Hello from the North West of Oregon

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My user name is coldstreak and I am new to this site.
I have just recently discovered how much I enjoy mice. As a kid I always had hampsters so I am familiar with small rodents.
About 10 months ago my kitchen cabinets became infested with mice. At first I was snapping them in a trap and ditching them into the trash. But even though this was fairly quick and effient way to eliminate these little critters, I started feeling very sorry for them, very guilty and couldn't sleep because of my conscience. So I found all I could read online and I decided I should devise a trap for catch and release. I made several types. Some of them worked, some didn't. I soon discovered how very intelligent these little animals are and became quite fascinated with them.
For a while I had them in an aquaruium. They we so entertaining to watch, but too wild to become pets, so I derived great satisfaction in builting release shelters and turning them all loose. I understand the difference between ferral and domestic, and knew that these cute little stinkers would never make good pets. Meanwhile, my family and friends think I've skipped a track.
But somewhere, somehow, they attached themselves to my heart. I cured my wild mouse problem by catching them all, but discovered that I enjoyed them so much I went out to a pet store and bought me three. And low and behold, I ended up with 2 females and one male and 25 baby mice 3 weeks later.

So here it all starts.
I decided to make the best of it. Cleaned out a spare room I use for storage, and I am in the process of building a rodent rack, proper ventilation, making my own organic food, and enjoying so much playing and interacting with them.
And so I need all the information anybody could give me and I stumbled upon this forum.
I am looking to buy a good breeding pair of mice. I am mostly concerned with dispostion. I want nice pets. Very interested in genetics, but not interested in showing.
I have no preference for color or markings or coat type as of yet. They're all beautiful and they're all fancinating.

Any advice anybody can give me is much appreciated.
Just ordered a good book, Intro to Mice Genetics, that I found from this site. You;ve all helped me out all ready.

Thanks ...coldsteak

I'm so glad you've fallen into the hobby! Goodness me, twenty five babies, though! We had a small family of wild deer mice in the house for a while, and then in a tank for a while, before I moved to my current place. I do remember how much more active they were than most of my mice now. Very skittish. We kept ours until she'd weaned her young and they were closer to her size.

Best of luck finding your breeder! The west coast breeders with whom I'm familiar are rather far south of you. Hopefully someone else knows somebody.

Welcome!!

Yea- mice are addicting! I have been breeding since 2001 and have owned them longer then that. I also had some wild deer mice for a time. Malakai and Flip were my two boys. Flip was inappropriatly named since he did back flips- even on command! I had them since pups. Mom was a wild caught sweetie (I know- odd) and dad was a complete spaz. Someone caught them and I took them in. Lol.

Hello and welcome!