# Ideal Type and Tail Length



## zoocrewmice (May 5, 2009)

Hey guys! This is mainly geared towards people who breed for the best type in their mice.

Now that I have access to far better mice than I've ever had, I'm finding that it's absolutely necessary to specialize and have very specific goals. I've been cutting my projects down, slowly, and plan on keeping shaded/pointed, rex/texel, and merle as my main varieties. Within these I want to work on improving type.

While I know it's not likely I will ever get to the point of having absolutely amazing type in any of these, I'm curious how important tail length is to those breeding for exhibition. I love the look of show type mice - but I don't like the mile long tails. I've seen that a lot of the ones with super long tails have awkward "kinks" in them and it just looks impractical. I still want to breed for thick, round tails with good set-ons and all, just not the length. In show would this be a bad thing? I'm not talking like, short tails, just not ones more than say, body length and a half.

Sorry for the odd question, I'm curious if there are parts to the "perfect mouse" holy grail engraved into our heads, that anyone disagrees with.


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

The NMC 'General Standard of Excellence' states this.........

"the tail, which must be free from kinks should come well out of the back and be thick at the root or set-on, gradually tapering like a whip lash to a fine end, the length being about equal to that of the mouse's body."


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## zoocrewmice (May 5, 2009)

Awesome. So there are just crazies out there that want the longest tails in existence. :lol:


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

you just bend the tail over the back and if the tip of the tail can touch the tip of the nose that's fine.No ones bothered about excessively long tails.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I, too, have seen plenty of websites oohing and aaahing over excessively long tails (some look over 1.5x the length of the mouse's body!), and have never understood it. It's not to type. It's not for show. It's just... weird.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I like a good strong tail, but the super length of some, I agree wholeheartedly, is very nearly disfiguring, as are ears that are too big, set too far down the side of the head, and flopping forward at the top edge.

I'm not into the other more extreme breeds of meeces at all; don't like to see them. I've had long haired curly meeces and they looked so miserable...and a few other types are enough to make me shudder.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I wasn't aware that there was an underground movement for tail enhancement.As moustress says a good strong tail is desirable as an indicator of health and vigour and a very short tail is undesirable but that's all.


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## zoocrewmice (May 5, 2009)

http://www.afrma.org/stdsmse.htm

If you go down to the picture of the PEW satin and the pet type brindle, it's that type of tail that seems grossly unnatural and unnecessary. I've seen lots of people oooh and ahh over the longest tails, so I was just making sure not everyone was working towards mice that have tails like THAT.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

The judging criteria are the thing that would tell the story, as well as how much latitude is allowed for the judges preferences. I guess I'm a little curious as to how those are in terms of differences between Britain and the US. Time for a little research for the case of curiosity if nothing else.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

having looked at the pictures,the white has a fairly normal tail for that variety,it's part and parcel of the big pale selfs.The self black looks like it's had the benefit of an outcross.Poor colour but gained in size,tail etc .That gain in size will be lost once selection for colour is applied.I recently got a black of fabulous colour off of seawatch to use as an outcross for my silver greys.While waiting for does to be available I stored him with an old obese fawn brindle who unexpectedly produced 2 babies.The buck which is agouti has gained all of the benefits of hybrid vigour.He'd give a cream or white a very good run for money in terms of size,type and tale set and tail length,I'm astonished every time I lift the lid to feed.Neither parent is large.A large tail won't win a show moustress,points out of 100 for tail are only 5.Really all that is required is a good strong tail of decent length which is fitting to the mouse' appearance as a whole .


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Thanks; that pretty much satisfies my curiosity


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

I've got to say, I'm not at all impressed with the splashed buck sat next to the tape measure. That tail is so long and terribly thin that it's become kinked and feeble. There's another below with a feeble tail; a PEW sat next some weird coloured pet mouse. It's just not a pleasant look for a mouse, they should look strong all over, including the tail. It looks like strength and fitness has been forgotten in favour of a super long tail :?

Sarah xxx


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## zoocrewmice (May 5, 2009)

Exactly, they start looking kinked as the tail goes on and just unattractive. Maybe it's just Americans that are obsessed with the longest tails ever, and people across the pond are all sane? :lol: (not saying ALL Americans think that, but I'll be it's safe to stereotype a bit)

Thanks for the help guys, good to know that isn't considered "ideal" and it's mainly the thick, healthy tails with reasonable length that are preferred.


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## thekylie (Mar 6, 2010)

I really dislike the super long tails. Kinks are supposed to be a fault, aren't they? :roll:

I do LOVE a mouse with a good thick long tail, as long or a touch longer than the body, but much longer they look a bit odd to me. I'm not a judge though, so I don't have room to talk.


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## Soleya (May 24, 2011)

Yeah I saw it to at the tip of the tail it's badly kinked by the splashed male..

I like long tails, but not sooooo long.. It looks like a tail hulk hogan would have :lol:


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