# are tans a good variety for beginers?



## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

Hello, i was wondering if tans make a good beginner variety, and if they are prone to obesity or other health problems like reds.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

ive hurd they can be good mothers, not bred tans myself though.
If your breeding to show as well as getting the top colour right and all the other stuff like type, belly lines ect you also have to get the belly colour right and the line where the two colours meet straight and no throat spots, also depending on the colour ive hurd some colours nautraly have a lighter belly as if the get the belly as dark as a black tan the top will be too dark.

Weather they will be prone to anything would depend on the line, in my foxes ive had a few tumors pop up on the throats reasontly, had it once with the first mice and it seemed like i had bred it out but the last few months its poped up in a couple of mice. where as my siamese ive not had a tumor in them since the first generation 2 years ago.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I would say that black or chocolate tans could be a good beginner variety.


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

that's good. Ive been doing some research, and they need to have a really nice line of demarcation between top and bottom color. so it is recommended to keep some with high belly lines and some with low, just in case it gets to high or to low.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

the line doesnt seem to get high or low (never seen it in my foxes) but you do and will get some with bumpy lines instead of straight.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I've definitely had a few with extra-high lines and extra-low lines, in particular where the lines cross the feet and the jaw.


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

depends on WHY you want to breed them? If you want to show and win (only one show in the US anyway) then you are probably better off with a self mouse. They just tend to have better type than tans. If you want to breed for your own joy and you love the look of tans....breed tans! If you want something that sells well as pets...(well being a relative term) go for pieds. What is your goal for breeding mice?


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## mousefan (Nov 3, 2012)

I wanted to try to perfect the tan for show, even if I don't win any ribbons, I want to improve the type.


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