Not naming mice?

When I became a breeder I didn't want to get so large-scale that I didn't name my mice, but that is exactly what's happening, and it doesn't seem to bother me. I figure that I'm not keeping them, so why name them? But there are some Extra Mice I am keeping who don't have names, and it still doesn't bother me. Each of my bubs gets an identification number (like WgB-12-5 is Walrus Girl x Blox, 2012, Bub 5). I am mystified by my lack of enthusiasm about naming these cute guys growing up now. If you don't name your mice, is this how it happened to you?

Can't help you there! Lol. I always name my mice.

Actually I have that problem at a small scale. I name them..but they al look alike so I can't remember who was who.

It doesn't bother me, but all I do is give them a group name.
Like my 4 black eyed white boys are flip,flop,doodly and bop.
But the names aren't exactly specific to each mouse.

Ann, I am totally there with you on the no name thing. I don't name them unless I breed them usually. I enter one bub with a name in the database from the entire litter like Daisy and then I name them Daisy 2, Daisy 3, etc.

Yeah, it's nice to have a system. I'm just a little sad that I don't get to know each mouse as an individual with a personality, and thus a name. Maybe too many mice?

Aww, naming them is Logan's favorite part! Most of the time he names them for how they look.

We have some crazy names tho. One of ours is Harry Potter, not so crazy but HE is a SHE! LOL But she has a mark on her head that looks like the one Harry has. I named another sheep because she looked like a sheep to me for whatever reason!

I'm not sure how many you exactly have but if it's a lot I can see why not giving them a name isn't a big deal. I wouldn't stress over it :-)

Aye! When I became a breeder I never wanted my mice to become livestock.

Well really it's not like you have to name them in order to get to know them. They have personalities whether they have names or not. I like letting their new owners give them their name sometimes. It's cute seeing what they can come up with and I think they mostly prefer to do so.

I have only a few (until next weekend ) I named only one, and he will not be going to the show for adoption. I know I get attached so I will be naming only ones I am going to show this coming week-end. Giving them a name makes the mouse a member of the family. And you would never give up one of your family members even though sometimes you wish you could. LOL

Lunalady, that makes so much sense! Thank you! That's exactly what it is! I feel better, now!

You know, the older two girls I've had since the fall still don't have names. I did this on purpose because I was initially just fostering them but now they're here to stay and no name seems to stick. I'm just used to them being nameless. And when one of the three died nameless I felt badly because of it. I wonder what human instinct that's tapping into?

I name the mice I keep. I view them as pets, not livestock.
If im iffy about keeping them, then I will give them a number until I know for sure.

Mrs beach, i feel that is completely normal. Why name them if you are only going to have them for a couple of days? They would be harder to let go.

I agree, I dont name them if Im not keeping them, but if I know they are staying with me, then I name them.
If I give a mouse to someone, I cant expect them to keep the name, so why name them?

Jay and I have only named ones we favored too. I tried to name them all but when I was breeding often it was way too confusing since too many looked alike, now we have about 30 mice and we are making a cabinet to house them all. We plan on making name tags for the boys cubbies and trying to name the girls, we figure on taking a pic of each one and making a scrapbook. I wouldn't worry about naming ones you aren't keeping, that does get confusing unless you are only breeding once and awhile. It bothered me not naming mine that was why we decided to downsize and breed not often anymore besides other reasons along w those.

Oh, I used to give all bubs nicknames like Eye Spot, Dark Splashed, Tri Boy, etc., that I told adopters they were free to change. Gave them a bit more personality. If I decided to keep a mouse, I would give it a real name. Without names, they never learn to recognize their names, so they don't answer to me, and I feel I have less of a bond with them. It's so impersonal.

Oh I thought you were saying you haven't been naming them all.

I agree with Windyhill, I also only name the ones that I keep or breed. I find it harder to part with ones I name; which doesn't do me any good if I plan on adopting them out.

Onceuponamousery, you are right. I said I used to name them all, or at least give the bubs nicknames. Recently I had three litters about the same time and so far have not named any of the babies, except two of the ones I know I'm keeping. I know I am keeping two others, but haven't named them! I don't know them well enough to name them!

You got Leon.

Little Leon! And I've named his sister who I am keeping: Binky. His other two sisters got adopted today, joyfully and happily, by Sydney, my A #1 mouse sitter who wants to become a vet when she grows up.

Yes, and I've named Walrus Girl's two blue babies I want to keep and have arranged for homes for the others.

That leaves Sunbather and her five little nameless bastards (seeing as she isn't married to their father), only one of whom I want to keep. I guess I feel badly that I don't know the one I want to keep any better than the others at this point. Is there such a thing as too many mice?

Yes, you can have too many mice! The way I look at it is if you have mice clamoring for attention at dinner-time and you can't humor them when you open the lid of their cage to feed them, then you have too many mice. I currently have "too many mice". Lol. My older girls are like, "Hey human, how come I can't come out while you feed and fill water bottles anymore? Huh? What happened?" Some even try to jump into the food scoop. It's gotten pretty entertaining. There's only so much time for "ride the human" now. That's just how I gauge it. I'm a breeder with one foot in the "show" camp and the other in the spoiled pet camp.

As I figure it, there are too many mice when you cannot feed/house/care for them effectively. How you define that last bit is entirely on you and your personal level of attachment. If your conscience is eating at you, stop and dial it down. If you just feel like it's time to call up the raptor rescue, then forge on ahead. You have too many mice either when they suffer or when you suffer.

Laigaie, I don't have too many mice to care for (and believe me, I have been there!), but I do like your last sentence as a definition of too many mice. _I_ am suffering a bit, emotionally...soul-wise. Like Gypsy, I'm not a "real" (show) breeder, but a pet owner who breeds good, healthy mice, who I like to know and play with as individuals.

It is amazing to me how many mice I am sending to RF! 50 some? 44 to adopters plus a bunch to be sold (poor, nameless bastards). I've been looking at the number of mice I have left with relief, and then realizing that there are some of those I don't really need and never bonded with, and so am finding more adopters. They're all good mice, and some genetically highly desirable. I guess my "nameless" state is about to end, because after all my extra mice go to RF, I'll be left with mice with names who I really know...and with whom I will finally have time to spend.

Thanks, everybody, for helping me through this. I only really started breeding two Januaries ago. I am still learning.

Say, do all breeders plan a lot of litters right before RF so they have plenty to share? Do you all go through this, too?

P. S.--Gypsy, Queen Victoria is positioning herself to become top mouse of the Upstairs Colony. It's between her and Hipsebah right now. Hipsebah, being a brindle, outweighs QV, but QV is smarter, I think. It will be interesting to see how it works out. Also, after all RF mice leave, there will be about five more does to add to the Upstairs Colony, mainly long-weaned babies and their mums.

I don't necessarily plan a lot of litters before RF, though as of 2011 it has worked out that way. Now that I work one full-time job with salary, I have regular "slow" seasons twice a year that happen to correspond with RF: Spring and Fall. I have a lot more time on my hands then, and not rushing to do all things mouse related all on Sunday.

This time around I do have more mice than usual that I was planning to bring to RF. But it had more to do with the fact that people I already knew asked me well BEFORE hand to reserve a mouse from my main projects- Rex, Merle/Blue and Tri- so I kept 6 babies or less per litter rather than 4 babies or less per litter. I'm in a pickle now since I broke my knee AND my checking account because I broke my knee!

I love mice, so having a few extra for a little while longer won't break the bank by any means, but I am ready to get back into regularly scheduled "mouse time" for emotional reasons as well. I don't want my critters to be "just" for showing or sharing with others who do the same. I strive for the biggest ears and best color I can get from the genes that I have, but for me my animals are also companions who sometimes greet me, climb on me, show off for me or snuggle me after a long day. Mouse affection can come in every variety and body type that a mouse can, from the "poorest" of pet to the biggest, most "typey" stud. Sometimes it takes a cheerio, but hey, it's a small price to pay for a squishy lap mouse!