# New Mouse-Variegated?



## MythsNTails (May 2, 2013)

I browse feeder bins and pet stores near my location monthly in hopes one of the coveted "rare" (locally) varieties I love will pop up.

Went in yesterday and came across this little girl. Immediately snatched her up thinking she was variegated but when I got her home I noticed how heavily marked she is around her head/hindquarters :? Is she variegated or just an oddly marked pied? It would be a personal "too good to be true" if she was  She's a pretty little thing regardless though.

Also, from what I understand variegated is dominant and thus you would get variegated from the 1st generation no matter what you crossed to? Or did I get super weird and totally make that up?


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

No idea sorry! Just wanted to say she is gorgeous and congrats


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

MythsNTails said:


> Also, from what I understand variegated is dominant and thus you would get variegated from the 1st generation no matter what you crossed to? Or did I get super weird and totally make that up?


HI

Your mouse looks variegated. That is indeed a dominant spotting gene, which, unfortunately, is lethal in homozygous form. (the babies are anemic and die- You'll have to expect these babies when you cross variegated with variegated)


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## MythsNTails (May 2, 2013)

Thanks for the info! If I crossed her with a pied mouse, I shouldn't get anemic babies then?


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## Serena (Dec 29, 2011)

no, crossing them with a pied mouse doesn't produce anemic babies.
But I don't know how piebald and variegated interact with each other if you have s/s W/w


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

Ha, you're cat is giving your new mouse "the look."

When breeding different varieties, it's often a good idea not to cross them, just because it makes colors/patterns harder to work with. You shoulid search for a self buck & breed her to him, you will get a mix of selfs & variegated. In breeding mice, you will have to cull at some point, so anemic babies shouldn't really be a deterrent. They're easily visible from the get go, & as long as you do the deed early on, it's not like their suffering. It just stinks because you get less control over which mice you're keeping.

Anywho, if you don't want anemic young, then from her litter of selfs & variegated, keep a self buck to breed her & her daughters back to. Keep it in the family tree, & you'll have more control over how heavy or light your variegated produces, rather then out crossing to unrelated selfs all the time.

From what I'm seeing, pied X variegated will get you BEWs? I have to go, otherwise I'd search harder!


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## thammy24 (Dec 20, 2012)

Awe, she's gorgeous . I like her ears too, they're nicely set and large. Good find!


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## MythsNTails (May 2, 2013)

Wow--so much knowledge and kindness on this forum! Thanks everyone =)


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