# Dove Tan Mice at Blackthorn Stud



## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Here are some photos of my exhibition dove tan mice, taken over the last few weeks. Some of the pictures are quite poor again I'm afraid but I've posted them anyway because they give a good idea of the richness of the tan in these mice. I love this variety, I think the rich tan really sets of the bluey grey top colour. There's work to do on them, some of the demarcation lines aren't very crisp and a couple of the does have tan creep over their feet, but overall I'm happy with the way the line is progressing.


















































































Sarah xxx


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## SiamMeece (Sep 21, 2010)

They're gorgeous! :shock:


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Thats some refreshingly good stock there Sarah. Good tans, top colour and type. A couple off those babies are silver tans. My advice would be, take great care when blending these colours so you dont end up with a stud of mice that are neither one colour or the other. That dosnt mean dont keep both, far from it, But do take care to only use one to improve the other. Silver tans are good to stop the doves getting too dark and vice versa.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Okey dokey, thank you for that advice Phil!

Sarah xxx


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## Kallan (Aug 16, 2009)

The tan is so ginger :O

I like the stttrrreetttchhhhh shot


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

very nice Sarah!


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Have you got whisker chewers in them?, or is it the light in the pics?.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

It's the light fortunately - I saw it earlier and ran downstairs to check!

Sarah xxx


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## ian (Oct 3, 2008)

They do look really good, such an interesting and attractive variety. Ive bene trying to get some dove tan rumpwhites going on but just dont seem to have any luck with it.


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## bethmccallister (Mar 5, 2010)

These are my favorite, hopefully someday I will be breeding for them here in the US. Thank you for showing us!


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

Good job with these! This is how dove tans are supposed to look.

I giggled at Seawatch's comment re: silver tans. It seems every judge on the face of the earth has a different opinion as to where "dove" ends and "silver" begins. It can get so confusing! :lol:


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## The Boggit keeper (Mar 5, 2010)

They're super,such strong colour


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## laoshu (Sep 16, 2009)

They are looking beautiful sarah!


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## thekylie (Mar 6, 2010)

I know I plan on getting some good tans shipped over from Europe in a couple years. I'm just gonna work on type until that happy day comes.

Your tans are really gorgeous Sarah! I'm so jealous!


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

thekylie said:


> I know I plan on getting some good tans shipped over from Europe in a couple years. I'm just gonna work on type until that happy day comes.
> 
> Your tans are really gorgeous Sarah! I'm so jealous!


You can create them by starting with poor tans and outcrossing to good reds.

Let me know if/when you need help importing mice. It's a very difficult and expensive process, but worth it.


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## thekylie (Mar 6, 2010)

Yes, well you're the only breeder I know of that has reds lol. Believe me, I've been drooling over them. Not cause they're fantastically typed like most of your guys are, but because I see the potential for better tan color through them. And I love red... but hate RY with a passion. Explain that.  I would really love to get some reds (or cinnamons) from you eventually. Will you have any available around the spring ECMA show?

And thank you for the offer. It is going to be a few years until I'm ready, but once I settle in a place I don't plan on leaving in less than 2 years you can bet I'll be on every forum asking for advice.


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

So as not to distract more from Sarah's post, I'll PM you


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## tom95 (Apr 1, 2010)

Seawatch Stud said:


> Have you got whisker chewers in them?


Sorry, but I can't find this word: "chewers" in my dictionary, what does it mean ?

Sarah, fantastic mice, thanks for this thread


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

They bite the whiskers off (barbering).


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## WNTMousery (Jun 2, 2010)

I love the color on these tans! Very nice!!

Is it common for the nicer colored tan mice to have bleeding of the tan onto the cheeks, muzzle and tops of the feet? Is that a serious fault or only minor? We have very few mice with such good color in the US and they are very rarely shown so I do not have the privilege of judging them, often. Thanks for your advice.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

As they get older the tan does tend to bleed into unwanted areas.It also builds through each generation,eventually spreading all over the place.Then an outcross to the relevant self is required,leaving you with mice that have excellent top coat and poor tan.Then off you go again trying to craft the perfect tan.I think it is the case for most of us,well all really,that we have a shed full of breeders.All with faults and qualities.We try to blend these together to create super mouse,but they are few and far between.Of the 50 breeder/grower brokens I have only 3 meet the criteria for showing.None of the three are flyers so winning with them depends on every one else not having a super mouse.


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