Varieties of Fancy Mice

Varieties of Fancy Mice
at the Website of the London & Southern
Counties Mouse & Rat Club


The varieties of Fancy Mice are judged to the Standards published by National Mouse Club.[You need to join the NMC to obtain a full copy of the Standards]
As well as the colour, the mouse needs to comply with the General Standard of Excellence which states:
The mouse must be long on body with long clean head, not too fine or pointed at the nose, the eyes should be large, bold and prominent. The ears large and tulip shaped, free from creases, carried erect with plenty of width between them. The body should be long and slim, a trifle arched over the loin and racy in appearance; the tail, which must be free from kinks should come well out of the back and be thick at the root or set-on, gradually tapering like a whip lash to a fine end, the length being about equal to that of the mouse's body
The varieties of fancy mice are divided into five sections: Selfs - Mice of all one colour. Tans - Mice which have a tan belly. Marked - Mice with specified markings. Satins - Mice with fur of a high gloss sheen. AOV (Any Other Variety) - Mice of all other standardised varieties.
Selfs are recognised in the following colours Black; Blue; Champagne; Chocolate; Cream; Dove; Fawn; Lilac; Red; Silver and White
The colour should be carried evenly throughout the whole body and should extend to the skin. Ears, nails, tail and belly should all be the same colour and the colour should be solid from tip of nose to set-on of tail. The term "pink eye" covers all shades of pink or red.
	Black	Eye black. The colour should be dense, lustrous black
	Blue	Eye black. The colour should be a medium slate blue.
	Champagne	Eye Pink. The colour should be that of champagne silk with a pinkish tinge, free from mealiness and well carried out under.
	Chocolate	Eye Black. The colour should be that of plain (not milk) chocolate and should be rich, deep and full of life.
	Cream	Eye Pink or Black. The colour should be a very pale cream, not to be confused with ivory, stone or very dilute champagne
	Dove	Eye Pink. The colour should be a soft dove grey.
	Fawn	Eye Pink. The colour can be described as the deepest tan as on a Black/Tan
	Lilac	Eye Black. An even pinky shade of lilac
	Red	Eye Black. The colour should be rich, deep and sparkling with no sootiness
	Silver	Eye Pink or Black. This is a delicate shade, as near as possible to an old silver coin . It should be sufficiently solid to leave no doubt of it being a self
	White	Eye Pink or Black. The white shall be pure in colour

The Tan Varieties of Fancy Mice

Tans are recognised in any standard colour and the top colour shall be as laid down for these varieties. The Tan belly shall be a rich golden hue, as rich as possible and there should be a clear line of demarcation between top colour and tan, running in a straight line along the flanks, chest and jaws. There should be no brindling or guard hairs. Eye colour shall be as in the non tan varieties. Colour of feet should be inside tan and remainder of foot same as top colour. Wholly tan feet considered a greater fault than feet all same colour as top.

Examples of Tan Mice

Black Tan

Blue Tan

Dove Tan

Silver Tan

Silver Grey Tan

The Marked Varieties of Fancy Mice

The Marked comprise of Dutch; Even; Broken; Variegated; Himalayan; Rump White; Tricolours; Banded; and, the latest, Hereford.

Dutch

Eye colour to be as in standardised variety. In Dutch marked the face or cheek markings should be evenly balanced, a patch covering each side of the face, extending below the eye but not including the whiskers, and not joining between the ears at the narrowest part of the blaze. The cheek markings should not run underneath the jaw. The saddle should come well up from the tail to the middle of the body and be clean cut, top and under. Tail stop to be approximately halfway along the tail. The stops on the hind feet should come halfway between the tips of the toes and the hock. Colour of markings should be carried out in the ears. The coloured markings may be any standard colour. [Click on the Dutch thumbnail to see the Dutch of 100 years ago]

Even Marked

Eye colour to be as in standardised variety. A mouse shall be considered even marked that is of any standard colour and equally balance in markings and free from runs. The more spots or patches, the better, combined with pleasing effect.

Broken Marked

Eye colour to be as in standardised variety. A Broken marked should be as far removed from the Even or Dutch marked mouse as possible; that is to say it should not have either Dutch cheeks, saddle or any markings which may be considered evenly placed. The spots or patches should be well distributed all over the body and head, the more uniform in size, the better, also the greater in number and they should be free from brindling. There must be a spot or patch on one side of the nose. A Broken marked mouse without a nose spot must be disqualified. The nose spot defined as a spot on one side only of the nose, including the whisker bed.

Variegated

Eye colour to be as in standardised variety. A Variegated mouse shall be of any standard colour, evenly splashed over and under body, and must be free from any spots or solid patches such as those found in Evens and Brokens

Himalayan

Eye Black or Red. All markings to be as Himalayan rabbit. Colour of markings recognised in any standard colour. Body colour as white as possible.

Rump White

Any standard colour but having a white rump. The line of demarcation should be straight and encircle the body so that the lower third of the mouse, including the hind feet and tail is completely white. The remaining colour must be without any white markings at all and should conform with the standard laid down for that variety. Rump White Tan to be shown in Rump white class

Tricolour

A Tricolour mouse is to have three contrasting patches of colour on the back and sides. Patches of colour on the undersides and belly of the mouse to be adjudged an added attraction. Brindling of the patches to be adjudged a fault

Banded

Eye as in other standardised colours. A mouse of any recognised standard colour, with a white zone encircling the body and to occupy one quarter of the length of the body positioned at the third quarter of the body length from the head, excluding the tail; sharpness of demarcation to be of prime importance. Feet white.

Hereford

Hereford description/standard will appear shortly.

The Satin Varieties of Fancy Mice

The Satin mouse shall have a high sheen coat resulting in exquisite satin- like or metallic gloss. The colour may be that of any standardised variety and should be as close as is possible to that variety, having due regard to the effect of satinisation. White to be known as Ivory Satin and should be as white as possible.

Examples of Satin Mice

Argente Satin

Dove Satin

Fawn Satin

Ivory Satin

The AOV Varieties of Fancy Mice

Agouti

Eye Black. The Agouti shall be a rich brown or golden hue with even dark or black ticking all through. The belly shall be a golden brown, ticked as on top and the feet shall match the body in colour and ticking.

Cinnamon

Eye Black. The Cinnamon shall be a rich golden tan, lustrous in colour and level throughout top and under, with rich brown ticking clearly defined. No black ticking.

Silver Agouti

Eye Black. This variety is like the normal Agouti except the golden brown pigment of the latter is replaced by silvery grey. Colour to be bright silvery grey evenly ticked with black. Undercolour deep slate. Belly to be silvery grey, as close as possible to the top. Feet to match top.

Sable

Eye black. The top colour shall be a rich dark brown, as dark as possible, from nose to tail root; the belly colour to be as rich a golden tan as possible and the shading from top to belly to be gradual, even and pleasing, with no line of demarcation nor any blotch, patch, ticking or streakiness. There should be no White hairs whatsoever.

Marten Sable

Eye Black. Top colour shall be a rich dark sepia from nose to tail, shading off to a paler colour on lower jaws, sides and flanks, blending to be gradual; belly white, white ticking on flanks and rump to be considered an added beauty. Faults: Light noses, blotches or streaks

Pearl

Eye Black. A pearl mouse shall be of the palest silver, shading to a whitish undercolour. Each hair shall be delicately tipped with grey or black and carried out top and belly.

Argente

Eye Pink. An Argente mouse shall be of a delicately blended shade of light fawn and silver, as the self silver, level throughout and the two colours so evenly intermingled as to give the appearance of shot silk. The undercolour to be blue, as dark as possible in shade. The belly to be a golden fawn and as similar to the top as possible. Feet to match top.

Silver Grey, Brown or Fawn

Colour Greys: the ground colour should be as black as possible. Eye Black Browns: to be a rich golden brown as in the Agouti. Eye Black. Fawns: to be a deep bright orange Eye Pink or black. Undercolour - Greys: to be a rich blue Black; Browns - : to be a blue-Black; Fawns - to be a bright orange. The silvering should be even throughout carried well onto the feet.

Chinchilla

Eye Black. The mouse shall be as near as possible to the colour of a Chinchilla with slate-blue undercolour and intermediate shade of pearl grey. Hairs to be evenly tipped with black. Colour of feet on inside white, with remainder of foot the same colour as body - as in the standard for Tans. Belly white.

Argente Creme

Eye Pink. An Argente Creme mouse shall be a delicate blend of deep cream and silver. The undercolour to be an extremely pale blue. Feet the same colour as body. Belly White.

Astrex

An Astrex mouse shall have a coat as curly as possible and like the Astrex rabbit. Whiskers must be curly. The colour may be that of any standard variety.

Silver Fox

Eye Black. A Silver Fox shall be recognised in black, blue, chocolate and lilac top colour. Feet sides and rump only to be ticked evenly with white hairs. Belly white.

Seal Point and Blue Point Siamese

Eyes any colour: Body colour medium beige. Shadings: Gradually shaded over saddle and hind quarters, merging gradually with body colour and being darkest at tail root as seen in the Siamese cat. The belly should be as near as possible in colour and shadings. Points: Seal and points shall be present in muzzle, ears, feet, tail and tail root. There should not be a definite or distinct line of demarcation but rather a harmonious balance between body colour, shadings and points. There should not be any blotches, streaks or white hairs. For the Blue Point Siamese: Eye Black. Body colour silvery blue (bluer the better) White belly to be penalised. Points: medium slate blue (as in the normal blue standard and points shall be present in muzzle, ears, feet tail and tail root.

Longhaired

The longhaired mouse shall have a coat as long as possible combined with density and to be silky in texture. The colour maybe that of any standard variety

Brindle

The brindle mouse shall have streaks, bars and numerous little areas of any colour over a diluted background. These markings shall be evenly distributed over the mouse including the face and belly. Large blotches of solid colour or white background to be considered a fault. Central demarcation lines along spine, face and belly permissible. Eye any colour. Condition not fat, short and glossy coat. Ears should be judged on the shape size and position. Muzzle long strength carried out to the end. Eyes should be bold large and prominent.

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This update - 7 February 2009

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