# January 18th, 2012 Litter



## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

My first litter born January 18th, 2012 has little whiskers and fur markings! With a couple of the light ones having the beginning of fuzz!

There are eleven altogether, being nursed by their Birth-mother and the Birth-mother's female cage-mate. The Birth-mother has been clearly producing more milk, as she is constantly filling up on food and water, but the pups have also been nice and full when I watch the cage-mate nurse so I can only logically assume she has been stimulated to lactation. The cage-mate is also the main nest builder, and main groomer for the little ones. Sure, the Birth-mother does too, but her main objective seems to be food, food, FOOD. (And I can't be surprised, since the cage-mate can only take so much pressure off an eleven sized litter.)

In any case, photos!

Group Photo









Dark Group (Three) - Not sure where these came from, I must have messed up a Punnett Square, or someone has a recessive, or something...









Larger and Lighter Group (Four) - The ones I was actually expecting.









Marked Babies (Three) - furthest left looks a little striped to me, but I assume it's probably just a variation on the other two rather than a different gene.









One young not photographed in a group due to not being as distinctive.
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Dad wouldn't co-operate for a photo, but I managed to snap a photo showing both his main coat color and the odd little dark patches he has









Mum, still with some baby and I'm sure now milk weight. Usually a very slender Doe.








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Explaining where those dark three may have come from would be a big help to me for understanding genetics better. Clearly I got something wrong when I did my math. lol

Only just barely got a photo of the most front marked one. Lot of strength in those tiny legs, nearly hopped out of my hand. I didn't think they'd be able to be that strong so young.


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## tinyhartmouseries (Dec 30, 2010)

I think mom, and the marked ones, are Varigated!


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

I transferred them (and all their bedding) to a slightly larger and more accessible nest box tonight, which has a side that just slides off to allow easy access, instead of just checking them with the small hole. Tried to sex them while I was at it... I think five girls and six boys... but I need to look up sexing a bit more as I'm not 100% sure. (I think) at least one girl of each kind, so if I choose to keep any I've got a good variety of choice on both sides. Also half the darks have grown a shade darker than their siblings, so we'll see soon what's happening with them...

Biggest thing for me tonight, was since Mom and Step-mom didn't seem to care that the babes were gone (just taking the free time to pig out) I held them in my hands for a few minutes. One little pup started scratching like a dog, and another used it's two front paws to groom it's nose (really I guess brush away dirt or take care of an itch.) Being so new to little mice it's fascinating seeing their behaviors for the first time, and how they develop.

Also while I was holding them, one began squeaking lightly, which set off a chain reaction of squeaks, so I got them ready to go back to Mom. As I was putting them in the nesting material their Dad started squeaking to them from the desk. Which was just adorable.

Ah. How can people stand it. On the one hand I want to see them grow and develop, but on the other I want them to be cute and naked and tiny forever. lol


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

With sexing when they start getting fur look out for nipples, bucks don't have them. So a great time to double check sexes.

If you like them pink and naked you could go for hairless mice. For me the best stage is once they have fur and are nice and chubby.


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

I know how you feel! It happens for me every time I have a litter. When they're first born and you're holding them and they make these little squeaky sounds you're like I wish they would stay like this forever! Then when they grow fur and they're soft and fuzzy and incredibly cute and they fall asleep on your hand and twitch when theyre dreaming you want them to stay like that forever. Then when they open their eyes and they start running around and going on adventures and discovering things you wish they would stay like that forever too, because their eyes are all squinty and they're a little clumsy and they lick you when you pick them up XD. I usually don't want hoppers to stay hoppers, though. They're just too crazy hyper -_-


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Today they are eight days old, so a few updates. Photos are unfortunately limited today. They were very active and eager to get back to Mom.

- My "light" group has split into two branches of shade, one still being the original, the other side being closer to Dad now.
- My "dark" group has split into two (at least, possibly three) branches of shade (a dark, a gray, and a dark brownish.)
- One light pup is actually marked.
- One marked pup may be a mix of brown and black splats, no visible white currently.
- Two of my marked pups may be possible tricolors? I swear I can see brown or tan on them.
- One dark pup has a "star" on their forehead.
- I still suck at sexing, but I'm working on it, and think I'm getting better. One pup fell asleep upside down, so it gave a good comparison view today.

My little "star" pup. I'm sure a star on the forehead is not exactly a standard by any means, but I still think it's cute.









One of the two possible tricolors. In two different lights. (Too-bright Natural and Too-Soft bedroom light.) It was too hard to get the true coat color at this time of day here.

















Opinions on the possible Tri-color welcome.


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

We have tri-colour in Canada?! Why am I in the wrong province?


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

--possible tricolor--
Don't get too excited until this pair ages a bit more. Hehe.


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

At the very least they could be merle, looking at Dad's bum! Very exciting for this girl to see!  Now how to get one to Ontario.


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Ten days old.

My star Buck has taken a brownish tinge.









The tri-color I thought I had, while still having three-colors, I'm thinking might be a poorly-marked broken brindle?









Especially considering one of my light pups looks under-striped Brindle...









...and one of my marked pups now looks over-striped Brindle.









But that's just my opinion. I'll gladly hear from more experienced breeders on their coloration.


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Eleven days old. Soon they won't all fit in my hand!


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Small update. Only three with visible nipples. Two whites, and my brindle(?) marked. Not interested in any of them.
My star doe still isn't showing nipples, so we'll assume I sexed wrong and it's a buck. I may keep him just to see if that single forehead star will go through to his children.

The star buck has always had the best chance of staying with me, I suppose. I don't like the whites, and next to them the star buck is the next biggest/healthiest looking, even if that brown color is not something I thought I'd like.


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Small update, photos later hopefully.
When I got home the Birthmother was just crawling up into a high location to get away from the kids and nap. Stepmother was already fast asleep.
This tiny white nose poked over the edge of the nest. Bright eyes curious. Little legs scrambling to get out from under it's siblings. It only crawled out about four inches from the nest, but took up a piece of dog food and started tasting it. We have gotten into the grand exploration stage. Hehe.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Some pretty nicely marked brindles there


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## Pigeonrh (Feb 5, 2013)

how are they making out? Don't see many brindles or tri's here in Canada!? lol


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Day ~21.

That white one at the top is the strongest, most adventure-minded, first to try solid food, et cetera. It spends nearly as much time as Mom out of the nest, and manages to find her anywhere. The day after they began walking I saw that little white doe on the highest toy in the whole cage, curled up with the two mothers who were trying to GET AWAY from the kids. lol









The multi-colored one is the female I will most likely be keeping. The other two does are white, which I have no interest in, despite their massive strength.









I'd like to hear people's opinions of this yellow buck. He's in the running for the only male I will keep (competing against the strong Star Buck) as he so far seems solid-colored (that initial spottiness went away) and yellow is one of my goals.


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## TwitchingWhiskers (Feb 2, 2013)

Since the brindle gene is present, the yellow buck is probably unmarked brindle.

Maybe both parents carry pied and the BEW's are s/s W/*?

You've got lot's of interesting colors in this batch


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