# Mouse Faults Question



## dingbat

OK I am new to showing and am trying to understand what all the different faults look like so they can be avoided/limited when choosing which of a litter to keep for breeding. I suspect that there are others out there that are potential showers that would also like to know what to look for. It is all very well saying "go to a show and talk to the experts", which I suspect we will all do at some time or another, but it would also be nice to know what to look for in the mean time.
Is there a group of you out there in the forum that have some pictures of these faults, like belly lines, ear set etc that would be willing to post them so that we have a better idea of what to avoid?


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## Cait

Are you after examples of general faults that every mouse can have or faults of a specific variety?


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## dingbat

I was thinking general faults, so that they apply to every variety, but of course I didn't think of that till you mentioned it  but I would imaging that specific breed faults would be very interesting and useful for the rest of the forum as well. But general faults is a good place to start for beginners like me.  Thanks for the question Cait


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## Cait

Variety-specific faults...
For example:
These are well marked rumpwhite babies, but two have colour on their tails, which is a fault.









Headspots in bandeds are not uncommon but they are a fult (this is a pet quality mouse)









General faults...

Example 1: Cream (show quality) next to pet mouse, both does. You can see the difference in size and type clearly, the tails are good examples - like rope vs string.









Nick in the ear (minor fault but it will stop the mouse going further). If this happens use the mouse for breeding if it is otherwise sound.









Kink in the tail (this one is one of the more obvious ones I have seen)









Folded ears









Pearl with a narrow head









Hope these help for a start.


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## violet1991

good post! I'd also be interested pictures of the belly line thing... i'm not sure i've ever seen one, but I'm not sure if I have that I knew it was one!

Vi x


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## dingbat

Cait these are lovely examples of faults in mice, that one with the kink....wow thanks for starting this one off.


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## danniixx

Oh my gosh that cream is HUGE compared to the pet mouse; its got to be the same size as a small rat lol


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## Alan_Calderwood

Example 1: Cream (show quality) next to pet mouse, both does. You can see the difference in size and type clearly, the tails are good examples - like rope vs string.









 
are you sure thats not a baby rat :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Maplewood Stud

thats what my pew doe flour is like, i need both hands to hold her as she wont fit in 1 lol  x


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## Rowangate

The difference in size between the show mouse and pet mouse is amazing, also the ears on the show mouse are far larger in comparision to body size that that of the pet mouse.
Regarding the tail markiing on the rumpwhite. Certain varieties of rat start with a coloured tail and this fades with age, is this the case with rumpwhite mice or is it like a hooded rat, where if the tail is coloured it stays that colour?


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## SarahC

marked mice retain the coloured tails,for Caits r/ws its undesirable,for my brokens desirable.I wish they all had those tails.


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## Rowangate

Many thanks, so colour retained on tail, you mentioned on brokens it is desirable, would that be for a complete coloured tail or as shown in the photo of the r/w's a partially coloured tail, or whole tail as in all the way round but for a certain length?


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## SarahC

random splodges for brokens.


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## Erica08

The size difference  just amazing. Is one an american and the other an english? I've been told the sizes are really different. Being in the states my mice are the small.


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## SarahC

the mice you refer to as american,we call petshop mice.The ones you call English are exhibition mice.They are one and the same really.The big,typey exhibition mouse is the result of many years of selective breeding.The same can be seen in all animals really, show dogs,cats,cattle,budgies you name it.Selection brings amazing results think wolf then poodle :shock:


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## Cait

Now you know why when people ask if they can show their pet mice we say no without even seeing them  There is a vast difference between pet and show animals due to over 100 years of selective breeding.


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## Rowangate

The difference is quite amazing, the ear shape also appears to be different. It is almost as if they are different species.
Would a kinked tail in an exhibition mouse be a disqualification?


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## Cait

Yes.


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## Mari

_Great_ thread! Thanks so much for posting those pics, Cait! What a wonderful visual aid!


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## WillowDragon

really, really helpful! =o)

Willow xx


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## Jammy

Wonderful thread am loving learning


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## NaomiR

brilliant thread and superb supporting photos Cait thank you

the FIRST thing people notice about my mice is their size, they're the same size at 3-4 weeks as their fully grown "pet" mice :lol:


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