[The Village Mousery]

Hey guys i'm just interested in trying to find a guide on how to show mice, from what age the mice need to be for show and what the differant class's mean i know what the class numbers mean but whats U8 mean? is anyone understanding what i mean or should i go sit in a corner? any advice on how old each of you big showers like to show your mice would be helpful.

 

[Matt Haslam]

hey kim, did you get a rules and regs from the NMC?

U8 is under 8 weeks class.

 

[SarahY]

U/8 means Under 8 Weeks Old. NMC Guidelines state that the mouse must be old enough to be away from it's mother in order to be shown in U/8, but most people will show their mice between 6 and 8 weeks as an older mouse will usually have an advantage.

Sarah xxx

 

[The Village Mousery]

i did ship but i must or missed where it said that lol now i feel stupid, so do most breeders try for the under 8 weeks class's more then the older class?

 

[SarahY]

Depends on what you're showing. I find that doves look better U/8, when they are young they are a lovely clear bluey grey, but when they are adults the colour can become quite uneven and the does in particular can go saggy. This is probably true for all of the pale selfs. If you were showing red, fawn or sable, you're better off showing them U/8 because they have a tendency to get very fat and won't win anything, and because you need to breed these varieties when they are younger mice they have a very short showing career.

If you were showing marked mice (for example) you can show them for much longer. I believe agoutis look better as adults as this is when the fire comes into the coat. AOVs like agouti, cinnamon and argente that are too pale to show as youngsters will probably make great showing adults because these varieties all darken with age.

Sarah xxx

 

[The Village Mousery]

ahhh lovely thank you sarahY

 

[SarahY]

No problem

Sarah xxx

 

[Rhasputin]

It also gives a curly coated mouse an advantage to show them younger. Typically, as they grow, they lose their curl.

 

[Jack Garcia]

I don't know anybody who shows rex mice, although I know a few who've shown fuzzy. Fuzzies tend to have better type than rexes.

That said, by far the majority of mice shown are standard.

 

[Jack Garcia]

I find that doves look better U/8, when they are young they are a lovely clear bluey grey, but when they are adults the colour can become quite uneven and the does in particular can go saggy.

I hadn't thought about it like that, but you are absolutely right!

AOVs like agouti, cinnamon and argente that are too pale to show as youngsters will probably make great showing adults because these varieties all darken with age.

This darkening also happens with reds (and fawns?), which is part of what makes them difficult to breed for show: their best color comes with age, but so does their obesity!