2/), American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs. - [Cavy Project and Record Book (4-H 215)](https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/content/sample/215.pdf), Ohio State University Extension, 2012 edition sample, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The pedigree record page in a 4-H cavy record book, and why members keep records. # Cat pedigrees for small catteries URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/cat-pedigree/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 A breeder's cat pedigree shows the kitten's own details (name, microchip or registration number, breed, colour and pattern, colour code, sex, date of birth) and then its sires and dams back three to five generations, each with its colour, code and titles such as CH or GC. It is the cattery's own record. A registry's certified pedigree is a separate document the registry issues from its own records. Choose Cat as the species in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## A cattery's pedigree and a certified pedigree Cat registries register a litter from registered parents: in one large registry the dam's owner registers the litter with both parents' registration numbers, with the sire owner's consent if they are different people, and each kitten is then registered individually. The same registry sells certified pedigrees of three to six generations, and issues one only when enough generations are recorded with it. A breeder's pedigree does a different job. It goes home with the kitten, it shows the line as the cattery knows it, including ancestors recorded with other associations, and it costs nothing to print again. Say on it that it is a breeder's pedigree, not registration papers, and point the buyer to the registry for the certified one. ## Cat fields: colour codes and titles - Colour and pattern in words, for example Blue Tabby Point. - A colour code if your registry uses one. The EMS system, for example, writes breed, colour, pattern and other traits as a short code such as BRI a for a blue British Shorthair. - Titles as abbreviations. One large registry uses CH for Champion, GC for Grand Champion, PR for Premier, GP for Grand Premier, RW for Regional Winner, NW for National Winner and DM for Distinguished Merit. - A microchip number where the cat has one, otherwise its registration number, as the identity box. Titles and codes are free text here, so you can write them exactly as your registry does. ## Keeping the cattery's records in one place Small catteries often have ancestors registered with more than one association and outcross lines bought in from abroad. Keep every cat you know about in [your herd](https://hutchline.app/herd/), including ancestors you never owned, marked as ancestor only. Record each litter with its queen, its stud and the birth date, and the kittens take their parents from the litter. When a kitten goes to its new home, print its pedigree and a sale sheet together, and keep a backup file of the herd somewhere other than this computer. ## Worked example: Pip, a British Shorthair kitten In the demo herd, Pip is out of Storm (BRI a, CH) and Dusk (BRI c). His sire's sire Atlas carries the GC title. The three generation chart has 6 of 14 boxes recorded, with each cat's colour code and title printed in its box. Print his pedigree and a sale sheet from the demo herd in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/); the sale sheet adds his photo, his age in weeks and his parents and grandparents on one page for the new owner. ## Common mistakes - Handing over a breeder's pedigree as if it were the registry's certified pedigree. - Mixing colour code systems in one chart without saying which registry each came from. - Writing a title the cat has not been confirmed for by its registry. - Leaving out the microchip number on a kitten that has been chipped. ## Frequently asked questions **Is there a free cat pedigree maker that works on a Mac?** Yes. This pedigree maker runs in any current web browser on a Mac, a Windows computer or a tablet, free and with no account. **Can I make a pedigree certificate for a kitten?** Yes, a breeder's pedigree certificate with your cattery name and logo. It is not registration papers; the registry issues those and its own certified pedigrees. **What does a code like BRI a mean?** It is an EMS code: BRI stands for the British Shorthair breed and a for the colour blue. EMS writes breed, colour, pattern and other traits in short codes. ## Sources - [Registration Overview](https://cfa.org/registration-overview/), Cat Fanciers' Association, undated page, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Litter registration by the dam's owner with both parents' numbers, individual kitten registration, and registering cats from other associations with a certified pedigree. - [Certified Pedigrees](https://catalog.cfa.org/pedigrees.shtml), Cat Fanciers' Association, undated catalog page, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The three to six generation certified pedigrees a registry issues from its own records. - [Show Titles and Awards](https://cfa.org/show-titles-and-awards/), Cat Fanciers' Association, page showing December 2025 season data, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Title abbreviations such as CH, GC, PR, GP, RW, NW and DM. - [EMS system](https://fifeweb.org/cats/ems-system/), Federation Internationale Feline, page noting code changes from 1 July 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What an EMS code describes: breed, colour, pattern and other traits in a short code. # A breeder's pedigree versus registration papers URL: https://hutchline.app/guide/breeder-pedigree-vs-registration-papers/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 A breeder's pedigree is the breeder's own written, signed record of an animal's ancestors. Registration papers come from a registry after its own checks: for rabbits and cavies a licensed registrar examines the animal in person, checks a complete three generation pedigree, and marks the right ear. Every registered rabbit has a pedigree, but a pedigree alone does not make a rabbit registered. Pedigrees from the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/) are breeder's pedigrees and say so. ## Side by side Table: A breeder's pedigree and rabbit registration compared | | Breeder's pedigree | Registration | | --- | --- | --- | | Who makes it | The breeder | A licensed registrar, for the national registry | | Animal seen in person | No | Yes, examined and weighed with the owner present | | Requirements | None beyond honesty | Owner is a member; at least 6 months old; senior weight; accepted variety; complete three generation pedigree of one breed | | Mark on the animal | The breeder's tattoo, left ear | Registration mark, right ear | | Needed for | Selling, showing the line, planning | A grand champion certificate, and buyers who ask for papers | ## How the two connect The pedigree is the input to registration. The registration instructions say a typed or computer printed three generation pedigree can be attached to the application instead of copying it into the pedigree section, while a handwritten one, or one shown on a phone, has to be copied onto the application by the registrar. A clean printed pedigree saves everyone time at the registrar's table. Grand champion certificates sit on top of registration: the rabbit must be registered before one is issued, even if it has all its legs. Legs come from at least three shows under at least two judges, with one won as a senior or 6/8. Cats work differently. Registries register a litter and then each kitten from registered parents, and issue their own certified pedigrees from their records. A cattery's pedigree records the line as the breeder knows it; the certified one is the registry's statement. ## Worked example: is this pedigree ready for the registrar? The pedigree maker runs a three generation check before you print: every box must have a name (the ear number will do), the ear number, a variety and a weight, and every ancestor must share the animal's breed. On the demo doe Clover it finds 0 gaps, so her pedigree has what the registration instructions ask of the paper. On the demo cavy Bean it finds 8 boxes without an ancestor, because his grandparents were bought without pedigrees. That is the answer a breeder needs before driving to a show: not ready yet, and exactly which ancestors to find. The check describes the records; only a registrar decides whether an animal is registered. Run it on your own animals in the [pedigree maker](https://hutchline.app/pedigree/). ## Common mistakes - Selling a rabbit as registered when it only has a pedigree. Say pedigreed, and let the buyer register it. - Expecting a pedigree to prove anything by itself. Its value is the breeder's honesty and the records behind it. - Printing a pedigree that looks like a registry's certificate. Use your own layout and say what it is. - Assuming a registered rabbit cannot be shown without papers, or the reverse. Showing needs the ear mark; registration is separate. ## Frequently asked questions **Does a pedigree mean a rabbit is registered?** No. A pedigree is the breeder's record of the ancestors. A registered rabbit has also been examined by a licensed registrar and carries a registration mark in its right ear. **Can I register a rabbit with a pedigree printed from a computer?** The registration instructions allow a typed or computer printed three generation pedigree to be attached to the application. The registrar still examines the rabbit and decides. **Why does every pedigree from this site say it is not registration papers?** Because it is true, and because a buyer should never mistake a breeder's own record for a registry's document. Hutchline is not a registry and is not connected to one. ## Sources - [How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application. - [Instructions to Registrars](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/instructions_to_registrars.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised February 2009, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The same breed rule for all three generations, the minimum age, and the registration mark in the right ear. - [Grand Champions](https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grand-Champion-How-To.pdf), American Rabbit Breeders Association, undated how-to sheet, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How grand champion legs add up to a certificate, and that the animal must be registered first. - [Registration Overview](https://cfa.org/registration-overview/), Cat Fanciers' Association, undated page, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Litter registration by the dam's owner with both parents' numbers, individual kitten registration, and registering cats from other associations with a certified pedigree. # Species data used on the forms and prints Last reviewed 27 September 2026. ## Rabbits - Male and female: Buck, Doe - Young: kit, kits - Identification box: Ear number (tattoo) (The breeder's tattoo in the left ear, for example MR12) - Variety: For example Broken Castor - Grand champion number: Leave blank until the certificate is issued - Weight: For example 4 lb 6 oz - Registration: Rabbit registration commonly asks for a complete three generation pedigree with each ancestor's name (the ear number will do), ear number, variety and weight, all of the same breed. - Breed suggestions (free text is always allowed): American, American Chinchilla, American Fuzzy Lop, American Sable, Argente Brun, Belgian Hare, Beveren, Blanc de Hotot, Britannia Petite, Californian, Champagne d'Argent, Checkered Giant, Cinnamon, Creme d'Argent, Czech Frosty, Dutch, Dwarf Hotot, Dwarf Papillon, English Angora, English Lop, English Spot, Flemish Giant, Florida White, French Angora, French Lop, Giant Angora, Giant Chinchilla, Harlequin, Havana, Himalayan, Holland Lop, Jersey Wooly, Lilac, Lionhead, Mini Lop, Mini Rex, Mini Satin, Netherland Dwarf, New Zealand, Palomino, Polish, Rex, Rhinelander, Satin, Satin Angora, Silver, Silver Fox, Silver Marten, Standard Chinchilla, Tan, Thrianta ## Cavies - Male and female: Boar, Sow - Young: pup, pups - Identification box: Ear number or tag (The ear tag or earmark you show under, for example TX7) - Variety: For example Self Black or Tortoiseshell and White - Grand champion number: Leave blank until the certificate is issued - Weight: For example 38 oz or 1.1 kg - Registration: Cavy registration commonly asks for a complete three generation pedigree of the same breed, where the satin and normal coat of one breed may be mixed if marked. - Breed suggestions (free text is always allowed): Abyssinian, Abyssinian Satin, American, American Satin, Coronet, Peruvian, Peruvian Satin, Silkie, Silkie Satin, Teddy, Teddy Satin, Texel, White Crested ## Cats - Male and female: Male, Female - Young: kitten, kittens - Identification box: Microchip or registration number (The microchip number, or a registry number if there is no chip) - Colour and pattern: For example Blue Tabby Point - Colour code: Your registry's code, or an EMS code such as SIA n 21 - Titles: As abbreviations, for example CH or GC - Weight: For example 4.2 kg or 9 lb - Registration: Cat registries register kittens from registered parents and sell their own certified pedigrees; a breeder's pedigree records the line as the breeder knows it. - Breed suggestions (free text is always allowed): Abyssinian, American Shorthair, Bengal, Birman, British Shorthair, Burmese, Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, Exotic Shorthair, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ocicat, Oriental, Persian, Ragdoll, Russian Blue, Scottish Fold, Siamese, Siberian, Sphynx, Tonkinese, Household pet # Questions about Hutchline URL: https://hutchline.app/faq/ ## Answers **Is a pedigree printed here the same as registration papers?** No. It is a breeder's pedigree: your own written record of an animal's ancestors, as far as you know them, signed by you. Registration is done by a registry, on its own forms and terms, and some registries examine the animal in person. Every pedigree printed here says so at the foot of the page. **Where is my herd stored?** In this browser, on this device, in the browser's own IndexedDB storage. There is no server and no account, so nothing you type is uploaded. Clearing this site's data deletes the herd, so export a backup file from the herd page and keep it somewhere safe. **Do the names of my animals ever leave my browser?** No. Names, ear numbers, photos, notes and your rabbitry name stay in this browser. Printing and saving a PDF happen on your own computer, and backup files are made inside the page and handed straight to you. **Which animals can I keep records for?** Rabbits, cavies and cats. The species sets the words used on the page and the print, such as buck and doe, boar and sow, or sire and dam, the identification label and the breed suggestions. You can type any breed or variety. **How many generations can a pedigree show?** Three, four or five generations of ancestors behind the animal: 14, 30 or 62 ancestor boxes. Three generations is the common minimum for rabbit and cavy registration; four and five show more of the line. **What happens when I do not know an ancestor?** Its box prints as Unknown, and every box behind it is left blank. Nothing is guessed. The page tells you how many ancestor boxes are known, so you can see how complete a pedigree is before you print it. **What is the inbreeding estimate?** Wright's coefficient of inbreeding, computed from the ancestors recorded in your own herd. An unknown ancestor counts as unrelated, so the true figure can be higher than the estimate. It is arithmetic on your records, not a genetics or health assessment. **What if an animal is entered as its own ancestor?** Linking a sire or dam that would make an animal its own ancestor is refused, with the names that form the loop. If a loop arrives in an imported file, the pedigree marks the box where it happens and stops walking that line. **Can I bring my records over from another program?** Yes, through a spreadsheet saved as CSV. Export or copy your animals into a spreadsheet with one row per animal, save it as CSV, and match its columns to the fields here. Sires and dams are linked by ear number, then by name. **Is this free?** Yes. Everything here is free: the saved herd, litter batches, five generation pedigrees, your logo, CSV import, encrypted backup and the inbreeding estimate. There is no account, and no paid plan is offered at present. **Is Hutchline connected to a registry or breed club?** Hutchline is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, the American Cavy Breeders Association, The International Cat Association, the Cat Fanciers' Association or any other registry or breed club.