[Megzilla]

After speaking to KatyTwinkle yesterday, I thought I might bring some of my baby Astrex to show, but they'll be 4 weeks old for the show. I don't yet know how their curls will look, and some of them are probs longhaired, and theres one Argente and 2 dove, but I don't think they'd be good lol.
What do you think I should do? Dove/silver gives the curls more depth and makes the curls look better I find.

 

[Matt Haslam]

they'll be a bit young Meg. I found that out to my cost on Saturday and mine were just over 5 weeks.

 

[Megzilla]

Okies, I thought so but I thought i'd just ask What happened?

 

[Loganberry]

I often show mice at 5 weeks old - it just depends on the size of the mice. My BIS last weekend PEW doe was only 6 weeks and a couple of days old. But 5 weeks is the minimum age i show mice at, and then i'll only show the larger ones - it's too much for them, and they need to compete against mice 7-8 weeks old - big difference in size, but also in coat quality. 5 week olds can still have the baby, fluffy coat, but by 7 weeks it starts to smooth out and look better - i guess that's where it all starts to go wrong for curly coats.

The problem with astrex is they are a small variety anyway (if the curls are going to be good) so the 4 week-olds will look like pop corn.

 

[Megzilla]

Ah okies. True, but my first litter were, if I do say so myself, quite good they haven't been anything like it since, but just gotta keep selecting the bestest I need to message you when I next have a nice time free about Astrex, I remember you saying you used to breed them?

 

[Loganberry]

Me? No - i had longhaired mice when i started out, pet mice, then i got into showing.

 

[Megzilla]

Hmm, I could have sworn it was you.. ah well, i'll carry on asking around. Do you know of anyone who got fairly far with Astrex?

 

[Loganberry]

no one! they're less popular than longhaireds.

 

[WillowDragon]

I remember someone who tried to breed type into them, but gave it up as a lost cause... lol

Its a shame they loose thier curls so much as adults, they are quite attractive as youngsters.

K xx

 

[SarahC]

I showed them,can't remember how old they were but under 6 weeks.I did o.k with them for what they are but the fact that their curls drop out it is a major issue for me.You have to time all your matings just right and really you can only show each one once.Which means a lot of cages full of very ordinary breeders.Still if it's interesting to you then it's worth while.I am going to have a go with long haireds.I think this will also be hopeless but I have my itsy bitsy starter mice and if it's an enjoyable pass time then I'll be happy.To see an improvement will require breeding 100's and the same applies to your astrex.

 

[Megzilla]

Breeding is going to be a learning curve for me, I've got some stunning PEW shows to breed from normally and to show, even if I don't get anywhere with them, I'd still have experience of showing. I'm fully expecting it to be years untill I get somewhere. I'm going to breed with the ones with the curliest adult fur, and I know it will take donkeys lol. I may have 2 lines and cross them every now and again, but i'll see how things go. I want to save up for importing some though, but again, i'll see how things go