mouse breeds

Question
do you know any breeds of mice besides fancy mice that are available in the US? if so where do u get them?
thanks
Hadley

Answer
Hi Hadley,

I am not sure what you mean by breeds.  Fancy mice, or Mus musculus, is a species of mouse that has several different "breeds" and "varieties," but they are all still fancy mice.  You can see photos of some of the different coat types and color variations here:

http://hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/varieties/breeds.html
and
http://hiiret.fi/eng/breeding/varieties/


Then you have mice that are entirely different species, which I suspect is what you were asking about.  Some examples of different mouse species kept as pets include:

- Deer mice (Peromyscus, multiple species).  These are wild mice across North America that can be kept as pets in some areas.  Check with your local animal control to inquire about animal ordinances.

- African Pygmy Mice (Mus minutoides).  This is a tiny mouse with a white belly originating in Africa that some people in the states keep as pets.  Check not only with exotic pet shops and mouse breeders, but also reptile or feeder breeders, as the small stature of these mice means they are sometimes bred for small reptiles.

- Spiny mice (Acomys, multiple species).  These are like tiny hedgehogs and have radically different care requirements than normal fancy mice.  Sometimes called Egyptian spiny mice, you can probably find these through local breeders or even through pet shops that sell exotics, particularly in large cities.  This website has info on them:  http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/spiny/index.html

- Zebra mice (Lemniscomys, multiple species).  These striped mice, sometimes called a striped grass mouse, also originate in Africa and are kept as pets as well.  They can also be found by trying mouse breeders in your area and asking around for exotics pet shops.  Sometimes if they don't have them, they can still point you in the right direction.  This website has info on them:  http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/zebra/index.html

- Multimammate mice (Mastomys natalensis).  Also called natal multimammate mice, multimammate rats, and African soft-furred rats, these are not technically mice but look and behave similarly to them.  These are bred as both pets and feeder animals, so if you decide one of these guys is right for you, try local breeders, importers, exotic pet shops, and reptile/feeder breeders.


All of these can be found in the U.S. with a little digging.  Unfortunately, I do not know your area or its businesses, so you may need to do a little hunting around once you pick the pet that best fits your home.

I hope I helped!  Please let me know if you have any other questions.

-Tam