1) I make my own, its more cost effective and less waste. Mine is two parts rolled oats, one part wild bird seed and one part cheap working dog food (as low quality dog food is cereal based with little meat so good for mice).

2) You could keep some teatree cream and either corn flower or wound powder to stop bleeding. But can't say I've ever needed a first aid kit or keep one for the mice.

3) depends on the line, the Siamese are still a work in progress 6-7 years on, the foxes I was realy pleased with a year or two after, but got more work to do on them now after losing some of their size.

 

Great thread, I can't answer your questions as I'm just getting started myself, but can't wait to see everyone's input

 

- Should I invest in high quality food that I'll most likely have to import or should I make the food myself? What worked for you?
- Is there a file/link that lists what medical supplies are needed for a first aid kit?
- What were the biggest challenges you faced when starting your Mousery?
- How long did it take for you to be satisfied with what you were aiming to achieve and is there anything you would've changed?

no need for high quality food,mice thrive on almost anything.I've tried loads of diets and not noticed much difference in the condition of the mice.I feed wild bird mix and plain dog biscuits.
I keep and routinely treat for parasites and fungal infections.I'd cull any animals in a breeding project with major health issues rather than treat.
Outbreaks of respiratory illness' would have been my first big hurdle,there have been many others along the way.
I'm never satisfied always planning ways to improve.If I could go back I would have a different more practical set up and less varieties.

 

1 Like most of the other replies I make my own, not found any significant difference in using high quality expensive foods against cheaper foods on the market, I tend to go for foods that do not have VAT added so use mixed chicken corn instead of wild biird food. Rolled oats from horse feed supplier working dog food and high protein rabbit food (mainly micronised peas, which my mice seem to favour over sunflower)

As for first aid kit I would certainly recommend having a very basic oe in the mouseroom, mainly for things for treatment of wounds. antiseptic powder and creams plus qtips.

Biggest challenge for me was space initially, designing layout for new mousery has taken me the past 3 years and hopefully have designed it finally for the last time to include all the basic lighting heating ventilation and odour control and sufficient cages for my needs.

Like SarahC think one will never be totally satisfied as the show standard is tough to achieve the perfect mouse so will always be something that one needs to improve on.

 

1) I make my own, its more cost effective and less waste. Mine is two parts rolled oats, one part wild bird seed and one part cheap working dog food (as low quality dog food is cereal based with little meat so good for mice).

2) You could keep some teatree cream and either corn flower or wound powder to stop bleeding. But can't say I've ever needed a first aid kit or keep one for the mice.

3) depends on the line, the Siamese are still a work in progress 6-7 years on, the foxes I was realy pleased with a year or two after, but got more work to do on them now after losing some of their size.

I'm wanting to start breeding Siamese so I'm new to it all. What should I look for in my foundation stock for Siamese?

 

Thank you everyone for your feedback and advice! I appreciate it very much.

 

I'm wanting to start breeding Siamese so I'm new to it all. What should I look for in my foundation stock for Siamese?

I was told You want the points dark, as well as dark feet. The body a light baige colour and gradual shading from the base of the tail to about half way up the back (so u don't want to see a defernat starting line with the shading).

I made mine too dark in body at one point as I was only looking at darker points so it's a balancing act. But I do think I have improved their feet and points alot from where they started, type could still be better and still need to get the body colour. But I'm now happy enough to have put them on the bench at the last show I went to so will have to wait and see what the judge thought of them.

I think the hardest thing is learning to spot all the little things that a judge would be looking at. I know when I first started showing my mice didn't do well, got a second once and was realy happy untill I read the show report and found out they didn't like my mouse bit the rest were just that bad lol. I'd sit there looking at them and looking at the standard and just couldn't see what was wrong with them.
A few people sat me down and explain some of the things I should be looking out for with the foxes and gave me advice and it all picked up from there.

 

I'm wanting to start breeding Siamese so I'm new to it all. What should I look for in my foundation stock for Siamese?

I was told You want the points dark, as well as dark feet. The body a light baige colour and gradual shading from the base of the tail to about half way up the back (so u don't want to see a defernat starting line with the shading).

I made mine too dark in body at one point as I was only looking at darker points so it's a balancing act. But I do think I have improved their feet and points alot from where they started, type could still be better and still need to get the body colour. But I'm now happy enough to have put them on the bench at the last show I went to so will have to wait and see what the judge thought of them.

I think the hardest thing is learning to spot all the little things that a judge would be looking at. I know when I first started showing my mice didn't do well, got a second once and was realy happy untill I read the show report and found out they didn't like my mouse bit the rest were just that bad lol. I'd sit there looking at them and looking at the standard and just couldn't see what was wrong with them.
A few people sat me down and explain some of the things I should be looking out for with the foxes and gave me advice and it all picked up from there.

Thank you for all that information! What other types should I consider also getting which will help darken points, darken feet, more beige in body ect? It's hard finding information about genetics considering not all types are available in New Zealand. But we definitely have Siamese.

 

if you haven't got acess to already good Siamese and starting with pet type black self will darken them, the better the black the better the effect but I did still see some improvement even using a pet black but it realy took off when I got a good black.

 

if you haven't got acess to already good Siamese and starting with pet type black self will darken them, the better the black the better the effect but I did still see some improvement even using a pet black but it realy took off when I got a good black.

So I should look out for black self's with as dark as possible ears, feet, tails ect?

 

yep, the darker the better, but if your Siamese were as crap as my first ones were any black will help lol ill see if I can find some pics for you on the first ones I had and the current ones they are now

 

Thank you! I'd appreciate that very much.