August 14, 2007

Idea: Breed a “Mickey” Mouse

Mickey MouseWalt Disney should add a new division of scientists (biological imagineers) to its company with the goal of breeding “Mickey” mice — real mice, selectively bred for their big round ears and black facial coloring which makes them resemble a certain famous cartoon mouse. Then they can sell them as pets in pet stores.

If they start now, this could be the next big craze come Christmas.

Posted by David at 12:02 AM | Permalink
Filed under: Entertainment | Ideas | Science
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Comments

I’m thinking that Disney would go for it but only if they could retain intellectual property rights for each individual mouse.

Posted by: Pribek | August 14, 2007 4:25 AM

Dang, that would be so amazing and so awful at the same time. Get on it, Disney!

Posted by: Miles | August 14, 2007 6:07 AM

Wouldn’t that be ironic! I mean, given that Mickey’s dark-faced and light-mouthed markings made him just one of the many early cartoon characters developed from earlier minstrel-themed Negro caricature, and given Walt Disney’s alleged recist leanings, then the idea of the inheritors of the Disney legacy using eugenics to breed a mouse that…
…I’m sorry, I know I had a point in here somewhere.

Posted by: Adam | August 14, 2007 8:50 AM

I bet the tricky part will be breeding the red short pants…

Posted by: Mr. Wisdumb | August 14, 2007 9:10 AM

For Donald, you could breed ducks with an emphasis on poor temperament! And for Goofy, you could breed.. uhm… whatever he is to look like him, too!

Posted by: Monster | August 14, 2007 11:40 AM

But what about all of the mice that are then born with slightly irregular ears or discoloring? Any mouse that popped out with recessive traits would have to be killed for not meeting the corporate spec sheets.

Posted by: Katie | August 14, 2007 4:26 PM

Great idea!! But I think Katie might be onto something. OH! Maybe they can use the rejects for fertilizer at Disney World.

Posted by: Kristi | August 15, 2007 12:43 PM

Lol! Brilliant! If only Walt was still around to try and make this happen, I’m sure he’d be up for it.

Posted by: JohnnyW | August 17, 2007 8:06 PM

No, because next thing you know they’ll be using cloning and genetic manipulation to create chimpanzees that look like Doc and Dopey.

I can see the advertising now, “Collect all Seven!”

Posted by: Thomas | August 19, 2007 3:59 PM

David - Cloning is not needed in advertising or atleast in animate characters.

The mickey mouse is brilliant though.

Posted by: Design for MySpace | August 19, 2007 9:29 PM

Cool!
But is this a real photo ? What is the name of this mouse ? Where can we find it ?

Posted by: Benoit | August 21, 2007 3:55 AM

Forget about Mickey Mouse. I just want to exactly what kind of dog Goofy is.

Posted by: unlikelymoose | August 28, 2007 10:19 PM

When I was a kid I saw Mickey Moo, a cow with a spot that looked like the mouse ears on its side. But that was just a weird coincidence. Or was it?

Posted by: ek | October 16, 2007 3:38 PM

I thought Goofy was a cow. If Goofy is indeed a dog & Pluto’s a dog too - why then why can’t Pluto talk? Hmmmmm I say…..

Posted by: Queen Bee | February 9, 2008 5:59 PM

But you know that someone’s going to twig onto the idea that these would be the highest shock value ‘feeder mice’ for people with pet snakes.

Payback for decades of demonizing their beloved friends in the such feature films as The Jungle Book and Aladdin.

Posted by: BAM | April 2, 2008 6:14 PM

i think that is so cute. they should sell them at disney world. i know a lot of people that would totaly buy one (including me). i also think you should try to get the red pants. people would so buy that! well email me back if get anything new. i won’t tell if you don’t want me to.

Posted by: jessica | June 23, 2008 8:22 PM

i think goofy is like some kind of mouse,sheep,dog,or even a cat. but you should definently work on pluto. he’s my favorite !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol

Posted by: jessica | June 23, 2008 8:35 PM

Interesting that I stumbled on this when I read today in one of those “did you know?” things that Walt Disney himself was actually terrified of mice. I wonder why he came up with Mickey Mouse – maybe that’s why Mickey Mouse is, actually, in the original cartoons as scary as what he is. He really is a strange and scary character. To be honest, I don’t think he is an amazing character at all. He’s just lucky to have been one of the first animated cartoons.

Posted by: online shopping | August 2, 2008 11:29 AM

If ever this is true, hope Walt Disney won’t forget to tell the scientists to breed “Mickey” mice that do not contribute to leptospirosis disease. This will surely become a hit if this will materialize.

Posted by: photo oil painting | September 1, 2008 1:41 AM

I’m with Katie what would happed to the “extras”?!?

Posted by: Anonymous | October 6, 2008 4:42 PM

Speaking of murine engineering, I think someone has to partly undo 75 million years of evolution and find a way to make human beings more similar to mice. Then all those medical breakthroughs which are often reported only to work in mice will be effective.

Posted by: Igal | November 30, 2008 6:34 PM

Makes me think of the real life Pokémon contest.

Posted by: nitro2k01 | April 30, 2009 8:37 AM

Im actually crying Im laughing so hard at these comments.

Posted by: mel | August 17, 2010 4:03 PM