# waltzing tricolour mice



## BlueTris (Jun 3, 2013)

Someone just asked me on another forum if the tricolour mice I breed waltz. I told the person no and hadn't heard of it before but was told it was a hereditary condition in tricolours.
Just wanted to know really if any other people on here have tricolours that waltz/circle.


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

I don't breed tricolour myself, but I have never heard of that from other breeders. If that was a common occurence, it would spread. Waltzing mice are an absolute no-go here- if tricolour commonly had that problem they would be considered a malformed breed and you'd be harshly critizised for breeding them.


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## BlueTris (Jun 3, 2013)

That's what I thought. I would never breed mice that waltzed and hadn't heard of it before. She provided me with links but I don't really understand it tbh. My tricolours are all healthy and have never had a problem with them. These are the links that they put up.http://www.researchgate.net/publica...ntation_defects_in_varitint-waddler_(Va)_mice
http://www.informatics.jax.org/wksilvers/frames/frame11-4.shtml
I don't think these mice have anything to do with show mice do they?


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

I have hurd that the old way that they made tri colour they had a problem with the inner ear which made them walk in circles and were refuted to as waltzers. 
I'm guessing thats what they were refuring to. But the current way tri is made using the pied splashed or even pied sable doesn't habe this problem.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

the splased made tri's are not related to the varitint-waddler mice that were once used for making tri.There's no link to waltzing with todays tri colour.


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## madmouse (May 19, 2012)

I've recently seen that JAX labs now has their own patented variation of a varitint waddler (Va^j) that DOESN'T waddle, but is only deaf, tho it still has the calico coloration of a varitint. Wish I had a couple grand to drop on retrieving cryogenically preserved stock!


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

At the Forgotten Books website you can read "The Dancing Mouse" by Robert Mearns Yerkes. Published in 1907, this book details Yerkes' experience with keeping and breeding varitint waddlers. Yerkes found his varitint waddlers very endearing and charming and it's a very interesting read if you put aside today's ethics regarding purposefully rearing damaged animals and remember it is over 100 years old 

http://www.forgottenbooks.org/books/The_Dancing_Mouse_1000015753


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## BlueTris (Jun 3, 2013)

Thank you for all your replies. I was made to feel that I was breeding unhealthy mice or at least that is the way it came across to me. I have done my best to make sure all my mice are happy and healthy and wouldn't breed any mouse which wasn't perfect in health and temperament.


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

Why the heck would they want a mouse who constantly walks in circles


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

because people have strange preferences when it comes to pets 
I don't unterstand why anybody would want a dog that snores and has breathing problems- still there are plenty of people owning pugs 
(I know, not all pugs or brachycephalic breeds have problems, but a lot of the ones I have seen so far struggled. That's why I'm not a huge fan of them in general)


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## rocketmdove (Feb 8, 2014)

Serena said:


> because people have strange preferences when it comes to pets
> I don't unterstand why anybody would want a dog that snores and has breathing problems- still there are plenty of people owning pugs
> (I know, not all pugs or brachycephalic breeds have problems, but a lot of the ones I have seen so far struggled. That's why I'm not a huge fan of them in general)


 I can completely agree with this. Dogs, like mice, should be bred for health too, not just personality


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

Any mouse with waltz would probably be culled


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

Miceandmore64 said:


> Why the heck would they want a mouse who constantly walks in circles


because the ordinary mouse keeper didn't know it was a defect.Times have changed.


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

Ok ha ha


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