Pedigrees

I have to keep track or I'd have no idea of what I was pairing with what, as none of my meeces came with pedigrees. I had to figure out genotypes on the fly as teh generations furred up. It has been very edifying. Even the tris I started with came with very sketchy information, and I was truly confused about how that whole phenomenon worked.

I bet you are asking, though, about other breeders of known lines that breed true, right?

moustress said:

I bet you are asking, though, about other breeders of known lines that breed true, right?

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Actually I just want everyones opinion(s) since there are many different breeders on here both for pet and show. I appreciate your reply!

Ah, good!

I wish pet breeders would start learning about mousie genetics and figuring out stuff for themselves, and THEN asking for help. There's only so much someone at a remote location can say about any given odd mousie in someone else's mousery. I should complain, though, as I was just as clueless when I started. Even after you have a passing familiarity with mousie genetics, it still takes a couple of generations before you can form an intelligent opinion about the genotype of meeces that have no known history.

No,totally impractical for me with the amount of mice I have.I have had most of my mice for years,they are all related and not likely to throw to many surprises apart from the odd lines I have that are in their early stages such as the pearls which are producing many unwanted colours.I put a sticker on their cages to keep track of what I am doing with them.

I used to be pretty good about it, and if someone gets a mouse from me and wants a pedigree I can filled it out, but I don't actually sit down with every litter and update my program. I just have too many mice and too many litters.

I figure at this point all my mice are basically mutts anyway. My own lines are all so closely inbred it would be a bit redundant. And my recent outcrosses carry so many recessive coat and color genes a pedigree wouldn't really explain what's going on with them. So I put notes on cages, and keep track of breedings and litters in a notebook.

I keep such meticulous records that I could write up a pedigree going back to my very first trio if I wanted to, but no, I don't bother with pedigrees

Sarah xxx

I am very unorganised, i stick a post it note on boxes, just to know whats going on at the moment. Like most NMC breeders, my stock is all related really.

I've finally started using Kintraks to keep track of things...I used to not as much and keep everything in my head...but realized I couldn't remember everything...especially birth dates...lol Now I try to keep my records up to date...I don't print pedigrees of everymouse...but if someone wants a pedigree I can give it to them.

I do have a pedigree for every mouse. I keep information including genetics and photos in an online database designed specifically for mice. Once the database information has been entered I can link to each mouse, each litter and each pedigree. It's very useful for my website and when showing potential adopters what I have and what's available. Here are some examples:
http://www.mouserydatabase.com/bethsbabies/
http://www.mouserydatabase.com/bethsbabies/view=litter&mother=16945&father=16947&date=01252011
http://www.mouserydatabase.com/bethsbabies/mouse=17266&view=pedigree

Shiprat said:

I am very unorganised, i stick a post it note on boxes, just to know whats going on at the moment. Like most NMC breeders, my stock is all related really.

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Haha, that sounds so familiar, unorganised and post it notes on all the bins

That's pretty much my way of keeping track.

I'll probably make my own peds. I do peds for rabbits and cavies so might as well do it for mice as well. Shouldn't be too hard to do.

Years ago when I bred mice I knew all of the lines by memorization. I could trace each mouse back to the original trio I started with. Now that I'm starting again, I'm older and my memory sometimes fails me. I think I'll use the mouserydatabase suggested. It looks very helpful and simple to use!

I keep pedigrees and probably put more time into it than I should. Partially because I'm still learning genetics and it helps me to keep stuff written down, and partially so I can keep notes on all my mice. Granted I only have a small mousery, but I'm working on trying to get certain things out of the mice I do have, so it's helpful to keep notes. I also keep rough litter notes, how many were born, what I culled, any issues the litter had. I don't do anything extreme, it's just to help me keep track and get to know what I do have while I'm establishing myself. Once I finally manage to breed out what I need and get some of the extra genes gone, I'll still keep pedigrees and notes, but they won't be as involved as they are now.