# Breeding merles?



## windyhill

Ive been doing lots of reading on merle and roan mice, but still cant fully figure out how to get merle mice.
Can any one help?


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## Matt Haslam

sorry i don't have a clue personally, but just had a look at the standard and that is one gorgeous variety!

is it recognised in the UK too?


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## windyhill

I have no idea if it is or not in the UK.
Im getting a chocolate roan doe soon, but I want to breed merles.


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## Matt Haslam

i've had a look and merle doesn't appear to be a recognised variety in UK


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## WillowDragon

We don't actually have the merle gene over here!


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## Matt Haslam

ahh that might be a problem then!


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## windyhill

I keep forgetting this is a UK based forum,lol.
Hopefully someone else from the US can help


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## Matt Haslam

Wait for Jack to come on, he'll sort the answer!


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## Jack Garcia

Merle is a version of color-on-color (like splashed) and (also like splashed) exists in Europe (recently imported by a friend of mine). If it makes its way to the UK in the next few years I wouldn't be surprised.

Merle is one of those varieties that people disagree with. Some say it's dominant and some say it's recessive. And both groups will swear with their lives that they're right because they've bred it and have test litters to prove it, which makes me think there may actually be 2 different (or similar) genes which create merle mice depending on location (like there are 2 genes which can create red/yellow mice depending on location).

I've never bred merle. It has too many problems with breeding to standard. You might try asking on an American forum. I know a few people who have bred merle but who don't belong over here to the best of my knowledge.

That said, if your mouse isn't merle, you can't "create" it from roan. You have to start with a merle mouse.


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## Matt Haslam

where in europe did they go Jack?


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## SarahY

http://drofi.repage7.de/

This is the website of the lovely Dr Roland Fischer form Germany. He has merles (pictures on this website) and we were discussing it on Saturday at the show. Roland reckons that merle is a recessive gene, and certainly his merles breed that way.

Sarah xxx


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## Matt Haslam

cool thanks for that Sarah,

any chance of gtting some of his mice into Britain?


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## WillowDragon

I am a friend of his, and I have discussed it with him in the past... I am dying for some of his splashed/tri colour and merles... though he is a bit resistant to letting merles go because they are not good enough in his opinion lol

It would cost alot. Which is what is stopping me honestly.

W xx


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## Matt Haslam

mmmmm maybe we could get a group of us together to bring over a breeding pair/trio?????????????


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## Jack Garcia

I think some have made their way to the Netherlands by now, too. My friend Christine sent some there but I'm not sure if any were merle.

I am hopefully coming to London in a couple years and if I can at all afford it, I plan to take mice with me (American brindle, merle, splashed/tri) and bring some back (Red, rumpwhite, pearle). If I can't afford it, I probably will just keep saving up till I can since that's my main reason to go.


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## Matt Haslam

I would be interested in getting a few of us together to look at importing merles/splashed/tri

if there are some in germany or the netherlands, it is possible. just have to get the legalities right.

i'm unsure of rodent rules in europe, but i understand cats and dogs just needing a vet check within 48hrs of leaving the country as well as rabies jabs.

anyone know the rules for moving rodents?

as to transporting between the USA and Europe, i expect a lot more organising!


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## Jack Garcia

Yeah, it takes months of planning but not as much as it might because mice are exempt from a lot of US laws due to their status as lab animals (labs import animals or parts of animals all the time). It costs around USD $1000 at the very least to import mice from Europe. I know some people who paid over USD $5000 by the time everything was said and done. I hope it's easier for y'all to do inter-Europe importation!


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## Matt Haslam

inter Europe should be pretty easy,

i'm checking legislation now. Then i might plan a very long road trip!


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## Matt Haslam

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/factsheet/factsheet6-091110.pdf

well there are no quarantine rules from countries in annexe A of this document which includes germany and the netherlands.
When you get to customs, you complete a form to decare them. You can pay carriers to do this;


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## WillowDragon

There is no quarantine no... just vet checks, plane tickets, couriers fee's.

Though I believe it is charged by 'box' of mice, rather than individual... just depends how many mice you fit in a 'box' LOL

W xx


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## Matt Haslam

If i was going to do it, i'd probably tie it in with a reptile expo.

still costs lot tho! , but i might just be mad enough to drive there!

i don't think you need vet checks for rodents, thats just cats, dogs and i think ferrets. its for checking for rabies. mice aren't in that category.


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## WillowDragon

Work out the costs and i'll see if I can give you anything towards it to get me a trio of merles! lol

I do have a very badly paid job though, I can't afford much.

W xx


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## Matt Haslam

i can't afford anything lol! kids get all my money. But i have been promised that i can go to Hamm reptile expo next year as a birthday pressie; so if i can arrange to meet someone with merles or splashed/tris etc. i will probably bring some back.


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## WillowDragon

One of the reasons I don't want to arrange to meet any mousey people when I go to the states (Me and my partner go pretty much every year to meet up with friends from around the world, my partner pays for most of it LOL) is because it would kill me to see gorgeous mice we don't get over here and not be able to take any home... =o/

W xx


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## Jack Garcia

That's one reason why when I come over there I am going to make sure I am taking mice with me both ways (well, sending them ahead of me both ways). I know it will cost a lot but I have no kids or partner so it'll be easier for me than a lot of other people!


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## windyhill

Ive asked on American forums and havent gotten any clear anwsers. Half of them say its recessive and half say its not.
Ive been told to get merles I can start off with a roan, but Im not sure about that. I know the roan has a merle sister


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## Loganberry

I know a guy called Roland in Germany - he said he imported some - was that him?


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## Jack Garcia

Yep. I ♥ Roland!


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## Autumn2005

What kinds of problems are there with breeding merles to standards? Is it health issues, or just the entire recessive/dominant question?


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