# some of the minibears



## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

hi, totally in awe of everyones mice, heres some of my little mateshttp://picasaweb.google.com/katb85/MyMice2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCJaelK6RwYuqNQ&feat=directlink


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## Megzilla (Oct 12, 2009)

I want those manx D':


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

i found mossy in a pet shop, rockly and piglet both have fully tailed parents (bob, minibob and little-bear) they're just lucky, thanx


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

I want the maaaaaanx!!!!!!!


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Ah you're in Australia! Manx is much more common over there, than it is here. 

Very cute meece.


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

thanx everyone, they're my little mates most importantly. however i hear there are a few different genes responsible for manx, ours is recessive, most others are not, true?


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Yes, that is true. Manx in the US is dominant.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

How does recessive manx stand up to Dominant?

What are the health risks, and things to avoid when breeding it?


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

you mean a comparison between the two? not sure. health problems due to 'concentrated' breeding can include excessive shortening of tail, causing loss of rear limb function and birthing difficulties. carriers of the gene are more prone to kinks in their tails. i've heard that kinks can be inherited from tail to further up the spine. for me, i haven't had these problems and don't want to risk them. tails have a lot to do with how a mouse regulates their body temp, and balance etc. i couldn't live with myself if i was responsible for an animal having a lower quality of life. sorry to come on heavy, i just don't have the experience to deal, im sure experienced breeders could cope. also in australia, a tail like piglet or rockly's is not really appreciated (i love them), they're not 'good' enough, and i worry about finding good homes for 'short-tailed' mice. on a happier note, i've fallen in love...with curlies, big boofy curlies.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

I think the risks are similar for recessive and dominant manx....though problems aren't frequent.

So far as body temp and balance...our domestic mice don't have any sort of need for the agility and temperature control of wild mice. If your mice are in a climate controlled environment where they aren't required to be especially agile (I've never seen anyone keep mice in any way that would require them to be more agile than a tailless mouse is), not having a tail in no way affects quality of life. I do not (yet) have manx mice (I do know someone with manx mice), but I do have manx rats and they are very playful, reasonably agile (maybe not quite as agile as their tailed buddies...but not severely hindered at all), and no less comfortable in any conditions I've ever had them in than my tailed rats.


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

ps, here's a pic of a tail in my latest litter, both parents are manx (rockly and mossy)http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/5rzMu9l_twWfD9NSv11LaoNqWHOydVR4WcjPggSiGpM?feat=directlink


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## The Boggit keeper (Mar 5, 2010)

Aww, sweet mice, I like Minibob.


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