# Trying to pick a direction with limited options!



## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

I've been breeding with the guidance of this site since 2012. I started with a pet store pairing of pied RY and what we think is either stone or a blue based RY. Whenever I post photos people can't seem to agree on what they might be but I'm happy to just call them blue based RY. Mud puppies. Litters have consisted of blue, RY, the mix which I'm going to just call pearl since apparently that's now a thing, and PEW. My babies are getting a little small and I need to outcross. That, and they only produce blue based RY with PEW.

A friend who managed to get a hold of American and UK lines has generously offered to sell me some babies. But I need to keep male numbers WAY down as I live in a tight space so I'm trying to figure out the best combination.

Options:
1) What appears to be another blue based RY baby male whose parents look like the same x mock chocolate. The ears are very nice.

2) Blue siamese splashed doe

3) Red rex doe

4) Maybe a blue tan male with a good compact head.

My remaining doe (blue based RY) is 6 months old so she needs to get pregnant soon or my line dies. Is it silly to hang on to 3 years of labour even if it's a muddy colour like that? I love the health in this line! No tumours or any medical issues until about 2.5-3 years when they die a very sudden death.

The red is another issue. My favourite colour is red and would love to take the opportunity to breed her. The best pairing we can think of is to the mock chocolate male she has given his show type. My hope is to keep a son of hers I can hopefully use.

The blue splashed I would love for the purpose of having red splashed one day but could this be too difficult a maneuver? She would breed this doe to her blue tan boy (also show type) and again I'd keep a son to breed back to her to see splashed.

But the grand total is 3 males. I prefer to have one. 

If you can make sense of this mess, what would you do? Keep your line of over 3 years going, try out red, or try splashed? They don't seem to want to go together that's for sure. I will never show, for the record. This has always been a fun hobby.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

if I was you id keep more than 1 buck, as if u only have one and something happens then your stuffed.
If you want to get away from all blue id go for the red doe, but if you have the space id get her and the Siamese. If you still have space id go for one of the bucks would be of use as you could use him and one of those does to start a second line unrelated to your current one so if needed you can mix one over.

I personaly prefur to get in new bucks as they will last longer and spread there genes thurther in a breeding line


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

Thank you!  Much changed since that post. I think I will be getting two bucks. The unthinkable happened and for the first time, a mouse in my line (my chosen doe to breed) died for no obvious reason. The buck died at 30 months old a few days prior (he was scheduled for euthanasia). I did keep her sister as a backup but would rather not breed her...a PEW rex who isn't particularly great in any aspect. My hope is to track down her brother who I sold to a woman in London...wish me luck! D:

The current plan is to acquire a red splashed buck from Quebec and a blue siamese splashed doe from northern Ontario as a separate line. Fingers crossed nothing else goes wrong.  I must admit, if I can't continue my line the will to continue breeding is rather low. That's 3+ years of work.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that!


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## Zamwyn (Apr 29, 2015)

So sorry to hear you've had such misfortune.  I've been in this situation myself, albeit not with mice but hamsters, and it's very depressing to fear years of work and plans go down the drain. I really hope you can manage to get something back from your lines to continue with, the very best of luck with that!


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

Thank you both! I'm very lucky and the owner in London is not only willing to part with the buck, but she's willing to bring him back to my city which is incredible.  I'm very nervous about this line though. Despite zero issues since 2012, not only did I lose the sister, but she told me the sister she adopted also suddenly died for no apparent reason. Two in one litter is scary! They're only 6 months old. So I'm not sure if I should get her to go through that effort if suddenly, something is cropping up after 3+ years.


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## Zamwyn (Apr 29, 2015)

Any chance you could get hold of a really good vet that could perform an autopsy if it happened again? Probably wouldn't be cheap, but might be worth the investment in the long run so you knew more what it was you were dealing with (if anything).


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

It's a great idea! I thought about it (my father is a vet!) but given they originated with pet store lines I think it was only a matter of time before something happened. : / I think, assuming I do breed from this boy (and I would wait until he's older to be sure he's not going to fall over at random) I would just keep that line private to ensure it doesn't leak out to the public, if anything.


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## Zamwyn (Apr 29, 2015)

Sounds like a good and very responsible plan! Wish more breeders were that concerned about the mice they produce.


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