Mice: what they are, lifestyle in the wild and near humans.

Mice are nimble and small rodents, whose appearance and specific habits are known to everyone.

Most species of these funny mammals belong to the group of synanthropic animals, that is, they choose areas near human habitation as their habitat, which facilitates access to food sources and heat.

Mice are distributed throughout the entire planet, with the exception of high mountain areas and the Far North. Decorative species of animals have been bred that require home maintenance and care.

Structure and appearance

The wood mouse is larger than the house mouse. Its dimensions vary between 7-12 cm, and its weight is 20-30 g. Features of the rodent’s exterior:

• the head is large, with a pointed muzzle;
• large ears set vertically, their length can exceed 2 cm;
• elongated pointed muzzle;
• black, bulging, round eyes;
• the length of the tail is approximately equal to the length of the body;
• short hair lies close to the body;
• the upper part of the mouse’s body is colored grayish-red;
• the abdomen is light; some individuals have a light yellow spot on the chest.

Reference. The dwarf wood mouse has a smaller body size. She has a longer tail and fur.

What does it look like

Mice of individual species look different, but there are some features that are common to all representatives of this subfamily, for example:

• Large soft ears, oval in shape.
• Big bulging eyes.
• Oblong body.
• Tail bare or covered with sparse hairs.
• Different sizes of front and rear limbs. The front ones are much shorter.
• The anatomy of mice involves long incisors that grow throughout life.

The body length of representatives of the mouse order varies from eight to twelve centimeters in length. The size of some species can reach fifteen centimeters.

Duration and lifestyle

In the wild, wood mice live in colonies that consist of several families. In each group of rodents the male dominates. He has several females of different ages at his disposal. Their task is to give birth and raise offspring. Males constantly fight for territory and females.

The wood mouse is a nocturnal animal. During the day, she hides in a hole or other shelter - in a hollow or under the roots of bushes. When dusk comes, the rodent goes in search of food. During the warm season, wood mice actively stock up on provisions. Over the summer, an animal can collect about 5 kg of food! And this despite the fact that he does not have cheek pouches, like a hamster.

Learn more about how long wood mice live.

The rodent prefers to build holes. The home of a wood mouse usually has several entrances. A typical burrow consists of 4-5 zones that resemble rooms. Most of them are intended for storing provisions. One serves as a place for hatching cubs.

Wood mice have very good hearing. Therefore, in natural conditions, these animals are almost impossible to track. At the slightest rustle, they immediately disappear from sight - they hide in the foliage, under snags and quickly run away.

The average lifespan of wood mice in the wild is 12-18 months. Rodents often die due to attacks by wild animals and birds. Often the cause of their death is infectious diseases.

Wood mice cause harm to humans because they destroy crops of wheat, oats, rye and barley. In just one day, a rodent eats about 25 g of grain. In addition, they spoil the roots of fruit bushes and plants, and also eat already ripe fruits and vegetables.

Attention! Wood mice are very prolific. In the warm season, in a short period of time, a whole army of pests can appear from a few individuals, which will populate a vast territory.

Content

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 housing. They are easy to train . After the rodent gets used to the person, he willingly goes into his arms. However, you shouldn’t let him out of the cage. If he takes it into his head to “run away,” it will be very difficult to catch him.

A little about the mouse cage:

• It should be metal and have pull-out trays.
• The spacing of the rods should be small, otherwise the animal will certainly leave its home.
• The cage should not be placed near heating devices.

A cage with an area of ​​300 cm2 will be enough for one pet.

Sometimes you can find people who keep mice in aquariums and glass jars. This is a questionable decision, since the pet will not have enough air. In addition, an aquarium or 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 on them. In addition, chalk will help him replenish the lack of minerals in the body.
• Litter. It is easiest to make from paper and sawdust. If you add hay, your pet will definitely make a nest out of it.
• A running wheel to keep your pet from getting bored.

Habitat

The habitat of wood mice is very wide. This species is found almost everywhere where there are broad-leaved and mixed forests:

• in Eastern Europe;
• in the Caucasus;
• in Turkey;
• in the northeastern part of Kazakhstan;
• in China.

Although wood mice prefer to settle in open areas of forests, they are sometimes found in steppe zones and foothills. Rodents make their homes in tree hollows, under their roots, in the forest floor or in burrows. In harsh winters, rodents can settle in close proximity to people.

How are farmers harmed?

Mice, like many other rodents, cause a lot of damage to farms. Here's why mice are dangerous:

• mice carry dangerous diseases (typhoid, plague, salmonellosis, etc.);
• they leave their excrement wherever they run and climb (various infections are also transmitted to people through feces);
• chew wires, furniture, walls and other household items;
• Mice are dangerous for the garden: they spoil the harvest (they gnaw the bark of fruit trees and their roots, eat the harvest);
• They eat the feed of farm animals and leave their excrement in it, which leads to food spoilage.

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Interesting Facts

Even though mice get a bad rap, they are amazing animals. Facts that confirm this:

1. The wood mouse does not hibernate in winter, but simply becomes less active.
2. During the day, these animals experience about 15-20 periods of wakefulness, which last from 20 to 80 minutes.
3. With the onset of cold weather, forest mice move closer to human habitations and eat food supplies in warehouses.
4. These rodents see poorly, but they compensate for the vision problem with well-developed hearing. Mice pick up sounds with frequencies up to 100 kHz.
5. Female rodents are excellent mothers. If the bedding on which the cubs lie is damp or very dirty, the mouse begins to build a new nest for the babies.
6. More experienced females help the young ones feed and raise their young.

Education

House mice are pets that are among the smartest animals among rodents, while decorative varieties quickly get used to their owners and are perfectly tamed if they are given enough attention, while speaking affectionately and softly. They are able to remember their nickname. Mice quickly begin to recognize the scent of the person who brings food, and will greet him with a cheerful squeak. Animals can be trained to respond to various whistles and various commands, for example, “Come to me!”, “Serve!”, “Home!”

It is worth noting that scientists have been studying house mice for a long time. Kotenkova E.V. (Doctor of Biological Sciences), for example, has devoted a lot of time to this issue, writing several scientific papers about their behavior, as well as their role in ancient mythology.

What does a wood mouse eat?

The rodent's diet depends on the time of year. In winter, the mouse eats stored reserves, which consist mainly of plant seeds, grains and nuts. In early spring, rodents willingly eat young greenery - grass and leaves. In summer, mice feast on ovaries and fruits, as well as fresh seeds.

Find out more - “What wood mice like to eat.”

They are very fond of nuts and acorns, as well as mushrooms, which grow in abundance in the forests. Interestingly, mice only eat specimens that are not damaged by worms. Rodents do not disdain animal food - insects and larvae. If an animal discovers a clutch of eggs of a small bird, it will certainly take the opportunity to eat one.

Diet in natural conditions and near humans

Mice prefer plant foods, namely:

• corn;
• seeds;
• nuts;
• roots, stems, leaves and buds of plants;
• vegetables fruits.

They eat mice and insects, larvae, spiders.

Nutrition

The diet of a mouse entering a human home is more varied. Unpretentious animals eat cereals, bread, dairy and meat products, soap, and candles. Even the smallest rodent can cause serious damage by chewing wires, furniture, and books.

Natural enemies

Mice are an important link in the food chain of various ecosystems. The lives of many animals depend on these rodents. The main enemies of wood mice:

• fox;
• ferret;
• arctic fox;
• ermine;
• marten;
• weasel;
• lynx.

Predatory animals dig holes and eat mice. Snakes and large lizards also feed on rodents. Boas, pythons and vipers swallow them whole. Wood mice have enemies not only on the ground, but also in the sky. These are birds of prey - owl, buzzard, hawk, eagle, kite.

A little history

In nature, white albino mice are periodically born, and it is almost impossible for them to survive, since they are very noticeable and also instantly become prey. But in ancient times in Crete they were kept in the form of living amulets that bring good luck. They were also kept in temples, where they were specially looked after by ministers. 4,000 years ago, mice were bred and kept in Ancient Egypt, paying close attention to colored species. The Egyptians attributed supernatural abilities to them, and also depicted them on their clay vessels.

During the period of Ancient Rome and in the Middle Ages, healers used mice and rats for medicinal potions, while in Asia they are still specially bred for such purposes. With the development of veterinary medicine and experimental medicine, mice and rats began to be used for various studies as laboratory animals. It is believed that decorative and laboratory mice originate from white, spotted and black fighting mice, described in a book published in 1787. It talks about the animals that were used for fighting at that time. English merchants brought them from Japan. Subsequently, the mice formed a special line of house mice, and decorative breeds began to be bred as pets.

Today, in various countries of Western Europe and America, there are Clubs for mouse lovers, the main goal of which is to breed new varieties of these animals. Most often, individuals of different colors are obtained: gray, white, red, brown, lilac or pinkish, with spots. Special exhibitions with expert assessments are held there.

But in our country, decorative mice are less known than in America and Europe, but among animal fans they are becoming more and more popular every year. In clubs for lovers of various rodents, special sections of ornamental mice have been created, nurseries have been opened that engage in selection and breeding work, and exhibitions are also held where house ornamental mice are exhibited along with other small animals.

Reproduction and offspring

Wood mice become sexually mature at the age of two months. In nature, rodents breed only in the warm season - from the end of March to September. Over the course of a year, a female can produce 4-5 litters.

Pregnancy in wood mice lasts 20-25 days. There are from 4 to 7 cubs in one litter. They are born naked, blind and deaf. Around the fifth day, the mice's ears perk up and they begin to hear. During the same period, a soft cover appears on the body. Eyes open 2 weeks after birth.

The young grow quickly. By the age of one month, wood mice already know how to get their own food. And after another month they start their families.

Varieties

House mice live everywhere. This is facilitated by high adaptive capacity. The animals tolerate cold and heat relatively well and adapt to any living conditions. Close proximity to humans ensures survivability - a minimum of enemies, a large amount of food. A typical representative of mice can be found outdoors and indoors. Lives in garages.

House mice are the most common experimental specimens in laboratories. Over many years of work, breeders have intentionally or unintentionally bred many different subspecies of house mice. But several have been officially identified.

House mouse classification:

1. musculus – has become widespread in Poland, Northern and Eastern Europe, and parts of Russia;
2. bactrianus - an interesting species of domestic mice found in Asia;
3. domesticus - a heat-loving species found in Southern Europe, America, Africa, Australia;
4. castaneus is another representative of Asia, only in the southeastern part.

Types of mice
For a long time, there was another type of domestic mouse - Mmmolossinus. Rodents have become widespread in Japan. However, later scientists stated that this species cannot be classified as a separate type, since they obtained the animals by crossing Mmmusculus, Mmcastaneus.

Mice are used in nearly 75% of animal research procedures

The following are approximate figures for the use of model organisms in laboratory research:

• rats, mice and other rodents, universal laboratory species – 83.3%;
• fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds – 15%;
• sheep, cows, pigs and other large mammals – 1.5%;
• dogs and cats bred for research; the use of stray pets is unacceptable – 0.1%;
• Primates, mainly monkeys and macaques – 0.1%.

Photo: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News

Chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas have not been used in most EU countries for more than 20 years, and in the UK their use is completely banned. Around this time, it was allowed to clone mice . The first cloned mouse, named Cumulina, was born on October 3, 1997 and lived for 2 years and 7 months.

Mice live in small colonies or family groups

Depending on the prevailing environmental conditions, mice occur alone, in pairs, in small family groups, or in multiple families coexisting at very high densities. Social groups usually consist of a dominant male and several females.

Mice densities range from 10 individuals per square meter in commensal species to 1 individual per 100 square meters in wild species. Under ideal conditions, populations can grow strongly, with numbers exceeding 200,000 individuals per hectare .

80% of human genes have a comparable gene in mice

The mouse is an excellent model for studying human diseases because its DNA organization and gene expression are similar to those of humans: 80% of human genes have a comparable gene in mice. These rodents have a reproductive and nervous system similar to humans, and they suffer from many human diseases such as cancer, diabetes and even depression. Research in mice has helped us understand both human physiology and the causes and treatments of disease.

Without mice, organ transplantation, IVF, the creation of most vaccines and drugs, and understanding the immune system would be difficult.