# why Bucks...



## laoshu (Sep 16, 2009)

Why oh why are all the best looking ones bucks and why are all my litters male heavy and why oh why do males in general wind me up...oops sorry that bit is not mouse related 

so yep is there a reason litters seem to be male heavy and the best looking ones (in the marked variatys) always seem to be male aswell!


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## julieszoo (May 27, 2009)

It's the law of sod! But at least you get to choose a stunning stud buck  It's less of an issue with rats cos males are happy in groups even after they have been bred from. But too many males is the bane of my cavy breeding...


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Oooohh tell me about it!!! Why can't bucks just live together happily dammit!!! hehe

Worst thing is, I tend to like males more anyway cos I find they are more mellow and easily hand tamed.

Willow xx


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## laoshu (Sep 16, 2009)

allllll males........


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

Bucks from one subset of my mice live happily together forever as long as they're not bred.

But that defeats the purpose of keeping them, doesn't it?


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Unfortunately Yes!!! hehe

Willow xx


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

I've had a couple bucks who I "experimented" with and bred and then put them back in with their brothers and it went reasonably ok. But I'm a bit paranoid and didn't want them to chew each other apart while I was sleeping or something so I separated them.

Bucks are generally nicer than does because they have (slightly) bigger heads, (slightly) better tail set-ons, and (slightly) better strength of bone. Not always, mind you, but as a general rule.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Male mousies are more fun; almost all my faves over the years have been boys. They like to play and are eager to come out and climb all over me. I have a couple of lines in which the boys live peaceably with their fathers, even when one of them is taken out to stud and put back after a couple of weeks. I've only had a handful of does who were really ready to play and actively sought out The Hand. As I don't routinely cull unneeded bucks I have a lot of them, and there's a limit to how much space they can be allowed to occupy. I try to house them in close quarters until they are past 6 mo. of age and gotten past the testosterone surges that come at 10 to 15 weeks. Once they are over adolescence and remain nonviolent, then I consider putting them in a bigger tank. There are occasional scrapping over tasty bits of food, and I keep a close eye on my boys (all my meeces, actually. I love to watch my mousies interact) and the ones I don't want to breed may be culled if they start acting up. The ones who do fight are very likely to be held back from breeding unless I really, really need their contribution in a project.

BTW, laoshu: WOWSERS! Boing boing boing! wanna get one or two or three...


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

> why are all my litters male heavy


To date I've had 188 bucks and 107 does born in my mousery!

I get a bit more attached to my adult stud bucks because I only have 2 or 3 per line at a time and I keep them until they've produced a son better than they are to replace them. I like their wide faces and hunky bodies 

Laoshu: I LOVE those creamy looking ones in with the fawns!

Sarah xxx


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## Toast (Nov 11, 2009)

I'd buy that black rump white looking one and the tan rump white looking one. Their very handsome!


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

My best marked rumpwhites are usually male too. In a way that's actually a bonus though, as they can pass their genes on to more babies than a doe


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I'd far rather have a good buck as well,it's them that have the biggest influence.Does won't improve a line,to limited in how many youngsters they can produce.Hairless are the most buck heavy variety I have kept.


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## laoshu (Sep 16, 2009)

very good point regards the stud buck  its just frustrating when your trying to increase the amount of mice you have and there is not enough females popping out


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