I have a lot to learn- how do you get these?

Okay, so I've been reading up on genetics quite a bit lately but I still don't exactly understand how you aim for specific traits (how do you know what a mouse is carrying- don't you need to know the parents since some genes are not expressed?).

I am specifically interested in breeding for chocolates and reds in both texel and standard coats. I want to concentrate mostly on selfs but would also love to have marked versions of both.

What kind of mice would help me reach this goal? I am doing a lot of studying before Rodent Fest so I know what to look for and, of course, what I'm doing when I start breeding.

There are several varieties that produce "reds". In the US the easiest to come by are the e/e recessive version. Brindle with no marks can also appear red. Then there is the dominant Reds that have occasionally been shipped from Europe and are hard to get.

A lot of time you don't know what a mouse is hiding as a recessive until bred and several breeders use test breedings to help determine. Obtaining your breeding stock from a reputable breeder who keeps track of lineage in the form of pedigrees helps.

Chocolate is also recessive. In my opinion having an interest in Reds and Chocolates would push you towards wanting to add Agouti to your list...not sure if using blacks as a base would do anything for you other then make your RY and chocolate sooty but I could be wrong (I don't have experience in any of these varieties to know for sure)

The texels would be angora which is recessive and rex which is dominant. It takes several breedings before a texel is produced when starting with an Angora mouse and a Rex mouse cross. PEW is best used with any coat varieties.

Thank you SO much Beth. Thank you thank you thank you!

So if I were to breed an agouti to a chocolate, what would I end up with?

Agouti to chocolate would produce agouti, unless the agouti carries chocolate, or if they both carry the same genes.

Gotcha, thank you

So what would the advantage of having an agouti be then? Sorry, I have the mouse genetics book but haven't read it yet. Maybe I should do that first Thank you for your help!