# Fantasia Mousery Blog-thing



## Fantasia Mousery

So, I decided I also wanted a blog-ish thing here. This will be about anything and everything that goes on in my mousery and my head mouse-wise, except for the things I make seperate posts about (such as questions, pictures and litter show-off).

Well, I currently have 3 female groups with a total of 14 girls, which isn't even half of what I have the space for. There are 3 SSP, 4 CPB, 2 Bone, 1 PEW, 1 SBP, 1 Blue pied and 2 non-breeding does that are just for looks (Agouti and a fuzzy of unknown colour). 5 of my girls are bred here. I have a few on the way that I'm picking up next month, and hopefully in September I will get some from UK as well (if chatsworth can find me some - also I'm ever so grateful that she agreed to take some home for me). My favourite doe is getting old - isn't it typical? - and I'm not saying that because of her age. She is 1 year 2 months, and sure that's a lot for some, but... I can see her fur is getting a bit scruffy, and she has a small abcess sort of thing that luckily and seemingly isn't bothering her yet. However, she is not losing weight yet (still on her amazing 64g and never been fat), and not showing signs of anything else, so that's good.
I have 4 bucks, and not having space enough for any more of those. These are 2 SSP, 1 CPB and 1 Blue. Two of them are bred here.

I haven't been breeding for a long ting. My first serious litter was born in September 2012. Before this, I have been breeding feeders, and had a couple of pet-litters.

I am breeding non-agouti c-dilutes (only in self/pointed) and I also want to do blues in pointed/self/pied. Unfortunately the "Project Blue pointed" had a bit of a set back, as the buck we needed was PTS. He had been with my first SBP girl for a few days, so who knows?
Today I am pairing a Blue (possibly pied) buck with a Blue pied doe. They are both poor pet quality, but as Blue is pretty hard to come by here, it was all I could get my hands on. The doe is from Holland, and I have no idea about age or background, so I only plan on letting her have this one litter. But first, let's see how well she handles it.

Three of my girls are currently out of their groups (soon four with the Blue pied). First, my mystery PEW with her mystery litter of 6 (3.3). Second, a lovely CPB who was yesterday on +22g (from 42 to 64). I haven't weighed her yet today, but I am so excited and can't wait for her to give birth. As her mate is also CPB, I am expecting Beige, SSP and CPB. Third, a SSP who was mated to the same CPB buck at the same time. She was yesterday on +10g, so a bit more slow, but I have high hopes. I expect SSP and CPB.

Today I will clean cages, pair up my two blues, and weigh my pregnant girls. Givememorebabiesalready!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Yes, so... I decided to change my username (finally), as "Jathy" is irrelevant as a forum name. My name is Patricia and my mousery is called Fantasia Mousery, so this makes more sense.


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## NikiP

Fingers crossed on the blue (pied) x blue pied!


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## Fantasia Mousery

NikiP said:


> Fingers crossed on the blue (pied) x blue pied!


Thanks.  I paired them yesterday, and I haven't heard a single squeak. I hope that doesn't mean he's not making moves on her!


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## Mc.Macki Mice

I like your whole blog idea but I think it would also be cool if you made a website for your mousery


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## Fantasia Mousery

Mc.Macki Mice said:


> I like your whole blog idea but I think it would also be cool if you made a website for your mousery


I do have a website.  But, as I'm in Denmark, it's in Danish. So most people on here can't read it anyway.


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## Mc.Macki Mice

Oh okay I know my computer can translate it but if you don't want to post it , its totally up to you


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## Fantasia Mousery

Mc.Macki Mice said:


> Oh okay I know my computer can translate it but if you don't want to post it , its totally up to you


If you're fishing for a link, just say it. 

www.fantasiamousery.weebly.com


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## Mc.Macki Mice

Thank you so much, you have a beautiful collection! So many I'm jealous


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## ThatCertainGlow

Love your website.  PMing you about an interest I have in something noted there. (My browser's translated page wasn't quite up to all the details.)


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## Fantasia Mousery

TheCertainGlow sent me a PM earlier today with a lot of questions regarding my QT back in December. I have decided to share the information in case anyone finds it interesting or useful. I have also given TCG permission to share my answers anywhere she feels it might be of use. Anyone with further questions is welcome to ask here or in PM.



ThatCertainGlow said:


> PMing you, but you can post your response on the blog if you wish to share it with others. Hope you don't mind these questions, but I'm terribly curious. I also hope we can all stop being so scared of these viruses.
> 
> Anna's litter, and the other mice who got thin, did I read it right, you stopped breeding? For... 4 weeks? Or did you still have does in with their prospective mates? Was there anyone still ill, and in proximity to any other mice, in the 4 week time frame? Were the mice who became ill not in proximity to the mice who started out being ill? How do you define a QT area? Did you change clothing before leaving/entering a totally different building, or was this simply another room in the same house?
> 
> Did you have any mice under the age of 8 weeks at the start of the QT, besides the litter? Were those the ones who got sick? Did you start the QT after the litter, mother and everyone ill, were PTS, or was that during the QT?
> 
> Did you do any special cleaning of cages, walls, floors, air, water bottles before going into QT? Did any mice show any ill symptoms, and later get well enough to be considered fully recovered? Did you breed from any mice like that? Did you give antibiotics for secondary infections, or did none show any? Or, did those get PTS at the start?
> 
> It sounds like Sendai, or murine parainfluenza virus type 1/ hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ). There is also another virus, basically the same thing, slightly different scary long name. Breeders have culled their entire sheds in the UK over this, and triple re-painted walls. Breeders in the US are so scared of it, some won't attend mice shows. I would really appreciate all the details you can remember, or care to share.


And my answers:



Fantasia Mousery said:


> I don't mind questions at all.  I think honesty about how and what we do with our animals, especially as breeders, is very important. It is the only way we can really learn from each other.
> 
> First, you have to know that I have absolutely no chance of actually QTing my mice. We live in an appartment on the 4th floor, and all my mice are in the living room. I don't know anyone who could help me QT, as all my family lives very far away, and the only person who would be willing to help me now also has mice (my mother in law). So the best I can do with sick mice is put them in the bedroom and be very thorough with disinfecting my hands and arms and maybe change clothes. This is also one of the reasons why I don't really give sick mice very much of a chance. I need to protect the healthy ones.
> 
> In December when I had that problem, Anna and Shelley weren't the only ones who got sick. But when it happened, both had been with the same male for a few weeks. If I remember correctly, Shelley was the first one to get sick, then Anna, then some others. I had to put down Anna and the 1 baby she hadn't eaten, because she was looking extremely horrible, and the baby too. The babies weren't the right colour, either, they were very dark, almost purple.
> 
> During my QT I completely stopped breeding, I didn't take in new mice, I didn't visit anyone with mice or similar rodents (except for New Years eve, where I visited my mother in law) and I swear my hands and nails were so damaged from all the disinfection. But that was the easiest part. The worst was the day my QT started. I had to put down 7 mice at once, and I felt so bad about it that I actually got sick. I had decided to put down anyone with even the slightest symptom, because I just couldn't handle if I should lose all my stock. I did lose most of it, though. In the end I was left with 3 does and 1 buck.
> 
> I had a litter that was barely 8 weeks at the start of the QT. Not one of them got sick. Shelley was PTS on November 10. Anna and baby was PTS on November 22. The rest of them were PTS on December 3. December 3 was the day I decided to start my QT, and it lasted for 1 month. I had said to myself that for everytime I heard a sneeze or saw some other symptom, I would prolong the QT with 1 month. Luckily, I didn't have any mouse get sick at all after that horrible day. So on January 3 I got out of QT, and has hardly had a sick mouse since (not counting cancer/abcesses and the likes).
> 
> At the start of the QT, I thoroughly cleaned and disinfected all cages, water bottles, cage inventory, transport boxes, the mouse weight, etc. Anything I could think of that they had been in touch with. But I didn't think to clean floors and stuff more than I usually do. As it was December and thus very cold in Denmark, I made sure all windows were closed except the one in the bedroom, which is farthest away from the mice.
> 
> After the 7, no mice showed symptoms at all. Had they done, they would have gone the same way as the others.
> 
> I have no idea what was wrong, or whether it was a virus or bacteria. All I know is that I really, really, really hope I will never get it again. It was absolutely terrifying seeing all my lovely critters fade away like that.
> The symptoms were: extreme and fast weight loss, apathy, sneezing/wheezing, and puss around the eyes. Not all who were affected showed all symptoms, but they all shared the weight loss.
> 
> I hope this answers your questions, and feel free to ask more.  I would like to put it on my blog, is it okay that I tell you were the one who asked the questions?


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## ThatCertainGlow

Thank you, again for sharing well detailed information about such a painful experience. Lab studies don't really explain how this affects a private breeder, who is acquainted with each mouse. (You can add me to the 'scared of it' group now...) They also don't give clear timetables, and usually involve some extra thing, like a vaccine test. I do appreciate this, and the permission to share it.


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## NikiP

Great information! Thank you for sharing


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## Fantasia Mousery

You're very welcome. 

Maybe I should note that the 3 does and 1 buck was what was left of my breeding stock. I still had the litter that was born on October 11, and a single pet mouse. The litter (it was my litter C) all got through it with no sign of anything. However, I can give a little update on them.
All bucks were culled and given away for snake food as I didn't have room for them in the end. They did live here till they were 6 months, though. They were in the same cage all this time and none got sick or aggressive.
One doe turned aggressive toward me and was PTS. She bit me several times unprovoked (jumped out from the other end of the cage and bit me as soon as I put in my hand).
One doe, who moved to live as a pet somewhere, later got sick and died. I don't remember exactly when.
The last doe went to live with a breeder. She got a litter, then died when the litter was exactly 4 weeks old. No sign of illness or anything, she was just found dead.
Now, I don't know whether the two who got sick had anything to do with what happened in December. Maybe their immune system got affected. I haven't made that connection before just now, but it could just be coincidense.
The pet mouse that survived the whole thing still lives, and so does the 3 does and 1 buck.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Oh, this is a sad day. Today I found my fav doe, Deidre, dead at the bottom of her cage. She was 1 year and 2 months old, so not exactly young, I suppose. She was a gorgeous mouse, and just the other day she weighed 67g, so not a small mouse either. She has never been sick, except for a tumor/abcess I found on her 11 days ago. It wasn't very big, not bothering her, and didn't seem to grow since I noticed it. So I expect she died of old age. Her fur had been looking a bit scruffy lately, but no other signs of anything else, so I didn't expect it to be so soon.

On a different note, I have another very pregnant Siamese. Name is Lily. Yesterday she was on +25g, so she can't keep me waiting much longer, eh? When I'm done writing here, I will go feed all the critters and then weigh Lily again.


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## ThatCertainGlow

Aww.  I'm sorry for your loss. That's a young enough age where you wouldn't have yourself prepared to soon lose them.

Have you tried Mrs Beach's litter theorem, if you weight your pregnant does/kittens often? She tells me it is, pretty accurate. She also always wants more data.  It's on her site.


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## Fantasia Mousery

ThatCertainGlow said:


> Have you tried Mrs Beach's litter theorem, if you weight your pregnant does/kittens often? She tells me it is, pretty accurate. She also always wants more data.  It's on her site.


Thank you. 

No, I have never heard of it. Can you link me?


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## Cordane

Link for you


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## Fantasia Mousery

Cordane said:


> Link for you


Thank you, I will check it out.


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## NikiP

Sorry about your loss! 

I did have some other questions pop into my head about your mystery illness. Had you gotten any nice mice in or been to any shows around that time? Your MIL also breeds correct? Had you visited her recently? Had she gotten in anything new or been to any shows around that time?


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## Fantasia Mousery

NikiP said:


> Sorry about your loss!
> 
> I did have some other questions pop into my head about your mystery illness. Had you gotten any nice mice in or been to any shows around that time? Your MIL also breeds correct? Had you visited her recently? Had she gotten in anything new or been to any shows around that time?


Thanks!

We don't have shows in Denmark, so I hadn't been to any. Far as I can remember, I hadn't got any new mice in for a while. My MIL only had one mouse at that time, a buck from me. So I couldn't have got it from there either.
One thing I had forgotten about till now, is that at the time all my cages were on the floor because I had nowhere else to put them. So the only thing I can think of, and what I also blamed back then, was that maybe it was a bit colder on the floor.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Today, I'm going to pick up several new mice. 
One of them was supposed to be a colourpoint smoke (d/d c^e/c^h), but she was pts yesterday by breeder as they found her with her uterus hanging out of her.  
So let's see what I come home with this time. Will post pics tomorrow or soon after.


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## sanctuary

Aww poor thing.

Yay new mice, good luck choosing


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## Fantasia Mousery

So, yesterday I got the rest of my new girls home. A friend of mine, who also breeds mice, had to sell out some of hers due to personal reasons. I took over 3 of them.
And then I finally finished some cages I have been working on for a while, for the bucks and the pairs. It's not much, and there will be more when I can afford it. Pictures of it all will come up on the forum on Sunday or something.

My current pairs:
Blue x Blue Tan & Blue Pied
CPB x CPB (they are siblings, and this is a test for the blasted p-gene - I know he carries it, I want to know if she also does)
SSP x CPB (the CPB is my MIL's, but I bred her)

And then I have a CPB with 3 week old babies (litter J) and a SSP with 2,5 week old babies (litter K). And a whole bunch of litters planned for the future.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I haven't had a lot of time to spend on my mice this week, but they are all still good. I know I promised pictures and all, but I haven't really got around to it. There will be lots of pictures once I do, though.

Plask (Blue Pied) finally seems to be pregnant. She was in with the buck for a month! But now she's on +15g, and looking well round, so that's nice. 
Bubble (CPB) is also already showing, and she's been with the buck for two weeks. That one's always quick. I'll seperate those on Sunday.

My current pairs:
Blue x Blue Tan
SSP x SSP Pied, SSP, CPB and CPB Fox

Then I have the two girls expecting, and a litter of 4 that will be 4 weeks on Sunday (litter K). I'm keeping a CPB doe. If anyone has an idea for names, they're most welcome. Has to begin with K.

On a non-mousey note, we lost our cat Leia a week ago. She somehow got out, and we can't find her. We've put posters up and looked for her everywhere outside, but no sign.  A few days ago, when out looking for her, we found a kitten, about 12 weeks old. She (I think) was skinny and shakey, so we took her in. We haven't been able to find the owner, so so far the plan is to keep her. We will take her to the vet next pay day.


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## ThatCertainGlow

Hah. I clicked expecting pics of new girls. :lol:

Have you called whatever the animal control people are in your area, in case someone turned her in? I'm so sorry she got out, if she's not able to deal with the surroundings (like if you are not out in the country). Hope everything turns out well.


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## Fantasia Mousery

ThatCertainGlow said:


> Have you called whatever the animal control people are in your area, in case someone turned her in? I'm so sorry she got out, if she's not able to deal with the surroundings (like if you are not out in the country). Hope everything turns out well.


Thanks!
Yes, we have. She's also registered (ear tattoo), and reported missing several places. *sigh* We miss her a lot, even more with the wee kitten around.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I've been thinking about something. I could make chocolate piebald. Wouldn't that be great? There's just a slight problem. I only have 1 Choco girl, and they aren't exactly easy to come by here. But it's not entirely possible. I will disappear into my own little bubble and give it some more thought.


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## NikiP

Do it! I recently had chocolate pop up. Such a yummy color! And they are longhair, pied would be icing on the cake.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I would really love to, but I already do c-dilutes and d-dilutes in self and pied. So I don't know. Maybe I should wait until we move somewhere bigger, but I would definitely love to do it in the future.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Fantasia Mousery said:


> On a non-mousey note, we lost our cat Leia a week ago. She somehow got out, and we can't find her. We've put posters up and looked for her everywhere outside, but no sign.


I just wanted to share with everyone who cares that we just got Leia back. A lady called an hour ago, said she was fairly sure she found her. And it really was her! I can't begin to describe how happy I am to have my little princess back.♥


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## ThatCertainGlow

Oh wow!!  That is super wonderful. Very happy for all of you! Hope she is ok, and glad to be home.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I am simply furious right now. One of my current litters is 2 weeks today, and I decided to put them (and mom of course) in with mom's original group. I usually do it around this age.
Most of the girls from that group are with bucks, so only Bubble (mom), babies, and Babette were in the cage. I had cleaned and done as I always do. 10 minutes later, one of the babies is dead with blood and intestines all over! I picked up Babette and culled her right away. But ugh... I am so angry and disgusted. I've never seen anything like it. Killing a 2 week old baby is just not normal.


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## Fantasia Mousery

So, yesterday was messed up. As posted above, I had to cull a mouse because she killed a 2 week old baby. I also had to cull two others, one because of a giant tumor and another because of what looked like numerous small scratches in the face (not caused by other mice) and weight loss.
But today has been much nice. It's my birthday, and two litters were born today. Lots of Siamese! I'm looking very much forward to it. Will post pictures as some point (litters N and O).


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## Fantasia Mousery

I am not at my happiest today when it comes to my mice. Yesterday I lost a tri doe. She hadn't been growing in a while, and the last few days she was getting rather skinny. Today my Ivory pet doe I found dead, no idea why. As if that weren't enough, I had to cull my lovely SSP buck, Kain, because of a serious, sudden headtilt.
Let's hope the sun will start shining soon, yeah?


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## Miceandmore64

No not a great day. 
I just wanted to post a bit of myself because I think your a nice person that might care. I am Jade and I am a 12 year old mouse breeder. I have 10 cages . 4 suitable for babies and 9 mice. I have two bucks a Siamese/Himilayan (Sidley)and a white and silvery and browny ginger mouse(Elliot).I also have 7 does. 3 are retired from breeding(Millie,Mayzie and Lphread) 2 sisters black and white one I think is pied(Willow and Avalyn)1 maybe pied light brown and white doe(Connie). And a pied chocolate (Manuka)! At the moment I have Elliot and Manuka together. And a maybe pregnant old mouse because I had no more does. So I'm about to go in the fish room to find out how my old mice are as you know one might be getting culled soon.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Miceandmore64 said:


> No not a great day.
> I just wanted to post a bit of myself because I think your a nice person that might care. I am Jade and I am a 12 year old mouse breeder. I have 10 cages . 4 suitable for babies and 9 mice. I have two bucks a Siamese/Himilayan (Sidley)and a white and silvery and browny ginger mouse(Elliot).I also have 7 does. 3 are retired from breeding(Millie,Mayzie and Lphread) 2 sisters black and white one I think is pied(Willow and Avalyn)1 maybe pied light brown and white doe(Connie). And a pied chocolate (Manuka)! At the moment I have Elliot and Manuka together. And a maybe pregnant old mouse because I had no more does. So I'm about to go in the fish room to find out how my old mice are as you know one might be getting culled soon.


Hi Jade!
I love the mousie names.  Good luck on everything!


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## Miceandmore64

Thanks. I now hate naming! I pick the cutest names then they die and I don't use the name again! It sucks sometimes to name things. Manuka was just a random name because I couldn't think of ANYtHiNG good luck to you as well


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## Fantasia Mousery

So... I figured it's been a while since I last posted. Here's what's been going on.

*August 7 (my birthday):*
I had two litters. Gaia, a Siamese doe mated with a Siamese buck, gave birth to 10. I culled 3, and she now has 7 lovely babies. 5 of them are bucks, though. :evil: A few hours later Jasmin, a Siamese piebald mated with the same buck, gave birth to another 13. She ate one, and I culled 5. The remaining 7 turned out to be 4 does and 3 bucks. The 3 bucks I culled, because I had left her in with the buck, Kain, and she's pregnant again. All babies born that day are Siamese, of course.

*August 12:*
I had to put Kain to sleep due to a bad headtilt.  At the time he had some does in with him. Jasmin (mentioned above), Cupcake (CPB LH) who never got pregnant, and Fugl (Himalaya) whom I will mention below.

*August 18:*
Happy, one of my lovely Bone does, gave birth to 6: 3 bucks, 3 does. The bucks are Bone, Himalaya, and CPB/Beige. The does are all CPB/Beige. Happy had been mated with Emile, a lovely CPB buck owned by my MIL.

*August 28:*
Fugl gave birth to 4 babies. The day after that, I went to visit my mom, and stayed until Sunday. When I came home, my boyfriend told me only 1 baby was left. I went to check, and sure enough... only 1 skinny baby left with Fugl. So that wasn't a success.

*August 30:*
Harmony, one of my other lovely Bone does (and Happy's sister) gave birth to 4. She had been mated to Geoff, a Siamese buck. Same day Lily (Siamese) gave birth but... she ate the lot of them. She had been with Geoff as well.

*September 2 (today! woo):*
Just got word that Lacey, my Lilac LH doe, gave birth to a biiig litter. She was mated to Jarl, a Burmese Astrex buck owned by my MIL. He carries Blue and LH, so I'm excited about this. I'm going to pick her up later today.

All in all a very mixed and messed up month. Too many babies eaten and litters lost.
I currently have 4 does in with a Blue buck (Storm), and nothing is happening. Two of them are my MIL's: a Blue Pied doe called Helen Mirren, and a Black Pied doe called Liz Taylor. The other two are my own: a Blue Pied doe called Sapphire, and a Blue Tan doe called Pilar. I will move them to another Blue buck when he's old enough if something doesn't happen soon. 
This week I plan on mating Ethan (Blue) x Ava (Tricolour) in hopes of someday getting Blue Tri, Ethan (Blue) x Maike (Blue) for more Blue! and Jarl (Burmese Astrex) x Mareike (Blue LH) for more LH to my Blues.

I think that's it for now.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Ah, well...

So my Lilac x Burmese litter turned out quite differently from what I expected. As the Burmese carried Blue, I expected at least some Blue. But no... Instead I got 1 Burmese Astrex/Texel with a white belly-spot, 2 Lilac (one of which have a white belly-spot), 2 Blue Burmese and a brownish one I don't really know what is.

Harmony's litter turned out to be 3 CPB bucks and 1 Himalaya doe, so that wasn't really a success. I'm keeping the doe, though.

Then I have 2 other litters. One is a test, testing my MIL's Siamese buck Hector for p. He's been paired to my CPB Ray, whom I know for sure carries it. So she gave birth to both BE and RE, and I removed the BE ones. There are 9 RE ones left, so it's interesting to see how that turns out. Either way, we won't be keeping any of them once we know if there are any PEWs. The other one is a CPB Fox x Himalaya LH pairing, born 5 days ago, so I'm excited about that. I hope for Bone does!

As for pairings, I have 3. Well, 4 later today. Silver x Silver Piebald, Blue x Blue, Blue x Tricolour, and Blue x Blue Tan.


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## Miceandmore64

Good luck with the litters XD


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## Fantasia Mousery

So, what has been going on? A lot, I dare say. I've been sick for a month, hence the lack of updates.

The odd brown girl from my Lilac x Burmese litter turned out to be Mock Chocolate. At least, that's the only thing that makes sense in my head. I'm keeping her because she's gorgeous, and then I'm keeping the two Blue Burmese girls. The Burmese Piebald Astrex boy is going to live with my mom.  It's funny, because so far she's always hated mice. But she fell in love with this one.

The Silver x Silver Piebald pairing gave 8 bubs, where I culled 3. There are now 3 Silver boys and 2 silver girls.

The Blue x Blue pairing gave 9 bubs. At first I let her keep them all, but only 3 were girls, so I culled 2 boys. And there was a little surprise for me: a Siamese Bluepoint.  It's a boy, though, so I'm probably not keeping him. But now that I know both parents carry c^h, I will definitely exploit that.

The Blue x Tricolour pairing gave 10 bubs. I culled 2, and then she ate 3, leaving 5. Unfortunately she got extremely sick and refused to eat and drink, so I had to put her down. The babies were 10 days old, so I put 3 of them (3 Black does) in with the Silver Piebald doe and her babies, and the other 2 (a Splashed doe and a Siamese buck) in with the Blue doe and her babies.

The Blue x Blue Tan pairing hasn't given me anything yet. She's not even pregnant. She's been with another buck before, a while back, and didn't get pregnant then either. So I'm seperating them today, and giving up on her.

My plans today are the following pairings: Blue Piebald x Blue Piebald, Blue Piebald x Lilac LH, Blue x Blue Piebald, CPB x CPB (test for p), CPB x Himalaya (test for p).
I should also take pictures of all my new mice, all my keepers, and my current litters.


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## Miceandmore64

Oh that's such a shame your sick :/ I sprained my ankle but its much better now  good luck with the litters


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## ThatCertainGlow

Sorry to hear you were under the weather, and about your doe. I have recently seen posted pictures of a blue burmese... Absolutely stunning mouse. Hope your's do well.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thanks, guys. 

I have another litter I forgot to mention in the previous post. It's a Siamese Bluepoint Astrex/Texel x Blue LH and I swear... I'm really excited about this, even more so now that I begin to see colours on them. They are 6 days old today. The parents are siblings, and grandparents are Blue (hidden Splashed) x SBP Texel. Well, turns out the Blue LH doe of mine is also hidden Splashed, because the litter is looking to be 2 Blue, 1 SBP and 5 SBP Splashed. SO EXCITED! I want to try to make Blue Tricolour at some point, so this is a really, really nice surprise.


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## Miceandmore64

Awwh thats great for you!


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## Fantasia Mousery

The babies from the Blue x Tricolour pairing where the mom died are all doing well except one of the Black does who has.. vanished. I don't know. She's gone. She was looking a bit under the weather, so that might have something to do with it. But the rest of them look good.

The SBP Rex/Texel x Blue LH babies are still super interesting. The boys are 1 Blue, 2 SBP Splashed (one of them LH), and 1 SPB Splashed Astrex. The girls are 1 Blue LH, 1 SBP LH (like, crazy LH - I'm keeping her), and 1 SBP Texel (also keeping her). They look lovely and are just weaned today.

From the new pairings I posted last, 1 has given birth. My Lilac LH doe has had 11 bubs (that's what I counted quickly yesterday anyway), and there are both RE and BE. So that's... interesting. I didn't expect RE. 
Some of the others seem to be pregnant as well, but not so much. And then I made a Blue x Siamese pairing. The Blue buck is the one who carries c^h, so I am wanting Siamese babies that carry Blue.

And then something terrible has happened.. The Silver litter that I had, I noticed I had a Silver doe alone in a cage - which meant a Silver buck was in with all the girls. And sure enough, when I checked he was there. I quickly switched them around, but he's been there for 1.5 week after he was supposed to be weaned, and I'm terrified of seeing how many of the does he's got pregnant. I just cross my fingers that at least none of the youngest ones have been touched.


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## Miceandmore64

*fingers crossed* Good luck


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## Fantasia Mousery

The Lilac doe's babies are a big disappointment. Like, really. No pied at all. She carries pied, and dad to the litter is pied, so there should be at least a few? But no. None. I culled 6 bucks, so now there's 5 bubs left. Hm.

One of my Blue Piebald does gave birth last night.  She's been with the same buck as the Lilac, so I'm expecting lots of beautiful spots. She had 8.


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## Miceandmore64

My mouse had 8 yesterday


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## Fantasia Mousery

This weekend was awesome! 
Saturday Tina (Chatsworth) visited, and I could afterwards add 10 new does and a new buck to my stock. They're incredibly beautiful. 3 Himalaya Texels (which she brought from LUX), 3 Tricolour, 2 Black Piebald (one of them LH), 1 Blue Piebald (the buck - just wait till you see him!), and 1 Agouti (only because I -love- agoutis, and I just lost my old Agouti pet doe). And then I got 1 Siamese doe who carries Blue from my MIL.

*I have four litters right now.*
*Blue Pied x Lilac:* 1 Blue doe, 1 Smoke? doe, 2 PEW (probably p) does, and 1 PEW buck (also probably p). I'm still disappointed in the lack of Piebald.
*CPS x Black:* Uhm.. She gave birth to 2 (both does, yay!). One is Black, the other is... Some pink eyed/ruby eyed c-dilute. I don't know yet, they're not very old.
*SBP x Blue (father x daughter):* Gave birth to 8, I culled 6 bucks... Left is a Blue doe and a SBP doe.
*Blue Pied x Blue Pied:* Lots of Blue Piebald! Yay! She gave birth to 8, but ate 1. I culled 3 bucks. Left are 1 buck I'm keeping, 2 does, 1 one whose gender I'm still not sure of.

*I also have four pairings.*
*Blue x Blue Pied:* Please, please carry Pied, my dear Ethan!
*Blue x Siamese:* Please, please carry Blue, my sweet Ophelia!
*Blue Pied x Blue Pied:* Because I _need_ more Blue Pied. I need a doe with lots of white.
*CPS x Himalaya:* I don't have any Bone left, so I definitely need that. Lots of does, please!

*This week I plan on...*
*2x Blue Burmese x Blue Burmese:* My plan is to someday make Blue Burmese Splashed. 
*Blue x Siamese:* Another hope for a Blue-carrying doe.
*CPS x Blue:* Because this Blue doe carries c^h.
*CPS x CPS:* I want Smoke!
*Black x SBP:* Better points, please.
*CPS Splashed x Blue:* This doe is hidden Splashed, so there's something for me to exploit.

I will _try_ my best to take some pictures today, or someday this week. But the SD card for my camera is broken, so you'll get phone pictures.


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## Fantasia Mousery

It's been a year and a half since I last posted here, and a lot has happened since. 
My current projects are as follows:

*Self:*
♦ Agouti
♦ Silver Agouti
♦ Chocolate
♦ Champagne

*Dutch:*
♦ Agouti
♦ Argente
♦ Black
♦ Dove

Right now, I have two litters. One is born Saturday, parents are both Chocolate. The other is born Sunday, parents are Argente Dutch and Agouti Dutch. I will upload pictures later. 
I have a four week old litter of Dutch (Dove Dutch x Agouti Dutch), where there is a beautiful little Black Dutch doe. ♥ I'll also upload pictures of her either later or tomorrow. Here's a few pictures of a couple of Argente Dutch bucks from the same litter. They're not perfect, but they are so damn adorable.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Pictures of the current litters. 

Tsunami's Pessac (Chocolate) x Krybs Anja (Chocolate):










Blackthorn Bubbles (Argente Dutch) x Fantasias Rytlock Brimstone (Agouti Dutch):


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## Fantasia Mousery

Bah. On the 24th I paired up two Agoutis. This would be my first Agouti litter in a very long time, and I was so extremely excited. Since they're my only two Agoutis right now, it was pretty important for me that it worked out. However, the doe has only lost weight since pairing them up. :\ She was a pretty big doe, so she will be alright, I'm sure. I seperated them again, of course, and now I'll have to see what else I can do. Maybe I can pair the buck one of my other does, but I will have to choose between what that litter will have to carry, then. Either Chocolate, piebald or c-dilution, unless I can get my hands on a Black or Agouti doe - Black is easier by far to get by here. I guess actually I could use one of my Agouti Dutch does, but the colour on them isn't great. Mm, we shall see.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Want to show off some pictures of that Black Dutch doe I mentioned yesterday.  She is 4 weeks old today, and the pictures were taken Saturday.


















And then I have a few pictures to share of my the very first Silver Agouti bred here. I'm very happy with him. He's 11 weeks old.


















Pictures are taken by my friend Pia Brix.


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## Zamwyn

You've got some great looking mice there. The black dutch is stunning!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thank you! Yes, she us gorgeous.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Today I had to put down my absolute favourite girl, CH Fantasias Addy.  
Addy was one in a litter of three, whose Mum died when they were just a week old. Fortunately I had another girl with a litter around the same age, and she took care of the three perfectly. Addy's siblings didn't make it past three months, but she grew and developed amazingly. In May she won Champion at her first and only show. At the same time I brought home an Agouti buck. I thought maybe I could get one litter on Addy before she got too old. However, she stressed something awful when they were paired up, and I soon had to seperate them because she lost a lot of weight. She never really recovered, and today I chose to put her to sleep.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Yesterday I received 7 new does from Birgitta Gutke (Golden's), in Sweden.  Two Blacks, two Chocolates and three Champagnes. Looking very much forward to showing them off to you guys, and to see the no doubt beautiful babies they will make me.

Unfortunately, things have taken quite a bad turn in this little home. I currently live with my best friend and her daughter, and without going into detail, we found out today that I can't keep living here. So I will have to find my own place as soon as absolutely possible. I'm very frustrated and extremely stressed out, so litters will be put on hold until the situation has been worked out.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Yesterday I picked up the key to my new place. I found it much more quickly than I could have even hoped. Now, it's just a room in a small flat that I will share with one other person, so all of my critters (except maybe the hamster), will be staying with my friend, but she says they're more than welcome to. That means the breeding is still on hold, but hey, I get to keep everyone. ♥ It's not someplace I will be staying, only until I find something proper, but it might take a while.


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## Zamwyn

Best of luck finding a a new permanent home where you can keep your mice with you. Great that you have such a good friend willing to keep them for you until then though!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thank you, Zamwyn! And yes, with that I am very lucky.


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## Fantasia Mousery

A little update.  
There was a Dutch litter born last week, that I will be getting pictures of tomorrow. 
I am still trying to figure out how best to alter my breeding plans, now that I don't live in the same house as my mice. I can still see them and tend to them as often as I want and need to, but it is a bit more complicated, obviously.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I have started crocheting (again), and my current project is making a load of hammocks for the meecers.


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## Zamwyn

How cute! I used to have hammocks for my rats but I'm ashamed to admit I don't think I've never even tried it with any of my mice. Can't for the life of me figure out why.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Zamwyn said:


> How cute! I used to have hammocks for my rats but I'm ashamed to admit I don't think I've never even tried it with any of my mice. Can't for the life of me figure out why.


Some of them destroy them pretty quickly, but others keep them hanging for several weeks.  They absolutely love them. Didn't take a picture, but hung one in a cage today when two litters merged, and within ten minutes there were 5 meecers up there.


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## Fantasia Mousery

On Monday, six mice were paired up for more delicious litters. 

♦ Fantasias Silvio Berlusconi x Fantasias Carla Elvira Dall'Oglio
Silvio is Silver Agouti, Carla is Agouti Burmese Fox, so I expect Silver Agouti, Chinchilla and Agouti Burmese (w. & w/o Fox)

♦ Fantasias Pjevs x Fantasias Kia
Pjevs is Argente Dutch, Kia is Agouti Dutch. Since their shared mother is Dove Dutch, I expect Agouti, Argente, Black and Dove; all Dutch, obviously.

♦ Tsunami's Pessac x Golden's Eilli
Pessac is Chocolate, Eilli is Champagne. Pessac has made Champagne babies before, so the litter will be Chocolate and Champagne.

I am very excited, as always. ♥ I am, however, most excited for Silver Agouti. Hurray!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Regrettably, I have to close down Fantasia Mousery.  Whether it's permanent or not, I don't know yet.

As some of you may know, my mice currently live with my friend. They do so, because after I left my ex, I have been forced to move into a rented room with no space for all of my critters. Usually I go check up on my mice once or twice a week, my friend having assured me several times it was no problem to look after them the rest of the time. Due to traveling, it had been two weeks since I last saw them when I went there on Sunday. One of my litters, and their Mum, was horribly underweight and dehydrated. Several more of my mice had no food and/or water. I have, on a few other occasions, come home to discover mice lacking food/water, and once or twice caught my friend smoking inside, despite having promised me she wouldn't.
This Sunday was terrible, and by far the worst. With that I have decided to rehome as many of my mice as possible - the ones that recover. I went back yesterday, and will go again Friday and Sunday to see how everyone is doing.

My heart is heavy, and I have been crying a lot. It's been an extremely hard decision, but I know it's the right choice. I am keeping a few as pets where I live.


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## SarahC

What a shame.Good luck with rehoming.Hopefully things will be better in the near future.


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## pauly

So sorry to hear that, I hope you get everything back on an even keel soon.


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## Zamwyn

Oh no, how terrible for you! I hope you'll be able to find good owners for those you're re-homing and hopefully this will be just a break and not something permanent.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thanks, guys.  So far I have found homes for 21 mice, that means I only have 15 left, and then the ones I am keeping.


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## Fantasia Mousery

I have been awfully quiet for several months, but... I have an announcement:
Some of you might remember how I let another breeder (Martha My Dear Mousery DK) take over my Dutch project. Lately she has been struggling, and after some talking and planning, we have decided to start working together on the project. That means I will have does and litters here, she'll keep the bucks. It's much more quiet in my home, and some of them seem to stress quite easily, so it's in an attempt to remedy that. It also gives us more space to work with. So in a few weeks I will have my first litter in almost a year, and I am very excited ♥

Bonus picture:


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## Lilly

Aww they're so cute!

Good luck with your plans


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## Fantasia Mousery

In about a week, the new project/collab will see its first litter, and I am very excited. Diana, Agouti Dutch, was paired with a Black Dutch male just 15 days ago, but she's already very clearly pregnant. I just hope she doesn't have too big a litter. Fingers crossed xx
Aside from her, I brought home two of the babies (does) shown in the picture in the adove post. They are 29 days old today, and almost as sweet as they were two weeks ago  The other two (bucks) are staying with MMD for now.


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## Fantasia Mousery

We have a show coming up here in DK in a couple of weeks, and to that I planned on bringing 5 of the Dutch mice. Now it'll only be 4. Yesterday one of the Black Dutch does had two seizures, both including her sitting in one place ticking for about 5 seconds, squeaking loudly with each tick. Seems like some sort of epileptic fit, but the cause could be anything. However, her sister has a wonky rib, and of course I'm not going to use either of them in breeding, but I'm also wondering whether to take the chance with their two brothers or take them out of the breeding plans as well. -sigh-
Seizure-mouse (Tara) seems okay today, all things considered, but I will of course be keeping an eye on her. I took her out yesterday after the first attack, and she was very still in my hand. She seemed as if she had a little bit of trouble keeping her balance if I tilted my hand carefully. As soon as that was over, however, she panicked and jumped out of my hand. I hurried to catch her and put her back in the cage, not sure if she should be alone instead. Just thinking it might stress her too much with new surroundings.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Two positive notes today.  
Tara has not had any seizures (that I have seen/heard) since she was seperated from the group. She's not caged alone, but with just one other girl. I plan on making it a groupe of three, so as to keep it small and as stressless as possibly, while she still has company.
Second thing is, I posted a few weeks ago about Ada from my most recent Dutch litter, who had suffered head trauma and bite wounds on her neck and below her left eye. The wounds are healed, and her head is no longer swollen. However, her eye seems to have been affected, as it's smaller than the other and looks a little scarred (not the eye itself, but just around it), and she's only half the size of her sister, which I guess is caused from the head injury. She's still acting completely normal though, so I'm no longer worried about her. A couple of bonus pictures of her and her sister Adelaide:


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## Fantasia Mousery

I am apparently terrible at remembering to use forums, but I still love this place and will try to be better at it.
It's been about a year since I got my line of Dutch mice back home, and sadly the previous breeder has made some decisions for the project that did not benefit it. So it's not going great with them, and being the only one with Dutch mice in Denmark makes that a huge challenge. I am still fighting to improve my line though, and I'm far from ready to give up. That said, I have been considering what to do if I one day have to, but I haven't made any final decisions.


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## SarahC

I've not been active for a time either.Great to have you back.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thanks, Sarah!


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## WoodWitch

Welcome back. Both of you!


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## Fantasia Mousery

A friend of mine, and fellow breeder, sadly became allergic to her mice. I spent most of yesterday at her place helping her sort through which few to keep, which I should take and which to cull. I've taken over her two favourite projects: Siamese and Blue (fortunately I really love those varieties). That also means I finally have lab cages again, which are definitely my favourites along with homemade ones. She was understandably very sad but said it helped that I took her favourite ones, both because it would feel like a waste to just get rid of them and because now she can still see them from time to time. She'd been trying to sell most of the other mice, but with no luck.


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## Fantasia Mousery

So I have this problem lately where none of my mice get pregnant, it's very frustrating. I've tried several different combinations, and I just recently lost 1 of just 2 Dutch males, so I'm getting pretty desperate. I've let them all have a break for a while, and now yesterday I made three new pairings, so if you could all just cross your fingers for me haha
I did Agouti (carries dutch) x Black Dutch, Chocolate Dutch x Chocolate (carries dutch), and Chocolate Dutch x Black Dutch. I also have another Chocolate Dutch x Chocolate (dutch-carrier) pairing where they were put together on the 21st, and another where the buck I lost last week -might- have impregnated a Black Dutch doe. I'm very excited and I really need this to work lol


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## Amtma Mousery

*Fingers crossed*


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## Lilly

Good luck, hope for little baby squeaks in a few weeks!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thanks a lot, guys!


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## SarahC

good luck, its very stressful when a variety is on the brink of extinction.Been there lots of times.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Elsie doesn't want to show her face, but would you look at that baby tummy! ♥ Finally haha. 
Hopefully everything will go fine with this litter. My last litter was on july 24th, and they all died (the doe was super stressed), and before that was june 28th, so it's been too long without babies here.


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## Cheshire Gleam

Great news, glad to see things are finally working out for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed like everyone else!


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## Fantasia Mousery

So Elsie gave birth during the night. I have removed one with a wonky leg, and one with a wound on the face, and I found 3 dead ones (one intact lying with the rest of the litter, and 2 half eaten). I kind of seems like something went wrong, but I'm not sure. Anyway, there are 4 pretty and live pups left in the litter, and I guess it could go both ways, so I will be hoping for the best.


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## Lilly

thinking of those 4 little pups, hope they become big strong cuties to carry on your line


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## Fantasia Mousery

Thanks a lot, Lilly!


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## Fantasia Mousery

This pretty little girl (5 weeks old on Wednesday) moved in yesterday along with her 3 sisters, 2 brothers and their mother.


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## Lilly

oh she's gorgeous!


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## Fantasia Mousery

Lilly said:


> oh she's gorgeous!


Isn't she, though? :love


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## Fantasia Mousery

I am having so much trouble with my Dutch line, it is incredibly frustrating. Either they don't make babies, or they start looking scruffy, or they are too small. I have a 12 week old doe who weighs 18 grams! It's crazy. I can't breed that. Right now, I see two options. Either I scrap my current line and start up a new one from a completely different stock - this will be difficult because no one else in Denmark breeds Dutch. I'm getting a Dutch doe from a regular Piebald line around Christmas, and then will have to find something else that can be used for starting up a new line. Option two is just altogether drop it, and maybe just breed regular Piebalds. I have no clue what to do. Trouble with medication (for my ADD) is also making it extra difficult to make decisions when things go downhill. -sigh-
I just needed to vent, but any thoughts/suggestions are welcome.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Finally!! I have two pregnant Chocolate Dutch does - so all fingers crossed, please! They were paired with a Lilac Dutch buck on the 14th, so babies shouldn't be too far off. I really, really need this to work!
I also have a pregnant Siamese Bluepoint doe, paired with her brother (sealpoint) on the 14th as well.


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## Amtma Mousery

Congratulations!

I understand that the Dutch markings are very sensitive and extremely difficult to maintain. I suggest decreasing your breeding criteria and increasing the amount of pairings you have to expand the gene pool, which will hopefully assist in rejuvenating your line's fertility. By decreasing your breeding criteria, I would breed all your healthy and well-sized does, even if they do not have proper coloring. The important part is that they originate from the Dutch line. In regards to increasing the amount of pairings, (my assumption that you may do this) instead of breeding your best one or two bucks to all your viable does, I recommend using a different buck for every two does.

In addition, I am not sure of the population size of your Dutch line. However, it has been strongly theorized that a species needs at least 500 individuals to experience the necessary amount of mutation to avoid inbreeding depression. So the more individuals you incorporate, the better. I would even suggest, breeding your best marked Dutch buck to various Piebald doe outcrosses to slowly incorporate new blood.

I apologize if this is repetitive knowledge. Regardless, my best of luck to you and your Dutch line!


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## SarahC

exciting that things are moving along now.I had a trio of dutch from Sarah and a single doe from another breeder a while ago.I had one litter of pure dutch from each doe out of which I have kept 3 does and one buck.However I want to make them more substantial and also change the colour from cinnamon and of course make them my own.I have bred a second litter from each doe using a black self buck and a blue buck.Both big mice.The litters are born.Blues,blacks and chocs all selfs.


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## Fantasia Mousery

SarahC said:


> exciting that things are moving along now.I had a trio of dutch from Sarah and a single doe from another breeder a while ago.I had one litter of pure dutch from each doe out of which I have kept 3 does and one buck.However I want to make them more substantial and also change the colour from cinnamon and of course make them my own.I have bred a second litter from each doe using a black self buck and a blue buck.Both big mice.The litters are born.Blues,blacks and chocs all selfs.


Oh, very nice! Good luck with that  I'd be very interested in following your progress. My line is also originally from Sarah, received them two years ago. I got black, dove, argente and agouti, now there's chocolate and lilac. I do want black ones again, and the argente were very pretty too. But my focus right now has to be just increasing my stock.


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## SarahC

I will update you now and again on how things are going.Obviously nothing much happening in this generation.I will be watching your efforts with great interest


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## SarahC

Dutch outcrosses.The dutch is a buck I bred out of Sarah's stock.Crossed to a black self and a choc self.The choc doe was only added last week so nothing from her yet


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## SarahC

The two cinnamon does were supplied by Sarah and the black from another breeder.I've mated them to the blue buck in the picture.The litters are mixed colours.Nothing to select for other than health in this generation.I will post you pictures of the next generation when they are born.Hopefully, there will be some white markings and a bit of selecting can begin.


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## Fantasia Mousery

Going to be so exciting to see what comes from the next generation, once markings start showing!


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## Fantasia Mousery

I now also have a pregnant Blue doe  The buck she was paired with is Black with Extreme Black behind him.


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## SarahC

look forward to the pictures of your developing line.


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## Fantasia Mousery

One of the Dutch girls gave birth today  When I checked, it looked like she wasn't completely done, so it was a very quick peak (they have a tendency to stress) and I don't know how many there are. Will have a look again tomorrow.


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## SarahC

good news.Fingers crossed for chunky babies.


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## Fantasia Mousery

The other Dutch girl gave birth today  5 babies (well 7, but 2 were chomped on), which is a decent size for this line, since they produce really small babies.
The other Dutch litter, born yesterday, has 10 babies. It's too much, but there aren't any runts. Going to wait a few days and see how they develop, and whether maybe she culls a few herself now that I've touched them.


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