# Hello - thinking about getting mice!



## pondering (Jul 25, 2013)

Hi there -

I kept mice as a kid - had two single males, seperately - and loved them to bits. Have had lots of different pets over the years and currently have a bit of that 'new pet itch' going on so decided to do some more research before I commit to anything.

I'd like to get into mice so I can breed and work towards developing type through line breeding in the hope this will help me better understand how genetics play out when it comes to breeding other animals - and mice seem like a logical option.

I have done a bit of showing - not with mice - so understand the mentality and the hard work that goes towards winning rosettes, and although I'm not 100% I'm definitely going to show due to travel expenses I would definitely like show type mice and if I was able to produce something nice, I would make the journeys sometimes.

I keep coming back to this forum over the months / years and really enjoy reading the advice on diet / housing etc and it seems like a friendly and helpful place.

I have some questions and I wonder if it would be best to put them here - I know some of it will be covered already and I'm sure I'll find answers with a bit more reading:

- Do different colours / varieties have different temperaments? Which are the most docile / laid back?
- Where's the best place to go to read about colours and gene allele locuses?
- If there's a variety you're really specially interested in (e.g. sables & marten sables) how do you find out who's breeding the best stock in that breed? National mouse council / going to shows?

Thanks very much!


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## NikiP (May 7, 2013)

Welcome!

As for anything involving showing, where are you located? Things can vary greatly depending on location 

This is a really great site on genetics  http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/genetics/chart.html


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## Fantasia Mousery (Jul 16, 2011)

Hi, and welcome. 

*- Do different colours / varieties have different temperaments? Which are the most docile / laid back?*
As far as I'm aware, there's no difference. It's about lineage.

*- Where's the best place to go to read about colours and gene allele locuses?*
I use the site NikiP linked to.

*- If there's a variety you're really specially interested in (e.g. sables & marten sables) how do you find out who's breeding the best stock in that breed? National mouse council / going to shows? *
You don't mention where you're from, but my guess would be UK. In that case, I think the NMC (National Mouse Club) could help you. Either way, I'd strongly recommend getting a membership. A lot of breeders will only sell to NMC members, and NMC host the most shows.


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## ThatCertainGlow (Jun 23, 2012)

Welcome.  Agree with the two posters above, on all points. If you are in the UK, joining the NMC should give you a yearbook, with a way to contact various breeders. It won't say what they breed, I don't think. (I'm a member, but only overseas, so no yearbook.)

Going to a show/s to get to know everyone, seeing their mice, and then setting up a later meeting with the breeders. Either at another show, or some traveled location, seems to be the recommended way to get started. (They really will be disappointed if you don't plan to go on to show their stock, so keep that in mind.) Depending on location, you might have a carpooling option to shows. Good luck!


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## pondering (Jul 25, 2013)

NikiP said:


> Welcome!
> 
> As for anything involving showing, where are you located? Things can vary greatly depending on location
> 
> This is a really great site on genetics  http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/genetics/chart.html


Fantastic, what a good site! So much information. Well that's any sable / marten sable ambitions out the window as I think I would like to focus more on type than colour and it sounds like colour is enough of a challenge in itself in that variety from the blurb description!



Fantasia Mousery said:


> Hi, and welcome.
> 
> *- Do different colours / varieties have different temperaments? Which are the most docile / laid back?*
> As far as I'm aware, there's no difference. It's about lineage.
> ...


Yep UK - I will join the NMC and take it from there. Thanks for your answer, I noticed reading on here that siameses are meant to be naughtier than other varieties but wondering if this is urban legend / perception or actually true!



ThatCertainGlow said:


> Welcome.  Agree with the two posters above, on all points. If you are in the UK, joining the NMC should give you a yearbook, with a way to contact various breeders. It won't say what they breed, I don't think. (I'm a member, but only overseas, so no yearbook.)
> 
> Going to a show/s to get to know everyone, seeing their mice, and then setting up a later meeting with the breeders. Either at another show, or some traveled location, seems to be the recommended way to get started. (They really will be disappointed if you don't plan to go on to show their stock, so keep that in mind.) Depending on location, you might have a carpooling option to shows. Good luck!


You know, I would love to show but realistically, the expenses would be enormous as its several hundred miles round trip to even the 'nearest' shows, for me - which would make it as / more expensive than showing dogs or cats at championship level - which would mean I would have to be certain I was producing something of good type before promising a breeder I was going to show. Having said that, if I bred something I though had a strong chance in its variety, I think it would be worth travelling for.

Thanks for all the answers everyone, I've found someone with pet quality argentes of good type near by so might start off that way and then invest in some really big typey show bucks and have a play around and see what I can produce in a few generations.


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## Fantasia Mousery (Jul 16, 2011)

pondering said:


> Yep UK - I will join the NMC and take it from there. Thanks for your answer, I noticed reading on here that siameses are meant to be naughtier than other varieties but wondering if this is urban legend / perception or actually true!


I have read that as well.  But I breed Siamese (among others), and I've never had an escapee or otherwise "naughty" Siamese, so personally I think it's coincidence.


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## pondering (Jul 25, 2013)

Fantasia Mousery said:


> pondering said:
> 
> 
> > Yep UK - I will join the NMC and take it from there. Thanks for your answer, I noticed reading on here that siameses are meant to be naughtier than other varieties but wondering if this is urban legend / perception or actually true!
> ...


Haha excellent glad to hear!!

I'll keep everyone updated on how I get on


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