Fancy Mice

Fancy Mice are the most popular variety of mice that are available today to maintain as pets. Unlike the normal mice, Fancy mice are available in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes and this makes them quite fascinating. Although there are many different species available, and almost any variation from normalcy can be termed as fancy mice, there is a marked difference between an odd occurrence and a regular breed that is scientifically bred and regenerated.

An English woman named Mary Douglas is said to be the pioneer of fancy mice. Douglas had asked for special permission to enter her black and white hooded mouse into an exhibition by the National Mouse Club. Her entry pleased many and soon, it became the biggest thing amongst mouse lovers, to own and breed fancy mice.

Fancy mice are just like the normal mice in terms of behavior and care, however they is a marked difference in terms of the way they are bred or in the way they look. Not only are they slightly tamer as compared to the normal version of mice. Mice become fancy based on their appearance and there are various categories based on which their fanciness is determined.

The National Mouse Club determines the standards that need to be met for mice to be deemed fancy mice. Based on their standards, there are five basic categories of Fancy Mice.

Selfs, the first category, are mice that are completely single coloured. There are a variety of colours in which fancy mice are found and the range includes Black, Blue, Champagne, Chocolate, Cream, Dove, Fawn, Red, Lilac, Silver and White. To qualify as a fancy mouse, these mice need to have a specific eye colour in combination with their fur tone.

Tans are a variety of fancy mouse that have a tan coloured belly, however their upper body?s colour is used to determine their difference from other species. Tans are available in Black, Blue, Dove, Silver and Silver-Grey. Whether a mouse qualifies as a Tan or not is determined by many factors including the distinguishing line between the two colours, which needs to be distinctly straight and the two-toned feet that need to be tan on the inside and the other colour on the outside.

There are several fancy mice varieties based on marks on their body. Depending on the shape, size and positioning of the marks on their body, fancy mice are classified as Dutch, Even Marked, Broken Marked, Variegated, Himalayan, Rump White, Tricolour, Banded and Hereford. Most of these fancy mice are named blatantly on the type of marking that appears on their body while the others are named after the region where they were first bred or discovered.

Satin are another variety of fancy mice where the classification is made on the basis of the coat of the mouse. Unlike the normal mouse, Satin mice have a high degree of sheen on their coat which gives it a metallic like finish on their coat. Depending on their colour, these fancy mice are named Argente Satin, Dove Satin, Fawn Satin and Ivory Satin.

There are many other varieties of fancy mice that are not classified on the sole basis of one feature. They come under the ‘Any Other Variety’ classification where you can find a Longhaired mouse, a Silver Fox, a Chinchilla, a Sable and many more varieties of fancy mice.

These tiny creatures are adorable in every way and can harbour quite a liking for their owner. If you are someone looking for a different sort of mouse that excites you or if you are simply someone who is looking to breed mice and is looking for a different version, then it is advisable to go in for fancy mice.