[Kerry1]

This wil sound so daft, but bought some pinkies for my gray-band and they are black! Thought all pinkies were pink! Didn't know whether black mice were born with black skin or not. It's just the pet shop we get them from is not 100% reliable at times. Just wondered if any of you guys have ever had black pinkies. :lol:

 

[jaysnakeman]

ive never had any like that

 

[bbsf]

neither have i ummmmmmmmmm didnt know u could get black pinkys

 

[PendleHog]

Because most feeder mice are albino you tend to only see pink babies, but if it came from a dark parent it may have some pigment. Take a look at this link - is that what they were like? If so theyre fine to use.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/Tricia1103/mice/DSC00308.jpg

 

[RolandsDaddy]

Were they ok, did you use them?

 

[PendleHog]

There is nothing wrong with dark coloured pinkies, they are exactly the same as pink ones - its just melanin pigment in their skin, the same as feeding a brown adult mouse as opposed to an albino one.

 

[stragen]

The shop i get my pinkies from occasionally gives me some black ones and they are fine.......threw me a bit the first time too but my corn was more than happy with them.

On the other hand my housemates corns refuse to eat the black ones....*shrug*

 

[Genetic]

did you know that black pinks have a different odour than white pinks,
and can be very usefull in getting stubborn feeders to eat that are refusing regular pink pinkies.
they just seem a bit harder to get hold of.

Paul.

 

[PendleHog]

Yep lots of WC stuff seems happier to eat dark coloured mice than albino ones. The shop I get my stuff from now has a whole variety of coloured mice, which is fairly unusual. I dont know who their supplier is though.

 

[Genetic]

I dont mess with WC because of the risks involved but yes im sure they would prefer the pongy blacks, the best results iv had are with CB greybands and ruthvens kings that would normaly prefer lizard but will latch onto a black pink strait off.

paul.

 

[Shane2]

I breed mice and get black pinkies from certain mice.

 

[stragen]

I didnt know they smelt different! I figured a pinky mouse is a pinky mouse is a pinky mouse.

If they are genetically the same though, and its just melanin pigment in their skin, how comes they have a different odour? Does the pigment mean they make a slightly different smell, or are they ever so slightly genetically different or what?

I'm just curious how it works...

 

[stragen]

Also, does anyone know why pinky mice are called pinky mice? It would seem its not because they are pink.

I always thought it's because they are supposed to be roughly the size of your 'pinky' finger (Americanism), however, even the larger ones i get arent really anywhere near the size of my little finger.

 

[M£L]

I've had black and sort of patchy pinkies, went down well!

 

[cornmorphs]

i used to get some well weird coloured ones lol..
they are fine

 

[Trice]

Lol i've only gotten the lighter ones, but wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with black ones if i got them.

 

[Kerry1]

Thanks for all your replies. They're for my 7 month old gray-band. She struck at the first one, so maybe they do actually smell different! :lol: Knowing my luck now, the reptile shop will only have pink pinkies forever more! :roll: