Long-Haired
The long-haired mouse is a fancy variety of the domestic house mouse, Mus musculus, bred for hair that extends noticeably beyond the short smooth coat of standard mice. It may be shown or described under long-hair, angora, or related coat terms depending on the registry or breeding community. The trait can be combined with many colors and markings, so long-haired mice may be black, blue, chocolate, champagne, cream, fawn, lilac, red, Himalayan, Siamese, broken marked, or even marked. The best examples retain normal mouse proportions and mobility; the coat should frame the body without hiding poor condition.
Keepers manage long-haired mice much like other fancy mice, but cleanliness has extra weight. Fine shavings, paper bedding, or other safe absorbent substrates help prevent urine staining and matting, while damp cages quickly spoil coat quality. Most individuals do not need routine brushing, yet quick health checks around the rump and belly, especially near the tail base and ears, catch tangles or bites early. Breeders pair for coat length and texture only after selecting for fertility and sound teeth. Good mothering and steady temperament are just as important. Group-housed mice may barber one another, so a chewed coat is not always a hereditary fault.
Colors: Black, Blue, Broken Marked, Champagne, Chocolate, Cream, Even Marked, Fawn, Himalayan, Lilac, Red, Siamese, Silver, White
