# Hairless gene



## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

I want to start breeding hairless mice in the future and was wondering if there are any health problems related to the hairless gene in mice? I have heard that with rats the gene causes them to be unable to produce enough milk to feed their litters enough so I was curious if it causes problems in mice as well.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Yes, the hairless gene is associated with lactation issues (usually its that their nipples are inverted, which is the same problem hairless rats have...the babies are unable to latch onto the nipples)...they also have overgrown nails, can be prone to skin irritation problems, and can have eye problems associated with eyelashes curling inwards and irritating the eye. I recently attained some true hr/hr mice from Simonsen Labs in Cali and so far they haven't really had any skin/eye problems, but they are still young and they have very long nails. I haven't bred them yet, so I have no experience with the lactation issues.


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## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

I will have to check them out when I look into getting my hairless  that is good to know so I can know what to look out for  thank you!


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

The long nails are a direct result of the gene and unavoidable so far as I'm aware....everything else can vary from individual to indivual and should be able to be "improved" through careful breeding.


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## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

I hope so  it would be good to be able to breed that out of the lines, too bad the nails can't be avoided lol at least those can be trimmed tho


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## Paul Brockman (Jun 28, 2011)

Each to his own and viva la differance , but may I ask just one question , Why?

I can understand trying to create a new colour / coat type ---but no colour , no coat ?

Regards Paul.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Like you said, to each his own  Everyone likes different things. Why any color? Why any coat type? Why not? Why tiny dogs?...why huge dogs?...why short legged dogs?...why short snouted dogs?....b/c people like different things.


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## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

personally I prefer mice with long curly coats but I find all mice genes fascinating and I will tell you why I know quite a few people who are allergic to mice fur  I would like to learn more about them due to this and I like to learn hands on plus what stina said lol


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Fur is not what people are allergic to with animals its generally something in the saliva or feces...fur can spread the allergens...which is why animals without fur or non-shedding types sometimes seem to be less allergenic to people...but generally they produce just as much of whatever the specific allergen is. With rodents the allergens are often spread by the dust in bedding and/or by their claws scratching people's skin (with saliva from grooming themselves). Hairlessness I don't think makes much of a difference with rodents when it comes to allergies.

I like long curly haired mice...I like satin mice...I like hairless mice...I just plain like mice


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I like all hairless animals,I would love a sphynx cat.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

With hairless, you still do get color, because you get plenty of color on the skin itself. They're also very soft and warm. Some folks believe that the "live heat" of a hairless animal is good for your health, particularly for arthritis.


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## Stina (Sep 24, 2010)

Hairless mice do not produce skin color so far as I have ever seen. At least not true hr/hr.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Please do excuse my use of the term "hairless" to describe the multiple varieties of mice who have very little or no fur. Past a certain minimal amount of fur, there is very little difference. As Paul seemed to be asking, "Why?" about the whole mess of mice with basically no fur, I was referring to that, rather than to the op's question about genetic issues with hr/hr mice.


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## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

so is it a different gene that causes hairlessness in non hr/hr mice or what is the issue that causes them to be non-furry lol? I kinda like the idea of spotted naked mice


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Fuzzy hairless are still, well, fuzzy, and have varying degrees of fuzz. The markings on them aren't terribly clear, and I could certainly be wrong about color being in the skin, as it is with pinkies. Most people seem to breed them in PEW. All the same, they're fantastic-looking mice, in a weird way. EVLV in Virginia has a really lovely odd-eye tri fuzzy hairless doe: http://eccentricevolution.weebly.com/photos.html Third and fourth photos from the left.


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## BlackCat99 (Jun 30, 2011)

those are cute  and they do have some markings I like that maybe in the end I will go with the fuzz instead of complete hairless lol


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