# size vs type



## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

in aus we don't have show mice as we are not to import, it is important to us to get on our way to producing mice at least a few steps above pet type, so...

two mice, sisters, same colour(irrelevant to selection in this case), 3.5-4 weeks old, one is larger by a few grams and reasonably better than the last generation and good enough looking, the other is pleasing to look at in more ways than the other but not as big. i have both parents on hand for a repeat breeding or backcross if need be. 
my instinct is to take the bigger of the two, i cannot keep both? advice? thanx


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

ok,

thats a difficult one to answer and ultimately your decision. You will get opinion voiced both ways. My instict is to say type. but i have to ask what 'type' are you favouring. pictures would be good.

also why can't you keep both?


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

i can keep both but i am also trying hard to be disiplined, i have so many beautiful mice to work with already :lol: ...as u can do from time to time if your not careful;


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

when you select for "type " you will notice you will have a varience in the litters, you merly select the best to the best and go from there, bring size along at the same time. Remember your stud will be like a Jigsaw some mice on their own will not be up to much, but will contribute some feature you want on the ideal mouse, your best mouse will be the one with most pieces of the jigsaw. Remember to keep things tidy, its no good having big ears if they are all crinkled . Shame you cant import a few as we could set you many years ahead. Good luck and enjoy.


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

thanx guys, thinking similar, just don't know what to value more sometimes, so far i've found ears to be an easier improvement to make so have set it aside a little in favour of muzzle shape, tail sets and length, and ear placement, i'd really like to improve the overall length and size of my mice as this is what i find hardest, also achieve a beautiful short coat, another thing we are lacking, ure right about the jigsaw, thankyou,


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I always think 'What am I trying for in this pairing?'. I think it's pointless just to breed mousies without having a goal in mind. You set your order of priorities (for me it's health, temperament, phenotype, in that order), then you look at the meeces and see if they satisfy the requirements, then you choose for size and other typy elements. Clean ears and a strong tail set matter to me, size of ears and spacing of ears are not that important to me. a mousie has to have all least one outstanding quality that I want to perpetuate in each of those two groups. Health is usually of the highest concern.

I have to say, though, in all honesty, that I've had to compromise my breeding choices since the accident, as I assume that any of the survivors may have permanent health problems and shortened life spans. And I've bred individuals that weren't my first choice before the accident. I've taken chances with pairings with individuals who may have been close to being too young or too old...I don't recommend that anyone else do these things...but I feel that I have little choice what with things being as they are.
I do understand that some folks are not happy with me and some of the choices I've made recently. "But each of needs to prioritize on our own terms and let the chips fall where they may.


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## minibears (Jul 30, 2010)

although health and temperament have been issues at some time or another, this litter, and certainly my first choices pass these requirements by my standards so far. i didn't mean to take any emphasis from these points, it just didn't occur to me as these problems are not problems this time, i can certainly say that certain mousies have never left here, themselves or through progeny due to temperament problems. thankyou for highlighting these things. you are so right about my original aims for the pairing, that helps alot and also narrows down what i should be looking at. perhaps we are all more critical of our own than others are when they see our mice?


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