AFRMA Official Mouse Standard

AFRMA OFFICIAL MOUSE STANDARD

Adopted by the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association

The definition of the ideal mouse is as follows:

TYPE – The general appearance should be one of sleekness and alert attention and be pleasing to the eye. The body should be long and slim, racy in appearance, yet show strong bone. The loin is to be well arched.

Black Self Standard male (head and ear photos below) showing good bone, substance, type, head, ears, nice thick tail, etc. (a good stud buck), owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

PEW Self Standard male showing nice type and bone, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Ivory Self Standard male showing long racy body and arched loin, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Silver Self Standard male showing nice type, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Pet Mouse vs. Show Mouse – Top: a Brindle male “Duffy” showing much shorter blockier body type, shorter thinner tail, tail set more abrupt, smaller ears, and coat not smooth and sleek; Bottom: an English PEW Self Satin male “KKES1369-B A. Noni Mouse” showing longer racier body, thicker longer tail, showing better tail set-on being more like the apex of a well-defined triangle. Both owned by Nichole Royer.

Splashed AOCP Standard male showing racy body with good bone and thick tail, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Young Chocolate Self Standard female showing good type, ears, eyes, head, tail set, and coat, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Ivory Self Standard female showing good type, bone, ears, eyes, head, and coat, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Champagne Self Standard female with good type, bone, ears, tail set, head, etc., owned by Karen Robbins, bred by Alan Birch.

CONDITION – Animals should be maintained in good weight, to emphasize their natural good qualities. The coat should be smooth and glossy (except Frizzies), and feel fine to the hand. It should show a natural high shine and densely cover the body, including the belly, groin, area around the front legs, and behind the ears.

HEAD – The head must be long and clean in its lines, not too fine or pointed at the muzzle. The skull should show breadth as well as length, and have good width between the eyes as well as the ears, and good distance from the ears to the eyes. The muzzle should show a curved roman nose outline when viewed from the side. The whiskers at the muzzle should be well developed, being long and straight (except Frizzies).

Black Self Standard male (side view above) showing a masculine head with the correct shape, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Champagne Self female showing a feminine head with the correct shape, owned and bred by Carol Lawton.

P.E. White Self female kitten head with the correct shape, owned by Karen Robbins, bred by Terry Thorne.

Side view of male head showing the curved roman nose. Agouti AOC Standard owned and bred by Carol Lawton.

EARS – The ears should be large and thin, almost transparent, carried high on the head and facing forward, giving the expression of alert inquisitiveness. They should stand erect and be free from folds, creases, or nicks. There should be plenty of width between the ears, but not so much as to lose the proper expression.

This Lilac Tan male has large well placed ears; owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Black Self Standard male (side and head views above) with large well placed ears; owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

A Silver Tan Standard female with large well placed ears, owned and bred by Carol Lawton.

A P.E. White Satin female with large well placed ears, owned by Kelli Boka, bred by Cait McKeown.

EYES – The eyes are to be large, bold, and prominent, showing great animation and interest.

TAIL – The tail should come out of the back and be thick at the root, tapering gradually to a fine point, and is to be free from kinks. The junction with the backbone should form the apex of a well-defined triangle, based on the hips. In length, the tail should equal that of the body or be slightly longer.

Black Self Standard female showing correct tail set, owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

R: Splashed AOCP Standard male with excellent tail (thick and long). L: PEW Self Standard female with good tail (good length, just not as thick); both owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Splashed AOCP Standard male with excellent tail and size, owned and bred by Karen Robbins. (he kept lying down when we were taking his photos, that is why he looks flat)

SIZE – Size is not to disqualify any mouse, but all other things being equal, the larger animal shall have the advantage. The average size should be eight to nine inches in length, measured from nose to tail tip.

Show Mouse vs. Lab Mouse – These PEW Self Standards are both females the same age. L: an English mouse showing longer body and racier type as well as larger size; R: a PEW Pet/Lab mouse showing difference in size and type, small ears, narrow head, and small muzzle. Both owned and bred by Karen Robbins.

Show Mouse vs. Pet Mouse – These two male mice show a vast difference in type, size, tails, ears, and coats. Top: an English PEW Self Satin “KKES1369-B A. Noni Mouse”; Bottom: a Brindle “Duffy.” Note the length of tail and sleeker coat on the show mouse. Both owned by Nichole Royer.

GENERAL – All mice should be tractable and easy to handle. Any evidence of physical defects or poor temperament shall be severely penalized by the judge, and will subject the individual exhibit to elimination or disqualification. All faults listed are to be considered of equal seriousness when placements are made, with no one fault to be regarded as more damaging than any other.

Points allotted to the ideal mouse are as follows:

COLOR (as stipulated for the Variety)	50 points
TYPE	15 points
CONDITION	10 points
HEAD	5 points
EYES	5 points
EARS	5 points
TAIL	5 points
SIZE	5 points
TOTAL	100

Mice are shown in seven Varieties at this time namely: Standard, Satin, Long Hair, Long Hair Satin, Frizzie, Frizzie Satin, Hairless.

Mice will be further grouped into five Sections within each Variety, as follows: Self, Tan and Fox, Marked, Any Other Color (AOC), and Any Other Color Pattern (AOCP).

The following faults, eliminations, and disqualifications are to apply to all exhibits, regardless of Variety or color:

GENERAL FAULTS – Nicked ears; over or under weight; stained or dirty coat.

GENERAL ELIMINATIONS – Abscess; pregnant or nursing females; any respiratory disease; scabs, internal or external parasites, scaly skin, chewed/barbered coat; eye problems; whiskers very short or missing (except Hairless); condition too poor for competition; injuries made prior to judging; improperly entered in class; animals shown under seven weeks of age; biting.

GENERAL DISQUALIFICATIONS – Tumors; blindness in one or both eyes; missing one or both eyes; ears torn or with a portion missing, either of which noticeably detracts from the general appearance; crooked or missing feet, legs, or toes; tail broken, kinked, permanently out of line, or with any portion missing; waltzers; males neutered; males not showing both testicles in normal condition; any dyeing, plucking, or trimming designed to alter natural condition.

N/A – If, in the judge’s opinion, an animal does not meet minimum show requirements in appearance or health, it shall be judged N/A (not/applicable) and will not be placed.

Go to AFRMA Fancy Mice Varieties and Sections

Go to AFRMA Official Rat Standard

For complete details of the Standards, please refer to the AFRMA Show Regulations & Standards book.
Purchase the AFRMA Official Color Standards Mouse book.

Updated January 14, 2010

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