# Colour changing mouse? o.O



## SilverWings (Jan 27, 2016)

So I looked in on one of my colonies today and a mouse that was previously brown is not brown anymore? Not entirely at least. Very confused 


























He was definitely solid brown when he went in to the tank, he's about 3 months old. I first noticed splotches about a month ago, thought he'd gotten dirty and didn't think much of it. But I saw him today during cleaning and was very surprised at the amount of black on him! (I also thought he was a she and there are babies in there now...woops...) I've never had any others change colour before, brown mice have stayed brown, although most of them get made snake food at a younger age than this...

Any idea's what gene might be causing this?


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

they are moult marks,the mouse has moulted unevenly and will always be two tone now.All mice get it but it stands out on some colours such as stone or siamese.


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## SilverWings (Jan 27, 2016)

Oh neat, I didn't know that could happen! And henceforth he will be known as Markus.


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

Just to add strength to SarahC's comments, in show terms, a judge's report might read "in two coats" to describe the effect (although such a drastic case would hopefully not be shown  )


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## SilverWings (Jan 27, 2016)

I think it's so cool. I've seen moult marks on some of my does before but they've a;ways been blocks of colour, and they've always gone back to their original colour in a week or so.


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## ThePetekeyPrep (Jun 1, 2016)

Is it possible that this little mousey is a brindle? It's not unheard of - and in fact, is common - for brindles to only develop their markings after the fur has already grown in.


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## SilverWings (Jan 27, 2016)

Doubt it. There have been no others in my lines yet, and I'm probably down in to my 8th-10th generations. The foundation stock was typical pet shop mice, broken blacks, doves and a tan/agouti (?) doe. I do get the odd random colour pop up every now and then, have a broken chocolate doe at the moment. I spoke to a person who has a colony of does all from me, and she said she's had a couple of mine change colour. One appeared brindle for a bit then went solid again, one went from a light tan to a very dark agouti!


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