#mousemen

i think I'd like to base them on irl mice as much as I can as far as genetics go... I'd like for their pigmentation, coat color, eye color etc to mostly be in line w what's possible w real mice.

Wildtype mice are generally an undifferentiated agouti, so I think to provide the same kinda variety humans have I'll take from mutations in fancy mice (ie colors that only appear in domesticated populations).

when unpigmented, the skin of mousemen would be much "rosier" than human skin due to how thin it is. For the same reason, the skin of their feet and hands is pinker than their bodies. Ears, although thin, do not contain many blood vessels, and so while they tend to be significantly paler, they are frequently less pink than the body. unlike humans, whose palm skin is thinner and therefore lighter, mousemen have a lighter coloration on their entire hand and foot, which is lighter still on its fleshy pads (thats another thing. they have pawpads, and their hands are "chunkier" due to their proportions)

darker pigment on the skin of mice is often "ashier" and cooler toned than pigmented human skin. That said I'd like to include some warmer tones to sort of mix the mouse and human palette im creating. I think maybe I could associate warmer tones micemen w more outdoorsy strains, and cooler toned ones as being found indoors and underground.

Domestic mice can be piebald, and I think mousemen could be as well. Hair on the body and head would match pigmentation of the skin beneath.

As far as eyes go, mousemen usually have black or dark brown eyes, rarely green or red. They cannot have blue eyes.

Coat/hair is where I'll be trying to stick as close as possible to irl mice phenotypes i think. i found a very very good website abt mice coat colors that ive been using as a reference (in addition to more recent stuff). mousemen would be able to have agouti coloration of their hair (unlike humans and higher primates who seem to have lost it), as well as piebald markings, merle or brindle coloration.

i also think that mousemen for the most part have short hair, and can't actually grow very long hair. most mousemen can only grow their hair at its longest to their shoulders, like morgan. certain mutations allow them to grow longer hair (like longhaired mice). their hair texture i think would also be different. in general it is soft and matte, and it is much less oily than human hair. shiny, thin hair, and curly hair are both uncommon. however they CAN have fur all over their bodies. it depends on their genetics but they can be mostly human-like in terms of their hair growth (like morgan) or like little fucking furry mousebeasts .

the big tail tuft that morgan has is uncommon. most mouseppl dont have the huge tuft that morgan does, and their tail is more reasonably proportioned, like a gerbils. their tails are a little stiffer than mouse or rat tails.