# Mice with a genetic defect.



## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I think they might be dwarfs because of their features.They are all from different litters but related quite closely .
Doe








Buck








Doe(poor image)








Baby (poor image again I'm afraid)


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

What age are they? Their faces look smaller & blunter, but can you point out which other features I should be looking at? I know I've heard about dwarf mice before, but can't find the links now. :/ Would you breed these as a novelty pet, keep them for test breeding to figure out who's carrying dwarfism, or do they just get scrapped? Can dwarf mice be shown alongside regular mice, or do the altered features disqualify them?


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

They are 7 weeks.They aren't teeny tiny but are smaller and fairly stout.It's the short wide blocky head that makes me think they might be dwarf but I'm only guessing.They aren't physically normal but are bred out of normal mice.There is no standard for dwarf mice and I don't have any plans either.I'm not culling them,they aren't part of my exhibition mice,I keep a few things that are more pet/hobby type just because I enjoy them.Just sharing out of general interest.


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

Are they othewise healthy?


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## HemlockStud (Apr 26, 2009)

If they have no health issues as they grow those will be really interesting! I have always wondered when a dwarf mouse would pop up since rats have it.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

they are healthy so far,just have odd features.I did many moons ago have another one that had a very wide head and four nostrils instead of the usual 2.I've mentioned it before I think.By coincidence a litter of American Bulldog pups were anandoned at a rescue.They had the same four nostrils and it was a rare form of cleft pallate .I did keep that mouse,it was a long time ago when I was more on the pet side.I didn't breed off of him and he lived a normal life.


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## pondering (Jul 25, 2013)

They're really quite appealing - the buck in the second picture particularly - they look a little bit like african pygmy dormice. Interesting anyway, good luck with them! Will you repeat the parent mating to see if you get any more?


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I don't think I will repeat the mating as I have the young buck.Not certain though.I'll update if anything of interest appears,it might be a dead end.


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## thammy24 (Dec 20, 2012)

That'd be interesting. Starting to breed dwarf mice. Many people may be interested in starting dwarf lines .


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## love2read (Aug 30, 2011)

Did they start off smaller from the get go or did they start falling behind in growth as they got older? I ask because I have a litter at the moment with 1 significantly smaller baby who looks to be behind in growth compared to her siblings, but she's fat and healthy. I thought maybe dwarfism was at play or perhaps sh was just a premie(conceived a few days later than her siblings, but born the same day).

I've attached a pic of her next to one of her normal-sized siblings.


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## mouseypeach (Jan 13, 2013)

Those are adorable. Very interesting too


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