# Here to Learn



## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Hello!

My name is Kayla and I'm here to learn about Mice in general and breeding. 
I have never owned a mouse before but I've owned rats and I have previously researched my butt off about breeding them but that was over a year ago so I need refreshing. I also would like to learn what varies between mice and rats (besides size).
Currently my pets include 2 cats, 1 Cockatiel, 1 Leopard Gecko, 1 Ball Python, and 1 Betta Fish.

I've always wanted Mice but apparently life hasn't wanted me to have them yet. I tried to purchase 2 Mice a couple of years ago but then they turned out to be African Soft-furred Rats... I loved them anyways and kept them until they passed of old age.

Anyways, I'm glad to be here and can't wait to learn all I can about these cute little critters!


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

Hi Kayla! You'll find lots of information about every aspect of mouse care and breeding in this forum. Also, an excellent site for the genetics of mice is finnmouse: http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/index.html

Welcome.


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

Hi, and welcome to the forum! I have both mice and rats, and a quick differences I can think of relate to male mice. While a male rat you can go out and buy a male friend, male mice don't work like that. They are highly territorial, and while I'm over simplifying, unless you raised them together, there is a good chance they will turn and hurt/kill each other. That's just one of the things I see other rat keepers mistaking, there are a bunch of threads all over here that go into more depth and discuss the exceptions.

I'm guessing you're going to be breeding for your snake? Just so you know, that's totally fine here, there are quite a few other people who do too. You should see candycorn's snakes, they are really neat!


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks for the warm welcomes guys!
I was thinking of breeding for feeders but also for pets. Basically I would just like to breed nice mice.  I'm sure I'd end up falling in love with most of the babies and wanting to keep them all as pets, lol.


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

Is there any variety yet that has really caught your eye?


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

HmMmm, I'm not sure, I don't know much about types or anything.
I love Himalayan's, and long hairs. I have no clue where I'd get either around here though. :|


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

I know there are a few Canadians, but I don't know if any are in your area. There was also a good thread floating around about the different varieties that are known to be in each country, even if they aren't very widely distributed.

"Petstore" in google maps gives me this: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Pets...5&sspn=0.671532,2.113495&t=m&hq=Petstore&z=10

Assuming that petsmart has the same distributor in north america, then you could run into (based on doing some dredging here to see what others have gotten) color points, brindles, black and agouti's, pied mice, longhairs, and of course, albino. On another forum I also found reference to siamese, blues, lilac (so there would presumably also be chocolates),

There is reference to petsmart at one time carrying satins and tans, but one thread on here said that they have switched distributors since then.

EDIT: Went to the petsmart website, there are pictures included of the mice purchased, and there are totally satins! http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3893781


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

Welcome  I would say "don't get too addicted" but thats almost impossible.


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

HmMmm, maybe I should check out pet stores around me. I've only ever seen one mouse in a pet store around here though and that was at PetSmart a few days ago. T'was a cutie. 

Oh, and I'm sure I'll get addicted! I'm already completely in love with Rats so I'm sure Mice will end up being the same.


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## Fraction (Aug 29, 2011)

Hi and welcome! This is a really good, informative forum, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay.

In my experience, rats also seem to be more interested in human company than mice: mice tend (on average--there are of course some exceptions) to merely tolerate handling, whilst rats actively seek it out and will play with you, etc. My mice only really enjoy scurrying over my arms and peeing on me


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## The-Church-Mouse (Jun 4, 2012)

From one newbie to another, welcome, and best of luck in your quest.


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## besty74 (May 26, 2012)

hello and welcome


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks guys! I realize that Mice are less likely to actually want human interaction but they are still darn cute! Rats are illegal to keep in this Province anyways, which sucks. (HUGE fines if you're found with live rats and don't have a permit to breed them, then they take the animals and euthanize them.. :'( ) I used to own Rats before I moved here in November.

I was wondering, are Hairless Mice common? They were common enough in Rats that it wasn't too hard to find them. I would love one!


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Hairless in mice works a little differently than in rats, and they're quite a bit less common.


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Awwww. 
It will be my goal to find a cute little wrinkly mouse!!


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

They are definitely adorable! Breeders have them, but at least the US distributor for PetSmart&PetCo doesn't.


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

I wouldn't expect a pet store to have them, maybe have some carriers but not an actual hairless.
Sad thing is, is that I'm pretty sure there are only feeder breeders around here. No actual Mouse show or pet breeders.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

You'd be surprised what genes a feeder breeder might have around. Hairless in particular, actually. Hairless mice are apparently quite desirable as feeders. A feeder buyer of my excess mice was chatting with me about my mousery in general, and my mention in passing about maybe getting hairless from a friend in Ohio made her stop me in the middle of everything to ask when I'd have hairless feeders. I just laughed and laughed...


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Lol, nice. I would never feed a hairless to a snake! They can digest hair for a reason, lol.


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