Mice - oh, those rodents! A domestic mouse, a small animal is a great joy Who is a mouse

Types of mice

The subfamily of mice includes about 300 of the 400 species in the family. The greatest diversity of species can be found in Africa and Tropical Asia, to a lesser extent - in the temperate and northern parts of Eurasia and in Australia.

All over the globe, not without human help, representatives of the synanthropic species settled - house mice. The most common are the following genera.

African mice (Thamnomys). About 5 species belong to this genus, united by a similar appearance. The body length of these animals is about 10–14 cm, and a well-pubescent tail with a brush of elongated hair at the end is 14–20 cm. Representatives of the genus of African mice have chestnut or reddish-brown fur on the upper side and white on the lower side. These animals live in natural conditions in Africa, distributed from Ghana to Western Uganda. They also live in mountainous regions at an altitude of up to 4000 m above sea level and in humid equatorial forests.

They prefer to settle in trees, in nests or hollows. African mice feed on plant products - leaves and fruits. Activity is shown only in the dark. They breed almost throughout the year.

Grass Mice (Arvicanthis) distributed in large numbers in Africa, especially in Eastern Africa, they inhabit savannahs, forests, and shrubs. These are rather large animals: the body reaches a length of 19 cm, the tail is 16 cm. Grass mice weigh about 100 g. Some species have fur with real thin needles. The rest of the fur is long, with separate spiny bristles, grayish-brown in color, lighter in the lower part. These animals settle in burrows or empty termite mounds, they can also occupy a human dwelling. They feed on a wide variety of plant foods, often damaging grain stocks and crops. Grass mice tend to form colonial settlements. The rhythm of daily activity extends to day and night. They can live in captivity for about 8 years. Under natural conditions, they breed throughout the year, but the peak of sexual activity occurs at the end of the rainy and the beginning of the dry season.

house mice

Approximately 6 kinds Pied mice (Lemniscomys) live in Africa, mainly in tall grass savannahs and on the edges of forests. These animals reach a length of 14 cm, and their tail is 16 cm. They have a striped color: the back and sides are dark with intermittent light stripes. The animals mostly settle in other people's holes, although they may well build their own. They feed on soft seeds, root crops and fruits, sometimes insects. Active during the day.

Wirehair mice (Lophuromys). 10 species of this genus are most widely distributed throughout Africa, from Ethiopia to Angola. They live in thickets of bushes, reeds and grasses, in swamps, fields and forests. Animals with a body length of up to 14.5 cm, and a tail up to 11.5 cm come in different colors: dark, olive, brown or variegated, with separate whitish, yellowish or orange streaks located on a dark background. There are species with an orange or dull orange base of the hair of the fur, which is inherent in almost all African inhabitants. Wirehair mice usually make their nests in burrows, dense vegetation, or under logs and deadwood. These animals feed not only on root crops and fruits, but also on insects, as well as toads, lizards and some invertebrates. Such mice are active at any time of the day.

Striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) is a member of a monotypic genus, that is, it includes a single species. This animal is distinguished by the alternation of brown and yellowish stripes on the back. The striped mouse reaches a length of 11 cm, its tail with sparse bristly hairs is about the same length. This animal lives on the edges of forests, near crops, in tall grass among shrubs and along the channels of dried-up reservoirs, digs holes or builds nests in thick grass or among roots. Awake during the day.

Spiny Mouse (Acomys wilsoni) differs in that its tail is very thin and fragile, so it is easily lost in critical situations. This animal with large erect ears reaches a length of 12 cm. The tail is naked, scaly, with spines and coarse hard hair, also about 12 cm long. The animal is found in Iran, Pakistan, Arabia and Africa, where it settles in savannahs and semi-deserts. Lives in burrows, termite mounds or among stone placers. The spiny mouse is omnivorous, but prefers to eat plant foods.

It breeds from February to September. The female after 42 days of pregnancy brings 1-3 cubs weighing 5-6 g each. Mice are born with open eyes and feed on mother's milk for two weeks, after which they independently obtain plant foods.

Elliot's mouse (Golunda ellioti) occurs naturally in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and the island of Sri Lanka. In appearance, it resembles a large forest vole of the genus Clethrionomys. Among the thick soft fur on the back are hard prickly bristles. The upper incisors are grooved.

Animals of this genus live on coffee plantations, in weeds along the edges of fields, on grassy plains and in swampy places, in nests built from plant fibers. The nest is ball-shaped with a diameter of 15–20 cm.

Muscovy mouse

These rodents prefer to settle in family groups. The female usually gives birth to 3-4 cubs several times a year.

Elliot's mouse forages on the ground and in trees, which it can dexterously move around. The diet consists only of plant foods. In Sri Lanka, rodents cause great damage to coffee plantations by eating buds and flowers on coffee trees.

Soft-haired mice (Millardia) found in India, Pakistan and Burma, as well as on the island of Sri Lanka. These animals inhabit fields, mountain slopes and swampy places, arranging small simple holes for themselves or hiding in voids under stones and in other people's holes. The length of the body of the animals reaches 16 cm, the tail - 15 cm. The color of the coat is gray. Soft-haired mice feed on grains of field crops and marsh plants.

Best suited for home use baby mice (Micromys minutus). The length of their body barely reaches 7 cm, the tail - 5–7 cm. Under natural conditions, they are found on the territory from the Iberian Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. They live in the forest-steppe zone, often live in fields with grain crops, among floodplain shrubs. In summer they arrange spherical nests from plant fibers, placing them among grass stems, and move to burrows for the winter.

baby mouse

The baby mouse is brighter and more diverse than other species. In young individuals, the coat color is dull, brownish. After the first molt, the animals acquire a bright red color. The underside of the coat is pure white. This graceful and cute animal easily gets used to new living conditions, while behaving calmly and peacefully. Rodents of this species require a spacious cage so that they can move freely and climb. The diet of baby mice should include insects and other invertebrates, as well as fresh greens and grain feed. In food, the animal is unpretentious, can live in small terrariums.

Asian mice (Sylvaemus major) are divided into island and mainland-Sakhalin. The distribution area is quite large - from Altai to the west to South China, Burma, Indochina and Central Yakutia. Representatives of this genus settle in flat, floodplain and foothill deciduous and mixed forests, arranging burrows for themselves, equipped with 2–3 feeding chambers and one nesting chamber. These are quite large animals. The length of their body reaches 12 cm, the tail is about 11 cm. The Asian mouse is active at dusk and at night.

Asia Minor Mouse (Sylvaemus mystacinus)- the largest representative of the genus Sylvaemus. The coloration is smoky gray on the back, with a complete absence of red tones. The belly is white.

The body length is about 13 cm, and the tail is up to 14 cm. The ears are large, protruding from the fur, the muzzle is elongated, with large bulging eyes.

The Asia Minor mouse lives in the south-west of Georgia, in Asia Minor and Western Asia, up to Iraq. This is a mountain species, common at an altitude of up to 1300–1400 m above sea level. Prefers to settle in deciduous or deciduous-coniferous forests, as well as bushes mixed with lianas, wild grapes and herbaceous plants. Especially loves boxwood thickets. It can live in placers of stones, ruins of buildings, in artificial fences and bushes along the outskirts of fields. Rodents of this species do not dig holes, arranging nests in tree hollows, voids under roots and stones.

It is most active at dusk and at night. The breeding season falls on the warm season. The female brings up to 6 cubs.

Asia Minor mouse

Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius) quite common in the territory from Western Europe to the Pacific Ocean, in the forest-meadow zone. This is one of the few types that rarely settle in buildings. It hides most often in its own or other people's holes. The length of the body of this animal reaches 12 cm, the tail - 9 cm. The color of the coat is reddish-brown from the sides, in the middle of the back from the back of the head to the base of the tail there is a clearly demarcated black stripe. The field mouse feeds on plant foods and insects.

Representatives of the genus wood mice (Sylvaemus sylvaticus) settle in natural shelters, their own or other people's holes in river floodplains, among meadow bushes. The area of ​​their distribution extends from the deserts of Western, Minor, Central Asia and North America to the West Siberian taiga and European forest tundra, as well as from the Atlantic Ocean to Northern Pakistan, Altai and Tien Shan. These animals are distinguished by large feet, body and tail lengths up to 11 cm. Some individuals have a yellow or buffy spot on the chest. Wood mice feed mostly on grain feed, sometimes on insects.

Lesser Wood Mouse (Apodemus uralensis) lives in Europe, in the Caucasus, Altai, south of Western Siberia.

The body length of this animal reaches 7-10 cm, the tail is the same length.

Prefers to settle in deciduous forests and floodplains. It climbs trees well, so it usually arranges nests in hollows, among branches, it can be occupied by birdhouses.

In winter, the small wood mouse builds holes between the roots of trees.

forest mouse

It feeds on cereals, fruits of various plants, and insects. Usually stocks up for the winter. The mouse of this species is mainly nocturnal.

Talysh mouse (Sylvaemus hyrcanicus) is a poorly studied species, described only in 1992. Previously, it was considered as a special form of the wood mouse. The animal has a dark chestnut color on the back, a light belly, and a bicolor tail. There is a pale yellow oval spot on the chest.

A fairly large mouse, body length 10–11 cm, tail length 9–12 cm. A characteristic feature of this species is very small incisal holes up to 5.1 mm long and not more than 2 mm wide.

The Talysh mouse lives in moist deciduous forests of northern Iran. The lifestyle of the animal has not yet been sufficiently studied. Scientists suggest that it is similar to the way of life of the yellow-throated and Pontic mice.

Mountain mouse (Mus montis) is the largest species of mice common in Russia. The species lives in natural shelters among stones and deadwood in the mountainous regions of Asia Minor and Western Asia and the Balkans. The body length reaches 13 cm, and the tail - 14 cm. The animal is painted in a grayish-brown color, looks like a small rat. Feeds on insects and seeds.

mountain mouse

Yellow-throated mouse (Sylvaemus flavicollis) occurs naturally in Western Europe and in a significant part of Russia. The body length of this animal reaches 13.5 cm, the tail is 13 cm. On the chest between the front legs there is an ocher spot, which can be of different sizes and shapes. The yellow-throated mouse does not get along with representatives of the genus of forest mice.

House mouse (Mus musculus)- perhaps the smallest, not counting the baby mouse, a representative of this family. The length of her body reaches 10 cm, the tail is covered with sparse short hairs and horny scales, arranged in an annular shape, and makes up from 50 to 100% of the body length. Desert house mice have a light, sandy-yellow coat color with pure white underparts. Northern forms have gray fur on the sides and light gray on the underside. Domesticated forms are white. The distribution area covers almost the entire globe. The homeland, most likely, was the oases in the deserts of Asia Minor and North Africa. House mice living in the steppe zone and in the north of the semi-desert form mixed colonies and arrange complex collective burrows in which there is a special toilet chamber and a large common nesting chamber. Mice of this type make stocks for the winter period from panicles, large seeds and ears, which are folded near the hole on the surface of the earth.

Most similar in their lifestyle to the house mouse Cairo mouse (Acomys cahirinus). It is common in Egypt and lives in buildings, next to a person.

monkey mouse(Hapalomys longi-caudatus) is similar in size to the forest, her tail is very long. The coat color is brownish. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. It lives in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia, Thailand and adjacent territories. It feeds on various fruits and seeds of trees. Settles on trees and shrubs, arranges nests in hollows.

Longtail mouse(Vandeleuria olegacea) has a body length of 6–8 cm, a tail 10–13 cm long, well pubescent. On the first and fifth fingers, instead of ordinary claws, there are flat nails. Lives exclusively in trees. During the day it hides in a nest, which arranges in hollows or in thickets of branches. The long-tailed mouse is nocturnal, feeds on fruits and seeds, in search of which it quickly moves along the branches. It uses its tail for balance and can wrap around branches.

It breeds throughout the year. In one brood, the female usually brings 3-6 cubs.

Long-tailed mice are common in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, southern India and Sri Lanka. These small rodents adapt well to life in captivity.

Genus Australian mice (Gyomys) has 8 types. They inhabit the entire Australian continent, with the exception of its northern part. The body length is 7–13 cm, and the tail is 6–14 cm. These mice come in a wide variety of colors: olive, sandy and ashy. The belly is lighter than the back, often white.

Australian mice live in tall grass and eucalyptus forests, in mountains and on sandy plains. Those species that settle on the sand dig deep holes. The diet consists mainly of insects, with a small amount of seeds and greens. It breeds in November-December. The female gives birth to 3-5 cubs.

Genus banana mice (Melomys) includes 12 types. They are common in New Guinea and nearby islands, northern Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands. The body length of these rodents is 9–18 cm, the tail is long, from 11 to 18 cm. The fur is soft, long, brownish or reddish in color. Below the color is lighter - white or cream. The tail is bare, scaly, with one hair on each scale.

The banana mouse lives in meadows, swamps, sugarcane plantations, in thickets of grasses and shrubs, near rivers and lakes. Climbs well using tail.

It builds a spherical nest 12–20 cm in diameter from grass, which is located in bushes, tree crowns or in thick grass. Sometimes it digs a hole with one entrance. It breeds during the rainy season (usually from November to March).

An interesting feature of this species is that newborn cubs cling to their mother, who carries them with her on her stomach between her nipples for up to two weeks. After this period, the young can move and eat on their own, but at the slightest alarm hides on the mother's stomach. The basis of the diet of banana mice is fruits, berries, nuts.

Kangaroo mice(notomys) in appearance resemble jerboas. These are rather large rodents for mice. The length of the body reaches 9-18 cm, the tail - 12-26 cm, at the end there is a small brush. The coloration is sandy, ashen or brown on the back, the belly is white. Kangaroo mice have very large ears and eyes. The hind legs are much longer than the front. Rodents move on four legs, but when stopping, they rely only on their hind limbs. There are 10 known species of this genus that live in most of Australia: in deserts, steppes, bushes and in light dry forests.

Decorative mouse

Show nocturnal activity. During the day they hide in nests that they make in burrows. The female brings 2-5 cubs.

marsupial rodents of the genus Antechinomys very similar to kangaroo mice and lead a similar lifestyle. Settle in the same places, sometimes occupy one system of holes. They feed on herbs, seeds and berries.

The subfamily of mice also includes some types of rats, for example, rust-nosed, shaggy, stream, acacia, swamp, saccular, triangular-tailed, hamster, gray, black and Turkestan.

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The mouse family is the most numerous order of mammals. There are more than 300 species, 1500 varieties in the world. Among them there are herbivorous, omnivorous creatures. Some breeds of mice were bred artificially as a pet. except for Antarctica. There are no rodents high in the mountains. How many are found in Russia - about 13. Representatives of different types of mice differ in size and color.

Mouse skin

It is difficult to find a person who does not know what a mouse is. Individual representatives of the species of mice live in the neighborhood, annoy with their presence, damage products, things, furniture, and interior items. Little mice often become cartoon characters for children. And some animal lovers keep them in a cage as a pet.

Mouse description:

• elongated body;
• long thin tail, in different species it is 70-120% of the body length;
• a small head with an elongated or blunt muzzle;
• barely noticeable or large round ears;
• small vigilant beady eyes;
• small pink nose
• hind legs have an elongated foot, provide the animal with jumping ability, allow it to rise up, leaning on its hind legs;
• the brush of the forelimbs is small.

Interesting!

A feature of any kind of mice is the presence of long teeth in the center of the upper and lower jaws. They grow all their lives, increasing daily by 2 mm. So that the teeth do not grow to unrealistic sizes, the animal constantly grinds. A photo of a mouse with beautiful teeth is presented below.

Wool and color features

The body of the mouse is covered with hard hair. The length of the hairs in each species of mice is different, but always lies smoothly on the surface of the skin. There are no fluffy mice.

Color is very different. The wild mouse is found in gray, red, brown, ocher, black. In the wild, but more often in the laboratory, a white mouse with red eyes and an albino nose is obtained. The color of ornamental mice impresses with its variety - blue, yellow, orange, smoky, etc. The abdomen, sides are always lighter than the back, even contains white hairs of wool.

On a note!

The main difference between a wild mouse and a wild mouse is the presence of a strip of light, dark color on the back.

In some breeds, the entire back is painted with vertical stripes. Below is a mouse in the photo - you can remember or find out what the animal looks like.

Dimensions, parameters

Mouse - a rodent belongs to the small representatives of the family. different types are similar. The maximum body length for representatives of our area is 13 cm, excluding the tail. The average body size is 9 cm.

Genetic abilities in relation to weight - 50 g. The maximum indicator that a pet can achieve, provided with good nutrition, appropriate living conditions. In the wild, the average weight of a mouse is 20 g. Below is a mouse in the photo relative to other animals.

Detachment of mice

Mammal. Cubs are viviparous. The female feeds the mice with milk for about a month. Each has 8 nipples. Pregnancy lasts about 25 days. After childbirth, the ability to conceive is restored after 9 days. There are 1 to 12 cubs in a litter. The number of pregnancies per year is 3-5. There is a tendency to increase the population of rodents once every 7 years.

Mice are born blind, toothless, naked. A week later, teeth begin to grow, hair appears. After 20 days, incisors appear, the young go to their own provision. The young female is ready for fertilization after 3 months of her life.

Features of the nutrition of mice

Looking at the damaged containers, furniture, household items, the walls of the room, one gets the impression that the mouse is omnivorous. It gnaws on everything that gets on the go, even if it has no nutritional value. Such a brutal appetite is explained by several aspects of her life:

• The mouse is forced to constantly grind down the front teeth. Gnawing on hard objects.
• The animal has an accelerated metabolism. Food is digested quickly, due to the high mobility, energy is instantly consumed. On average, a rodent should eat 5 g of food per day, drink 20 ml of water.
• The mouse has such a feature - everything new, unknown to taste.

Regarding food addictions, the mouse is a predator. But he prefers plant foods. Replenishment of proteins is carried out by eating worms, insects, eggs, chicks. A herbivore with great appetite eats helpless birds, drags eggs from nests. Then he equips himself on this place with housing.

The herbivorous mouse gnaws on seeds, the green part of plants. With a lack of fluid, he eats berries, fruits, vegetables. Prefers grain, cereals, seeds, flour.

On a note!

Having settled in a person's housing,. Sausage, cheese, meat, bacon, chips, beer, cookies, sweets. As well as soap, napkins, books, toilet paper, newspapers, plastic bags, bags, etc.

Features of life

The shy nature of the rodent is not at all associated with a cowardly disposition. A small animal is forced to behave carefully, because it has plenty of enemies.

The mouse in the wild is trained in various skills - crawling, swimming, digging, and some species even fly. Such an existence allows rodents to overcome obstacles, adapt to new conditions, and get their own food everywhere.

The mouse equips housing in the ground, tearing out complex labyrinths, on trees, in old hollows, bird nests, under stones. Once in a person's house, it settles under the floor, in the attic, between the walls. Activates activity in the dark. He tries not to go a long distance from the nest, burrow.

Interesting!

Most types of mice live in packs. A whole hierarchy is built up with a male leader, several dominant females. Each individual is assigned a territory where it can get its own food. Saki are raised together, raise offspring, but after their “age of majority” they are amicably expelled from the family for an independent life.

Mice overwinter in several places:

• in holes deep in the earth;
• haystacks on the field;
• in barns, warehouses, outbuildings, sheds, a person's house.

Rodents that remain for the winter in the field prepare food supplies. There are several chambers in the hole, where the mouse drags everything that is of value to it, it will save it from starvation.

The natural enemies of mice are reptiles, wild animals, hedgehogs, large birds, dogs, and cats. Since the reptile is not as common in our area as in warm countries, predators from this genus are snakes, some types of snakes.

In nature, a live mouse exists for only 1 year. Such a short period is associated with a large number of enemies, natural disasters. Genetically incorporated for about 5 years. In artificial conditions, they can live for about 3 years. Lived to 7 in the lab.

Types and varieties of mice

Mice of different species differ in size, color and habitat. Knowing the features of each species, you can easily distinguish between them.

Mouse baby

The smallest rodent in the world. An adult animal fits comfortably in the palm of a child. The body length does not exceed 7 cm, the tail is almost the same. The rodent builds nests from twigs in the grass. The mouse climbs trees well, tenacious paws with sharp claws and a twisted tail help her in this. Remains active even in winter, tolerates cold relatively well.

The body color is close to red, it is also called the yellow mouse. The coat on the abdomen, muzzle, tips of the ears is almost white. The baby mouse causes harm to horticultural crops, trees, crops. Distributed in Yakutia, England, the Caucasus. The creature is herbivorous, but occasionally eats small bugs, worms.

forest mouse

The names of mice are often associated with the habitat. lives on the edge. The body length reaches 10 cm, the weight is 20 g. The tail is about 7 cm. It is characterized by a sharp muzzle, red, brown, even black color. The main difference is the size of the ears. A mouse with big ears became the prototype of the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. Round large ears are a feature of the forest mouse.

The mouse lives in burrows or high in trees. Climbs great, runs fast. Winters in a burrow located at a depth of about 2 m. In winter, it comes out with the onset of a thaw. It is a creature harmless to humans until it approaches its vegetable gardens, orchards, fields.

Gerbil

The rodent came to our region from the USA. It was brought for laboratory research, quickly spread as a pet. The gerbil does not have an unpleasant, mousey smell. It looks like a cute, attractive creature. Has several varieties. In our area, a dwarf, Mongolian mouse is common. There are about 100 subspecies of gerbil in the world.

The abdomen is almost white, the back is brown-red with black hairs. In the center along the back is a bright black stripe. Small round ears, pink nose, blunt muzzle, larger than other types of eyes. The mouse with a brush on its tail has become one of the most beloved pets.

steppe mouse

Outwardly similar to a gerbil. Lives in the fields in the wild. Causing damage to agriculture. The body length is about 7 cm. A distinctive feature is a long tail, which exceeds the body size by 1/3. A mouse with a long tail builds holes in the ground, makes significant reserves for the winter. Likes cereal fields, bushes near ponds, rivers. For a safe living, as well as for a forest mouse, a dense grass cover and overgrown shrubs are required. In winter, they are more active than other relatives. Often . The same species may be called a vole.

house mouse

The most common rodent. It causes a squeamish attitude, a desire to slap, rather get rid of it. With the onset of cold weather, the gray mouse approaches a person's dwelling. It climbs even into the apartments of high-rise buildings on the upper floors. It causes a lot of inconvenience with its presence, spoils food supplies, gnaws things, furniture, interior items. As well as electrical wiring, wires in the car, Styrofoam walls.

Body length is about 6 cm. Small round ears, elongated muzzle, slightly less than the length of the body tail. The body color is gray with different shades. It is also called gray humpback. One of the varieties of the brownie is the black mouse.

white mouse

It occurs naturally in all species of the genus. Due to weak genetic data, the villi of wool acquire a uniform white color. The eyes turn red. Albino mice are more common in laboratory walls. It also turned out to bring out a breed of white mice with normal black eyes, but light hair. One of the most common breeds among all pets.

A huge variety of murine representatives covers all points of the globe, the origin of the genus goes back to the distant past. A unique animal that a person destroys in every possible way, and the mouse remains to live.

Mice are the largest family in the class of mammals. These rodents are distributed throughout the world, except for Antarctica and high mountainous regions.

In nature, there are various types of mice. The smallest mice are about 5 cm in size, and the largest members of the family reach 35 cm. Most mice are gray in color, hence the expression "mouse color".

What are mice? Why are rodents dangerous to humans? What mice can be kept as pets? The article provides a description and photographs of representatives of the mouse family, information about their features and lifestyle.

Features of representatives of the order of mice

The mouse family belongs to the order of rodents. Science knows 519 species of these animals. A typical representative of the mouse family is a small animal with small ears and short hair that has a gray, reddish, brown or black color. In nature, white albinos with red eyes are also found.

Mice are very fertile. The female bears cubs for 25 days and brings up to five litters per year. There are 8-12 little mice in each litter. For about three weeks, the mouse feeds the cubs with milk. After 20 days, their incisors form and they begin to feed on their own. The mice develop very quickly, within three months after birth they are ready to bear offspring. The average lifespan of a mouse is about 2 years.

Mice lack a collarbone, which allows these rodents to get into the narrowest gaps. In addition, the animal quickly adapts to any living conditions and can do without water for a long time. All this makes mice very tenacious.

The presence of a thin mustache helps the animals in orienting themselves on the ground. Rodents have two pairs of constantly growing sharp incisors. If their size reaches 2 cm, rodents may die, so they need to gnaw something, grinding their incisors.

The genes of mice are 80% identical to those of humans. Due to this property, mice, mostly white, are used in laboratory scientific and medical research.

Lifestyle and nutrition of rodents

Mice are mostly nocturnal. They have polyphasic activity: sleep alternates with periods of wakefulness from 25 to 90 minutes.

The animals are very mobile, they can move at speeds up to 13 km per hour. Usually they run on certain routes. You can determine the path of their movement by the left litter.

Rodents nest in groups consisting of a male and several females with cubs. Each family has its own area. Males are very aggressive towards other males. The grown offspring are usually expelled from the family.

In nature, the animals make nests from grass, settle in holes or hollows of trees, making stocks of food for the winter. Getting into the room, they settle under the floor, between the walls, in the attics.

The animals feed on plant seeds and small invertebrates. They can also eat bird eggs and small chicks. Mice living in the house eat any food, gnaw candles, soap, plastic items, paper. These animals are capable of inflicting serious damage to humans.

The biggest harm that a wild mouse can cause to a person is the various dangerous diseases it carries:

• typhus;
• intestinal infections;
• Bubonic plague;
• lentospirosis;
• salmonellosis;
• sodokoz;
• rabies;
• tularemia.

Scientists do not exclude the possibility of transmission of breast cancer by mice. Diseases can be transmitted through rodent-contaminated food, water, bites, and indoor air heavily polluted with rodent waste.

Description of the types of wild mice with a photo

Representatives of different types of mice differ from each other in size, color and habitat. The following types of wild mice live in Russia:

forest mouse

The wood mouse lives on the edges of mixed and deciduous forests or in meadows among tall grass. The size of the rodent is about 10 cm, and the length of the tail reaches up to 7 cm. The mouse has round ears, its color can be from red to dark brown (see photo). The eared animal moves very quickly, can climb high into the trees.

The rodent settles in the hollows of trees, under the roots and fallen trees. The wood mouse hibernates in burrows, the depth of which is up to 2 meters. Minks have several chambers for food supplies, a nest compartment and 2-3 exits.

The animal feeds on fallen tree seeds, acorns, nuts, berries, grass sprouts. The diet is supplemented with small invertebrates.

The beast breeds 2-3 times a year, bringing 5-8 cubs. The number of animals depends on the yield of feed and climatic conditions.

house mouse

The house mouse lives in human housing or adjoining buildings: barns, warehouses, sheds. Can climb to the upper floors of apartment buildings. Usually it is a gray or black mouse, which reaches 6-10 cm in length. The length of its tail is up to 60% of the size of the body.

In the spring, the house mouse moves to nature, and with the onset of cold weather, it returns to the premises. In houses, animals bring a lot of inconvenience: they gnaw on furniture, wiring, walls, and spoil food.

field mouse

Field mice are called mice that live in meadows and fields. They are distributed in Europe, Siberia, the Far East and Mongolia.

Voles are dark or reddish in color with darker stripes and have a white belly and legs. Their size reaches 7-12 cm. The tail of the animals is relatively small. For food, they go out mainly at night, since during the day they risk becoming a victim of numerous predators, for example, an ordinary grass snake. They feed on plants and small insects. These mice are very prolific and tenacious.

Mouse gerbil

The gerbil was brought to Russia from America for laboratory research. Now there are more than 100 varieties of this animal. Dwarf and Mongolian gerbils live in Russia.

Sand mice are often kept as decorative pets. They have a red color with a black stripe and a white tummy. At the end of the tail, some animals have a fluffy tassel.

yellow-throated mouse

The yellow-throated mouse is found in Russia, Moldova, Belarus, China, and Ukraine. This mouse got its name because of the unusual coloring: the beast itself is colored red, and its neck is girded with a yellow stripe. The animal is listed in the Red Book of the Moscow Region.

The sizes of these mice are 10-13 cm. The long tail has the same length. Rodents feed on plant foods. They can harm gardens by destroying the shoots of fruit trees.

grass mice

Grass mice live in Africa. These rodents are the largest among relatives. Their size reaches 35 cm along with the length of the tail. Weight can be more than 100 g. The color of animals has grayish or brownish hues with dark patches. Animals nest in burrows or bushes. They can settle in rooms and houses. Grass mice live in large colonies. They feed on vegetation. Can completely destroy agricultural crops.

Decorative house mice

Thanks to the work of breeders, a variety of domestic decorative mice have been bred. They differ in the type of wool and color. The coat of a domestic decorative animal can be curly, long, satin. Even naked mice have been bred, which do not have hair at all.

Animals can be painted both in a mouse standard color, and in blue, silver, red and other shades. Mice with Siamese color, sable or chinchilla color are in demand. Depending on the features, coloring happens:

At home, small decorative mice are kept in cages with small cells or glass terrariums. They create a living corner in which they place feeders, drinkers, items for games. They are unpretentious for food. These can be cereals, grains, greens, vegetables, dairy products, or special foods purchased in specialized stores. To grind the incisors, the animals are given stale bread crusts and tree branches.

Most often, houses contain white mice. The white mouse is larger than the decorative mouse and smaller than its wild relative. An albino mouse has red eyes and a pink nose.

A mouse is a small animal that belongs to the class of mammals, the order of rodents, the mouse family (Muridae).

Mouse - description, characteristics and photo. What does a mouse look like?

The length of the body of a mouse covered with short hair, depending on the species, ranges from 5 to 19 cm, and doubles with the tail. These rodents have a rather short neck. On the pointed muzzle, small black beady eyes and small semicircular ears are visible, allowing mice to hear well. Thin and sensitive whiskers growing around the nose, give them the ability to perfectly navigate the environment. Mice, unlike hamsters, lack cheek pouches.

The paws of the mouse are short with five tenacious fingers. The surface of the tail is covered with keratinized scales with sparse hairs. The color of the mouse is usually characterized by gray, brown or red tones, however, there are variegated and striped individuals, as well as white mice. Animals lead an active lifestyle in the evening or at night. They communicate with each other using a thin squeak.

Types of mice, names and photos

The mouse family includes 4 subfamilies, 147 genera and 701 species, the most common of which are:

• (Apodemus agrarius)

reaches 12.5 cm in size, not counting the tail, which can be up to 9 cm long. The color of the back of the mouse is gray, with a slight yellowish-brown tint and a dark stripe running along the ridge, and the belly is light gray. The habitat of the field mouse includes Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, Bulgaria, the southern part of Western Siberia and Primorye, Mongolia, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula and certain territories of China. This species of mice lives in wide meadows, in dense thickets of shrubs, city gardens and parks, and the shelter suits both in minks and in any natural shelters. In flooded areas, nests in bushes. Depending on the season, the diet may consist of seeds, berries, green parts of plants and various insects. The field mouse is the main pest of grain crops.

• (Apodemus flavicollis)

has a reddish-gray color and a light abdomen (sometimes with a small speck of yellow). The body size of adults reaches 10-13 cm, the tail has approximately the same length. The weight of the mouse is about 50 grams. This species of mice is widely distributed in the forests of Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Caucasus, the northern provinces of China and Altai. Yellow-throated mice settle on open edges in tree hollows or dug minks, but they can also live in stony placers. Their diet includes both plant and animal foods. Eating young seedlings of fruit trees, they cause significant harm to nurseries.

• Grass mouse (Nilotic grass mouse) (Arvicanthis niloticus)

is one of the largest representatives of the mouse family and can reach 19 cm in length, and together with the tail - 35 cm. The weight of individual large individuals exceeds 100 g. The fur of the back and sides has a dark gray or grayish-brown color with separate hard and prickly bristles of a darker shade. The color of the belly is light grey. This species of mice is most common in African countries, where they live in bushes, forests and savannahs. As a refuge, grass mice choose abandoned termite mounds or dig holes on their own, but on occasion they can penetrate into human habitation. The basis of the diet of mice is plant foods.

• (Micromys minutus)

is one of the smallest rodents in the world. The body length of an adult animal does not exceed 7 cm, the tail is 6.5 cm, and the weight of the baby does not exceed 10 g. The back and sides are solid and have a reddish-brown or brown color, in contrast to the light gray, almost white belly. The muzzle of baby mice is short and blunt, with small ears. The distribution range of this species of mice stretches from west to east from the northwestern provinces of Spain to Korea and Japan, in the south to Kazakhstan, China and the northern regions of Mongolia. The mouse lives in forest and forest-steppe zones, in meadows with tall grass. In the summer, mice use nests twisted in the grass as a refuge, and winter in minks, haystacks, residential or outbuildings of a person. The basis of the diet of baby mice is the seeds of cereals and legumes, as well as small insects. Often they settle near granaries, causing great harm to agriculture.

• (Mus muscle)

the most common species on the planet from the rodent family. The body length of an adult mouse does not exceed 9.5 cm, and together with the tail - 15 cm. The weight of the mouse is 12-30 g. The color of the fur on the sides and back is gray with a brown tint, and on the abdomen from light gray to white. Individuals living in desert areas have a sandy color. The muzzle of the mouse is sharp with small rounded ears. The area of ​​distribution of this species of mice does not include only the territory of the Far North, Antarctica and high mountain regions. House mice live in all types of landscapes and natural areas, very often they penetrate into household and residential buildings of a person. Under natural conditions, minks dig on their own, although they can also occupy dwellings abandoned by other rodents. They feed on seeds and succulent green parts of plants, and when they enter a person’s house, they consume everything that gets into their teeth - from bread and sausages to paraffin candles.

• (Lemniscomys striatus)

a small-sized rodent: body length 10-15 cm, intermittent stripes of light colors are visible along the back and along the sides. Under natural conditions, striped mice rarely live more than 6-7 months, in captivity they live two to three times longer. The menu of these individuals includes mainly vegetable “dishes”: root crops, non-hard seeds, juicy fruits, and occasionally small insects.

• (akomis) (Acomys)

a rather nice representative of the mouse family, the owner of huge eyes and the same big ears. The size of the spiny mouse, together with the tail, is 13-26 cm, the back of the animal is covered with thin needles, like an ordinary hedgehog. An amazing feature of these animals is regeneration: in case of danger, the mouse is able to shed a piece of skin, leaving the attacker at a loss. The skin is quickly restored without harm to the individual. The spiny mouse lives in Asia, is found in Cyprus and Africa. In food, it focuses on plant foods; this animal is often kept as a pet.

Where does the mouse live?

The distribution area of ​​mice covers almost all climatic zones, zones and continents of the globe. Mouse representatives can be found in tropical thickets, coniferous or deciduous forests, steppe expanses and deserts, on mountain slopes or in swampy areas. Mice also live in people's homes.

Mice can make nests from grass stems, occupy abandoned burrows, or dig complex systems of underground passages. Unlike species that live in swamps, mountain, steppe, and forest mice are poor swimmers.

The basis of the diet of mice is plant foods: grass seeds, fruits of trees or shrubs and cereals (wheat, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat). Mice that live in swampy areas, in wet and flooded meadows, feed on leaves, buds or flowers of plants and shrubs. Some species of mice prefer a protein supplement as insects, worms, beetles, spiders. Once in the house, these animals are happy to gnaw potatoes, sausage, baked goods, eggs or cheese.

The mouse does not fall into hibernation and can move under the snow crust without appearing on the surface.

To survive the cold, she has to create solid food stocks in pantries arranged near the entrance to the mink.

What to feed mice at home?

Although house mice eat many foods, not every one of them is recommended for your pets, because there are foods that are not only harmful, but also dangerous for rodents. That is why it is important to properly feed mice at home so that they are healthy, mobile and energetic.

The best option for feeding domestic rodents is ready-made balanced food, which can be bought at any pet store. It is important to note that it is worth choosing “Mouse Food”, as it does not contain components harmful to pets.
Experts recommend giving preference to imported feed, as they:

• do not contain dyes;
• consist of natural and healthy ingredients, not husks and coarse herbs;
• contain a small percentage of nuts and seeds, overeating which threatens the animal with obesity.

Such nutrition will allow the house mouse to feel good, while receiving a full range of vitamins and nutrients.

In nature, mice feed on seeds and some types of animal food, so you need to provide a natural diet for pets.
Domestic mice are given:

Mice breeding

Types of mice living in natural conditions breed with the onset of the warm season, and those living in houses or apartments - all year round. There are no mating rituals in rodents, but if two male mice claim one female, a fight often occurs between them. Pregnancy of the female lasts about 24 days, and up to 10 mice can appear in one litter. In a year, one female mouse displays up to 4 offspring. Puberty of individuals occurs after 2-3 months. Life span of mice under natural conditions does not exceed 9 months, and in captivity this figure can reach 8 years.

House mice are used as experimental animals in testing new drugs, cosmetics and genetic experiments.

Unfortunately, these rodents are not only a great threat to crops and tree seedlings, but also carriers of dangerous infectious diseases.

Breeding mice at home

Decorative types of mice often become pets. They quickly get used to their owner and easily find him by smell. For their maintenance, you need a spacious glass terrarium equipped with a drinking bowl, a feeder and a house. Caring for mice is not difficult, you just need to change the litter in a timely manner, give food and not touch the newborn mice with your hands.

• Translated from the Indo-European language, the word "mouse" means a thief.
• Contrary to popular belief, the strong smell of cheese repels rodents.
• A monument to the laboratory mouse was erected in the Novosibirsk Academgorodok.
• Spiny mice, in case of danger, can shed a small patch of skin to confuse the pursuer.
• Information that elephants are afraid of mice is just a myth.

Mice- These are small animals that have lived near people since ancient times.

Despite the fact that a person does not tolerate such a neighborhood and tries get rid of mice, the latter, nevertheless, it is thanks to people that they feel excellent.

Judge for yourself: these rodents today are one of the most numerous species of animals living on our planet. In this article, you will learn what a mouse is.

Description and characteristics of animals

The smallest mice have a body length of 5 cm, and the largest can grow up to 19 cm.

Body size and coat color depend on which species a particular rodent belongs to.

Mice have a short neck, which is crowned with a spindle-shaped head. The muzzle is pointed, with a pair of semicircular ears and two black beady eyes.

These organs, although small, allow the animal to see and hear everything perfectly.

For orientation in space, nature has awarded rodents with thin, sensitive antennae. They grow around the nose and act as detectors.

The paws of the mouse are small, but they have five dexterous and tenacious fingers. The body is elongated and covered with short hair. The tail is practically devoid of hair, but has a coating of keratinized scales.

The coat color of mice is usually gray, but there are species of these animals with a variegated color. There are also white mice.

the greatest These rodents are active at night. and in the evening.

The mouse family is very large. Scientists have 4 subfamilies and 147 genera. And even more species 701 . But the most common are those species that have been adjacent to humans for thousands of years. These include:

• Field mouse or vole. This rodent is of medium size by mouse standards. The length of its body can reach 12.5 cm. The hair on the back of the rodent is mostly gray. In some individuals, it may have a slight yellowish-brown hue and a dark longitudinal stripe. The coat on the belly is also gray, but of a lighter shade. Voles live in meadows, bushes, gardens and parks. They live in burrows and bushes. In the latter case, they make their own nests between branches. The diet of voles includes berries, grains, green parts of plants and insects. People have long and unsuccessfully tried to reduce the number of this species of mice.
• yellow-throated mouse. The fur coat of this rodent on the back has a reddish-gray color, on the abdomen and neck a yellowish tint. The body length does not exceed 13 cm. At the same time, the length of the tail is almost equal to the length of the body. This mouse weighs about 50 g. The yellow-throated mouse prefers to settle in rocky placers, on the edges of the forest and in minks. They are able to eat both plants and bugs with worms. If necessary, they can eat meat. These rodents pose a serious threat to orchards with fruit trees.
• grass mouse. This is a very large rodent by mouse standards. The length of its body can reach 19 cm. Add the length of the tail here and get a total length of 35 cm. Individual representatives of grass mice can eat up to a weight of 100 g. Their hair on the back is dark gray. It is not homogeneous, but has interspersed with individual stiff and darker bristles. The coat on the belly is uniform and has a light gray tint. This rodent is most common in African countries. It feeds mainly on plants and grasses.
• baby mouse. This is one of the smallest representatives of the mouse kingdom. The body length of an adult does not exceed 7 cm. Such a baby weighs no more than 10 g. The hair on its sides and back is reddish-brown, and on the tummy it is almost white. Unlike larger mice, the muzzle of a baby mouse is short and blunt. The ears are small and almost round. You can meet this animal in forests, steppes and meadows. This rodent loves to settle in haystacks and dig minks near a person’s dwelling, because you can always find food there. The diet of baby mice is based on cereals and small insects. People consider these rodents to be one of the main pests in agriculture.
• house mouse. This type of rodent, without exaggeration, can be called the most common on our planet. The body of an adult can reach a length of 9.5 cm. The weight does not exceed 30 g. The coat on the sides and back is gray. On the belly, its color can range from light gray to white. The muzzle of the rodent is pointed. This type of mice can be found in almost all outbuildings of people. Rodents chew on everything they can get their hands on.
• striped mouse. Such a rodent has an average body size of 10 cm. The coat is mostly gray. May have stripes of lighter shades. This type of rodent is often kept as pets. Moreover, in natural conditions they live no longer than 7 months, and in captivity their life span grows several times. This rodent prefers to eat grass and small insects.
• spiny mouse. This rodent is found quite often. You can recognize him by his huge eyes and ears like mugs. Instead of the usual fur, very small needles grow on the sides and back of this mouse. This rodent has amazing regeneration abilities and uses them in a collision with enemies: sheds some of the skin and runs away. These animals are often kept at home as pets.

About this type of mice should be told in more detail. Such animals are kept by people as pets and as test subjects in laboratory studies. Thanks to these little creatures with squirrel fur and red eyes, people were able to overcome many dangerous diseases and create many amazing medicines.

It is worth noting that white rodents have been known for a very long time. The first mention of them in human chronicles dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. However, this information does not stop "enthusiastic" people who keep saying on every corner that white rodents are the result of secret experiments of scientists from closed laboratories.

In ancient times, white mice could be found in monasteries and countries. There, these rodents were considered sacred. By the way, many eastern peoples named the first month of the year after them.

In Japan, they still believe that if there is a white mouse in the house, then other rodents will bypass it. And in China, such animals were used for predictions.

In Europe, white mice began to be massively bred at the end of the century before last. Bred them for experiments. To this day, these rodents are the most valuable laboratory material for various scientific experiments.

The average life span of such rodents does not exceed 3 years, but during this time they can bring a lot of offspring. In favorable conditions, they are able to breed year-round. Typically, the breeding season begins in mid-spring and ends in November. Pregnancy lasts no more than 21 days. Up to 7 mice can be born at one time.

Literally 12 hours after giving birth, the female is again ready for conception. During the year there can be up to 14 offspring.

That is, one female in 12 months can give birth to an entire army of rodents. It is not surprising that man still cannot cope with the mouse family.

The female feeds the offspring with milk for 4 weeks, after which the mice begin to live an independent life.

After 2 months, these babies will be ready to bring new offspring themselves.

As mentioned above, rodents of various species are often kept as pets. Such maintenance does not cause much trouble, since mice eat everything and do not require large areas for keeping. easy to train. After the rodent gets used to the person, he willingly goes to him in his arms. However, let him out of the cage is not worth it. If he gets into his head to "flee", then it will be very difficult to catch him.

A little about the cage for mice.

• It should be metal, have retractable pallets.
• The pitch of the rods should be small, otherwise the animal will certainly leave its home.
• The cage should not be placed next to heating appliances.

A cage with an area of ​​300 cm 2 will be enough for one pet.

Sometimes you can meet people who keep mice in aquariums and glass jars. This is a dubious decision, as the pet will not have enough air. In addition, an aquarium or a jar is much more difficult to clean than a cage.

The following items should be added to the cage:

• A piece of chalk and some branches. The mouse will sharpen its teeth about them. In addition, chalk will help him make up for the lack of minerals in the body.
• Litter. It is easiest to make it from paper and sawdust. If you add hay, then the pet will definitely build a nest out of it.
• Running wheel so that the pet is not bored.

The pet's diet must be balanced. At least 50 g of food should be consumed per rodent per day. Your pet's diet may include:

• Grains: oats, wheat, rice, etc.
• From vegetables it is best to give carrots and lettuce.
• Cottage cheese.
• Green grass. It is recommended to throw it into the cage regularly.
• Fruits: pears and apples.
• Sunflower seeds. This is a treat for mice. But often you can not give seeds.
• Vitamin supplements.
• Raw meat no more than once a week.

It is forbidden to feed these pets with sweets, spicy and fried foods.