# Thinking about the next steps



## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

At the moment I think the chocolate tans will end up being my main variety. I do want to play around with my other mice as well and see what's hidden underneath, but the chocs are my favourites atm.
So in about 3 weeks the 2 tan girls from the first litter are 12 weeks old and will be paired up with their brother and should produce some nice tans and probably some c-diluted mice.
I think I won't be using the choc self. Typewise she's not better than her sisters and I want to concentrate on the tans.
It probably would be easiest to breed two compatible varietys with the limited space I have, but I do not really want the choc selfs :/
I'd like to add the satin to the choc tans, since I think that would look really nice. I'd like to do sth with longhair, too, but that doesn't go together with tan well, I think.
Since I have recently got some argentes and I really like the colour, I'm thinking of trying them in longhair+ satin, maybe plus some sort of variegated/pied. That should look quite nice I imagine. I might pair 1 buck up with his sister once she's old enough to produce some more argentes, and then try to add longhair and satin. I have a nice longhaired satin female which I think I'll be using. She'll be old enough to breed in about 4-5 weeks.
They are not compatible with the chocs, though... for that I'd have to do champagne (tan) I think.
I have room for 2-3 stud bucks, though.
It would be more sensible to concentrate on 1 variety, but I really don't want to XD
If you have better ideas, please let me know.


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

Serena said:


> At the moment I think the chocolate tans will end up being my main variety. ...
> 
> I'd like to add the satin to the choc tans, since I think that would look really nice. I'd like to do sth with longhair, too, but that doesn't go together with tan well, I think.
> Since I have recently got some argentes and I really like the colour, I'm thinking of trying them in longhair+ satin, maybe plus some sort of variegated/pied. That should look quite nice I imagine....
> ...


"Sensible" is what you (sometimes) arrive at, but usually after some exploring, experimenting and learning for yourself what works and what's manageable. :lol: Your plans sound interesting! I'm looking forward to news and pics as you progress. I love choc tans as well, but I don't have any. They're a very attractive colour combination, and stunning when the colour is good.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I try to be halfway sensible most of the time.
the litter from the marked doe is quite a surprise, but I kinda like it.
Atm there's just waiting anyway, since the young does are not yet old enough (I'd like them tobee approx. 12 weeks before breeding them)
but I will report on my decisions and the progress if I make any ^^


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I really shouldn't plan far ahead...
the longhair satin female is sneezing -.-
I have her on an antibiotic für at least 7 days and hopefully she'll recover. I think I caught it rather early. I noticed her sneezing and I started the treatment the following day.









the white stuff in her fur is the antibiotic. it is the easiest and least stressful way for both of us to administer it. It is a suspension, that's why I can't give it via drinking water.
I just smear it in and put her in the petcarrier until she's cleaned it up.


























to me she doesn't look too sick at the moment, but I didn't want to risk anything.

the argentes are doing well imho. Since I found out I have a recessive astrex gene, I might even try it on them. 
It could be a pain in the ass to assemble all the genes (longhair, satin, astrex, variegated or piebald) in the argentes, but it would look pretty nice I think.

















blurry, but it shows the colour well









little scaredy-cats. their brother is far more brave, even though he has only three legs and is somewhat smaller :lol:
I like this little bugger


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

The three that aren't ill have improved a lot since you got them, which shows that you're doing the right things  Any mouse can get ill but let's hope you caught it early enough. The doe does look hunched but her eyes are bright so there is a chance.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm glad you think they have improved. They didn't geht that much of a special care. KMR, puppy kibble and normal mouse food.

Of course any mouse can get ill, but it is like i jinxed it by making and posting those plans ^^ (little supersticious sometimes  )


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

The little 3 legged one is gosh damn adorable!
They look good


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

thanks 

I think the antibiotic is doing it's job. the satin female is sneezing less frequent than a few days ago. Hopefully a good sign.
It seems, chloramphenicol (50-60mg/kg) is doing a good job with this infection.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

So, today I put the choc tan buck with two of his sisters. I chose the larger choc tan female and the choc self. the second choc tan is still too small for my liking. 
The longair satin seems to be fine, no sneezing, but I will give her 2-3 weeks to make a full recovery and get her strength back.
She's on the smaller side, too, but the only one with the satin-gene in my stock :/ The buck I'd like to use on her is on the smaller side, so it should be ok, I hope.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

My lovely choc tan buck from my first litter (13 weeks old). Hopefully a father himself soon
















not the best tan, but something to work with ^^

I'd love to pair him up with his mother. It would be her 3rd litter.








I just love that girl ^^


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm kinda frustrated... the choc tan doe startet making noises. Yesterday, she was fine. -.-
I put her and the buck on a course of baytril via drinking water asap and hope she'll get better. He is still acting unsuspicious.
I wonder if I should put all of my mice on a 14 day course of antibiotics...


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

So the choc tan female is in the progress of giving birth. I hope I didn't disturb her too much when I made my food and water round.
The male I had to cull. He rapidly lost a serious amount of weight (dropped from 40 to 30 in 1 or two days) and looked like shit. I didn't hear resp. noises.
I used a medium dosage of the baytril, so I don't think that made him this bad in a few days, plus the female is fine.

So I hope there are a few nice sons of him in the litter to choose from. Let's hope she doesn't eat the whole lot... My only males left are the choc tan variegated, the pied agouti and the argente...
i could work with the variegated, but his colour isn't as good.









so far so good


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

The litter from 7th of july is about to be weaned. all look nice but are extremely jumpy. I wonder if it is due to the fact, taht I haven't been handling them for a week (been away on vacation).

The satin female (I'm still not sure of her colour) has gained 4g in 8 days after weeks of constant weight, so I'm hopeful. I have no Idea, which colours will pop up. Probably agouti, but since I have no idea what they carry with them, there's no way to tell before colour comes out.

the choc tan is certainly pregnant with an 8g weight gain in 8 days. I'm not sure if I have use for offspring of this pairing (well, the coc tans, but they all will be carrier for curls and some for longhair, not something I necessarily want to mix in with the choc tans. I could use them for my other project, though), but I didn't want to deny him some fun. He's such a lovely fellow and I hope, his offspring inherits some of his character.

The fat one has gained 3g (66 to 69), but she's been going up ever since I own her, so I don't know if she's preggo. The buck's 25g, I'm not sure he has the capability to do the job :lol:


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I found a breeder near me, that has quite nice animals, that hav show-stock from henry van raiij in their bloodline (grandfather).
Hopefully I'll be getting 1.1 choc self next week to improve the type of my "line" 









him









her


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm so in love :love









He









She

Born 3rd of July. So he will get some action soon, she has to wait a little longer :lol:


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Such lovely mice! I love that satin, and those tans are nice! Good luck with your plans!


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

My lovely black tan doe, that I put with the new choc self boy has developed a swelling on her face over night.
I think it is an abscess. I hope I can drain it tomorrow or the day after, I just have to see when I can get an appointment. I don't want to cull her, beause she's a very good mother and has nice big litters (I cull them down, but fertility is important anyways)
I really hope, this problem can be resolved. I just need an opportunitiy to put her under anesthesia for a moment, to split it and apply som antibiotics and give her a painkiller.


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

The two mice in the last pics are just beautiful! :love1 You're going to have some stunning mice in your lines! Chocs and choc tans are such attractive colours. 

I hope the black tan girl is ok, and that's it's just an abscess. Lancing it and AB treatment sounds just the thing. It's fortunate that you have the skills and supplies to do this with anesthetics. Treating it quickly should lead to a quick recovery. Fingers and paws crossed!


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

Here's hoping for a good, successful drainage! I must say, pus really gets to me, haha. Give me blood and guts!


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

thanks 

I have an appointment for tomorrow in the afternoon. I'm just not sure about the antibiotic. Most of them are not good for pregnant animals (or noone knows if they can be used) :/


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I treid to split the lump, but I couldn't get any pus to come out, so I'm not sure if it really is an abscess. If it is a tumor it has grown awfully fast :/ (and in a really weird location)
I will watch her and as long as she's fine- ok, and when she deteriorates- pts.

I got myself sth new, though. might scramble my plans, since I really like this colour more than the argentes. But first quarantine has to go well.
















awful type, but i LOVE the colour. Looks satin, too. Please excuse the weird fur, the first thing I did when I got her home was giving her a dose of Frontline 

It was in the male cage, but I'm thinking girl:
















I hoe she's not pregnant yet, she's tiny


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

Her colour is so pretty! Do you know if it's it Ay or recessive yellow? I don't think her type is that bad - she looks nice compared to what we have here.  She's just not as typey as your other mice, but that will improve with your breeding. Btw I like that colour better than argentes as well, maybe because I love black eyes with the yellow coat.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I don't know if its RY or Ay. As far as I know both genes are present in austria, so I have to do a test breeding to find out. 
She's very young (I'm guessing 4 weeks max), so I have to wait a few more weeks. I hate that :lol:
And I have to decide which buck to use. I'm leaning towards the type choc or a choc tan.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I was positive too early -.-
This morning, she seemed fine, right now I found her dead and stiff. I don't know what could've caused it. she had food and water readily available, it's not cold in my room (well, 4week old mouse should be able to cope on her own), and I didn't see any sideefects form the frontline. So I guess I'll be staying with the argentes a bit longer.


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

Oh no, that would have been a shock finding her like that. It could have been anything. I'm so sad and disappointed for you.


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

Ohhhh no.  I'm so sorry! I wish I could send you one of my girls.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

thanks you two 

There was a second red mouse in the cage (male, not as vibrant in colour), but I don't think it would be wise to purchase him with what just happend. 
I will keep looking for a red one, though.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

some good news: one of my does is heavily pregnant. the earliest due-date is the 12th (if she uses her full 21 days and got pregnant the first night with the buck ^^)
















I can't wait  There's the chance for longhaired curlies (is that called texel or astrex? I always confuse that...)

Sadly, my black tan doe (the one with the mysterious lump) hasn't gained a single gram. I think I have to replace her... I hope it's not the buck that's the problem...


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I think I hear babysqueaks, so my curly doe popped. 22 days after getting in with the buck ^^

Also: some pictures from my argente boys from the last litter. they turned out quite nice:

































It's so hard to choose one of them... One is a little darker, I won't take him, but the other two are almost identical. I think I will choose by character.


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## besty74 (May 26, 2012)

they are very nice, i would choose the one with the best character out of the lighter two, thats a good idea.
love the picture of the boy chomping on a mealworm! adorable.


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