Re: The Mousketeers

by Mouseketeers Thu 20 Oct 2016, 5:05 am

@scaredymouse - I have been incredibly lucky really. Whilst I care about all my girls. I couldn't bring myself to risk even a .1% that something would go wrong with Crackers xD

@goldfishfanforever - I wish you guys lived closer too! I would probably end up keeping a lot less myself if you did Razz

@CallaLily- Smile

I think so too.

@CinnamonPearl Very Happy

I got so lucky with all my original mice. Australia doesn't have the mouse issue that the US has. Lots of local breeders, little to no overbreeding. Reptile breeders often buy from reptile places. You will never ever ever see feeder bins (to own reptiles here you need pretty intensive licenses, so fewer people own them ). They are incredibly healthy compared to what I see you guys go through. Because it is such a niche market very few pet stores even have mice for sale.
I was heavy into fish and the local family run aquarium store I grew up with was very familiar with me ..... Razz

So of course when I wanted mice it was those guys I went to. They were so hesitant to sell me one, seeing how squeamish I was with them:P . Everything I knew about mice came from them. My first three girls came from a local breeder who specialised in manx mice. ( EEEE sorry, slightly off topic, but the pups from one litter just started crawling out of their nest as I type this. Babies everywhere! Love

)
I was given pedigree data, breeder information so on. Especially from where I am this is normal even at a pet store xD Like I said, we are lucky.
I never bothered to get the breeders info, I only wanted pets and to be honest it was such a whim I didn't care what health issues their family may or may not have. Not long after that breeder dropped off the radar a bit and closed up her mousery and apparently even stopped breeding her rats ( who were amazing quality ). I would have loved to have gotten my hands on some of her lines!!

by Mouseketeers Thu 20 Oct 2016, 5:27 am

Lou-Lou's turn.

I had sworn off buying any new outside stock for atleast the next 6-12 months. I was scaling back because my life sucked and I needed time to regroup...... Then my ego got blown apart by a break up and I went into full crazy lady mode.... I mean, they came on holidays with me, Crackers did house work with me. I moved the tubs into my bedroom. Apparently I was a bit sad Razz

Then I went to stock up on fish food .... and more fish ( I have a problem I know xD ). Annnnnnd there was this cute little mouse who was Yellow, Brindle, horrendously broken marked. All my favourite things. Of course she came home with me. Loathed loathed loathed her quarantine and then refused to play nice with any mouse I housed her with. Apart from DD ( who if anyone remembers, turned out to be a surprise buck Shocked

). So she spent an awful lot of time with me out of her tub, while we both licked our emotional wounds Razz

She had her oops litter and it turned out to be an amazing oops litter. I retained a fair few does as there was a huge improvement in just one generation! I won't breed her again, but JJ one of her daughters is a super exciting prospect.

The Mousketeers - Page 2 LouLou_zpserzsbbmw

The Mousketeers - Page 2 LouLou_zpserzsbbmw

This was how we spent our nights Laughing

The Mousketeers - Page 2 Cute_zpswvzysqhq

The Mousketeers - Page 2 Image_zpss38ezys1

She was much happier when she had her litter, I was able to keep her with a few of her daughters and Crackers gets along with everyone. Along with a few of my older girls they made a unlikely group that despite all the struggles at the start with her, has remained problem free.

Two of her girls, the top one is JJ. Bottom one is Roz who is mum of our latest litter that Little Miss belongs too.
The Mousketeers - Page 2 IMG_0525_zpsicm4jeqr

The Mousketeers - Page 2 IMG_0525_zpsicm4jeqr

by CinnamonPearl Thu 20 Oct 2016, 5:44 am

Mouseketeers, I'm jealous! Australia sounds like a haven for mouse owners. I'd love to spend time there someday.

by Mouseketeers Thu 20 Oct 2016, 5:50 am

@CinnamonPearl Smile

Australia is gorgeous! Without a doubt a place worth visiting one day. We have our issues of course. Not all mouse communities are as awesome and as healthy as the ones around me. The bigger cities of course have a larger influx of mice in stores promoting more amateur breeders. Which breeds unhealthy mice and so on, that is how the cycle starts I guess. But for the most part we are very very lucky. Smile

Although, splash, tri colours, satin ... would be nice to have Razz

by CinnamonPearl Thu 20 Oct 2016, 6:32 am

It does sound lovely. I've been attracted to the place since I had a cockatiel. I know they're native to the continent. Maybe I'll spend a summer at some point, but I don't know how easily I could bring my pet move along with me. Unless you know anything about importing and exporting them?

by Mouseketeers Thu 20 Oct 2016, 6:53 am

Lots of birds... nature, wild life, things that try to destroy you. Like the weather, and the animals and the plants ... Wink

<3

Unfortunately long plane trip aside, you can not bring mice into Australia. Which is why we don't have half as many varieties as you guys do Sad

We are super strict on bring any animal in, quarantine into Aus is super strict.

by CinnamonPearl Thu 20 Oct 2016, 7:01 am

Darn! The plight of keeping exotic animals, huh? It looks like you can bring in dogs and cats, but nothing of interest. Oh well.

by CallaLily Thu 20 Oct 2016, 9:17 am

Lou-Lou is adorable. I've been admiring her in your avatar for a while now. Very Happy

by CanadianExport Thu 20 Oct 2016, 10:30 am

I can't really blame Australia for being cautious with imported animal, they have had a rough go of it with invasive species. All your girls are beautiful! I love your pictures.

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