10 interesting facts about mice. How to get rid of mice in an apartment?

What does it look like

These rodents are quite small in size - the length of the largest individual is approximately 14-15 cm, and the size of the small mice is 7 cm.

This representative is distinguished by an elongated and pointed muzzle, round eyes and large ears.

The tail of the mammal is hairless, with small fluff and ring-shaped scales. The length of the tail is almost equal to the size of the animal’s body. The fur is short and quite smooth.

The color of the animal depends on its habitat: mice that live in deserts are sandy or brown, rodents that live in the north are usually grayish or black.

The hind legs with clawed toes are longer than the front ones: there are four in front and 5 in the back.

How do they behave and where do they live in their natural environment?

The life of mice is a constant bustle, searching for food and eating it. Habits are related to the fact that animals need to maintain body temperature. In addition, rodents have to be constantly on guard to avoid becoming prey to predators. The lifestyle depends on the species - some mice are active during the day, others at night.

Most often, mice live in large colonies. Each pack has a leader who controls the others. Sometimes conflicts and struggles for power arise. Such collisions can cause the disintegration of a mouse family.

Mice live in burrows that they dig underground. Most often, a hole consists of 1-2 nests connected by passages, several storage rooms and exits to the surface.

Backbone

The skeleton of the animal, although light, is very strong, elastic and mobile.

Mice have a skull and part of the muzzle that are slightly elongated; places of fusion of bones appear on the skull. The most prominent bones are the parietal, lamboid, interparietal, parietotemporal, coronoid, and frontal.

In this article you can see what small mice look like.

The lower jaw of the animals is developed and can move in different directions.

The spine of rodents consists of 5 parts, in particular:

• 7 cervical vertebrae;
• 13 thoracic vertebrae;
• 7 lumbar;
• 4 sacral;
• 20 tail.

The brisket is quite narrow in size - it has 13 paired ribs.

Is it worth getting a decorative mouse at home?

A live house mouse costs 200-300 rubles. The low price is one of the reasons why many decide to get such a pet. But before you do this, it’s worth learning about all the advantages and disadvantages of keeping a decorative rodent at home.

Dental system

These mammals have two pairs of well-developed incisors on each jaw. They don't even have roots in front and grow throughout their lives. The upper ones are larger in size than those located below, they are protected by strong enamel.

The mouse fangs on the jaw are replaced by a toothless edge - a diastema; behind it are molars, some of them smooth, others lumpy. Thanks to them, parasites grind food. Molars are constantly growing and need to be ground down.

If an animal wants to gnaw on an iron or hard object, they are able to break off the lower incisors from below, this risks the fact that the teeth on the upper jaw will bend inward, thus the mammal will not close its mouth without having eaten.

• Body structure
• Behavior of mice in the natural environment

2

Biological features of the mouse

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The structure of the mouse body has features characteristic of all representatives of the rodent order. The main distinguishing feature is the structure of the dental system.

Body structure

Mice belong to the class of mammals, the order of rodents, the suborder of mouse-like animals, and the family of mice (Muridae)

and the mouse subfamily
(Murinae)
. It also includes rats, since mice are very similar in appearance to them.

Rodents (Rodentia)

are the most numerous order of the class of mammals, uniting more than a third of all their species.

Rodents are distributed throughout the globe. Currently, they are divided into approximately 30 families, including more than 400 genera. Numerous species of rodents are divided into three suborders: squirrel-like (Sciuromorpha)

are divided into 5 modern families (beavers, American mountain beavers, squirrels, bag rats, heteromyids) and 5 extinct ones;
porcupines (Hystricomorpha)
are represented by 12 modern families (true porcupines, arboreal porcupines, guinea pigs, capybaras, agouti, nutria, chinchillas, etc.) and 3 extinct ones;
mouse-like (Muomorpha)
unites 10 modern families (dormouse, selevinia, mice, jerboas, mole rats, mice, hamsters, etc.) and 3 extinct ones.

The mouse-like suborder includes the largest number of species, whose representatives inhabit all natural zones, from the Arctic tundra to the snow line in the mountains. Most rodents live in burrows, but feed on the surface. There are also forms that lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle (mice, rats), completely underground (zokor, mole vole), semi-aquatic (beaver, muskrat) and arboreal (squirrel, dormouse).

The structure of the limbs of rodents is adapted for digging, swimming, running on the hind limbs (jerboas), climbing, and even gliding flight (flying squirrels). Rodents tolerate adverse environmental influences better than other mammals, are capable of rapid reproduction and reach the highest numbers within the class .

Fossil remains of rodents date back to the Paleocene. Scientists suggest that this order of mammals arose in the Cretaceous period, possibly from common ancestors with insectivores.

The mouse is a small animal with a sharp, elongated muzzle and large eyes and ears. The bare tail, covered with very sparse hairs, reaches a length equal to half the animal’s body. Ring scales are clearly visible on it.

The mouse skeleton is light, but quite strong, characterized by high mobility and elasticity.

The mouse spine consists of five sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and caudal. The cervical region consists of 7 flattened vertebrae, forming a short, tightly articulated column. There are 13 thoracic vertebrae, 6 or 7 lumbar vertebrae. The lumbar region consists of two true and two false lumbar vertebrae, which fuse to form the sacrum. There are up to 20 vertebrae in the caudal region.

The chest is narrowed laterally. From above it is formed by the thoracic vertebrae, to which 13 pairs of ribs are adjacent, and from below there is the sternum, protruding into the abdominal cavity. The chest reliably protects the internal organs of the animal.

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The hind limbs are longer than the front limbs, each with five toes. The forelimbs are four-toed, the first digit is reduced. Mice have claws at the ends of their fingers.

In mice, as in other rodents, the right and left halves of the pelvis are separated, and there is no pubic fusion. In young females, the pubic bones are tightly connected by ligaments, but in females that have given birth, the ends of the bones diverge. This structure of the pelvis contributes to a painless birth. A mouse usually gives birth to a large number of fairly large babies.

The mouse skull is elongated, with eye sockets, and the facial part is elongated. For adult individuals, the development of ridges (joints of the skull bones) is typical - coronoid, frontal, sagittal, parietotemporal, lamboid. The frontal and lamboid crests are especially pronounced. The paired frontal bones, together with the paired parietal and unpaired interparietal bones, form the roof of the skull. The unpaired occipital bone limits the brain cavity posteriorly and has a foramen magnum. The cervical vertebrae are attached to the occipital bone. The auditory part of the skull of mice is located on the sides of the posterior half of the braincase and consists of three bones: petrous, mastoid and tympanic. The auditory canal opens in the tympanic bone.

Mice are highly adaptable to changes in environmental conditions. Thanks to this, they are distributed throughout the globe.

The upper jaw is motionless; the upper row of teeth is located on it. The lower jaw consists of two movably connected parts that can move in the transverse direction. The lower jaw itself moves in three directions: transverse, longitudinal and vertical. The lower row of teeth is located on the lower jaw.

The main distinguishing feature of these rodents is the structure of the dental system, which includes two pairs of large chisel-shaped incisors on the lower and upper jaws. The peculiarity of incisors is that they do not have roots, so they constantly grow (up to 1 mm per day). To prevent the incisors from reaching a huge size and taking on an ugly shape, mice grind them down. The front side of the cutter is covered with very durable enamel, the back side wears off faster. Thanks to this, the tips of the incisors are always sharp, which occurs due to uneven grinding. The upper incisors are wider and stronger, and can withstand loads of up to 2.5 kg. The lower incisors are smaller. Between the incisors and molars there is a toothless space (diastema). The molars, whose main function is to grind food, fit tightly together and form a single row. Their surface is different: flat or covered with blunt tubercles.

Structure of the skull and dental system

Molars can also grow. The abrasion of their surfaces should occur evenly; for this, the rodents’ diet should always include additives that they could chew, for example, twigs of deciduous trees.

Table 1

Basic physiological data of the mouse

Mice lack premolar teeth and fangs.

Mice have fairly well developed vision. The eyeball has a spherical shape. There are up to 30 million rods and more than 200 thousand cones in the retina of the eye. The visual acuity of white mice kept at home is weaker than that of their related wild forms. Color vision has been discovered in a number of mouse species. They distinguish between red and yellow, but do not respond to blue and green.

Behavior of mice in the natural environment

Mice have several types of adaptation to unfavorable environmental conditions, either long-term or seasonal. First of all, this is their year-round activity, with the help of which mice make reserves for a possible unfavorable period.

Mice can be active all year round without stockpiling, feeding on food or grain obtained from food warehouses, stores or homes.

Types of adaptation also include seasonal migrations of mice from natural habitats to buildings (late autumn) and vice versa (spring). Mice many centuries ago adapted to living in close proximity to humans.

Mice, like most rodents, have a very difficult time maintaining a normal body temperature due to their small size. Regulation occurs mainly by reducing or increasing the production of internal heat. At low air temperatures, mice produce more heat in their bodies than at high temperatures. Animals may die due to a decrease in vital activity associated with prolonged cooling and the accompanying high consumption of nutrients, the reserves of which are not replenished by the food they eat.

When the air temperature rises, the heat transfer from the body surface decreases, and at the same time the heat release in the body decreases, which also negatively affects the metabolic process.

Body temperature rises to a critical point. If new portions of heat continue to arrive, the animal dies from heatstroke.

Therefore, to maintain normal body temperature, mice expend a lot of energy, which is replenished by eating huge amounts of food.

The activity of life processes, that is, the rate of growth, food consumption and development, directly depends on body temperature. This explains all the physiological characteristics of this animal and its habits, which have developed over many centuries: they are aimed at overcoming the adverse effects of the environment.

The behavior of mice also depends on the seasons of the year. They do not hibernate and store supplies for the winter. If mice live in close proximity to humans and are thereby provided with food, they are mainly engaged in mating games and raise offspring.

Despite their small size, mice can be very brave and courageous. Fighting for survival, they are able to attack animals many times larger than themselves.

Mice activity mainly occurs at night. With the onset of dusk, they begin guarding their area, digging holes and searching for food. Decorative mice living next to a person adapt to the conditions of his life. If mice live in a room with constant darkness, the duration of their activity increases. The animals rest at intervals.

If people are present often and for a long time in the habitats of mice, the animals adapt, as mentioned above, to the human daily routine, that is, they can be seen even during the daytime, especially when the room is quiet.

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The circadian rhythms of these animals can change not only due to disturbance associated with human activities. Their daily cycles are also affected by changes in weather and seasons. For example, in the summer, especially in places with a hot climate, mice become active only at night. This saves them from overheating, which is harmful to their body. As the daytime temperature drops, they rearrange their daily rhythms and gradually become active during daylight hours. In this case, periods of wakefulness are interspersed with rest.

The daily distribution of activity is also influenced by the characteristics of the structure of the flock and the position of the animal in the group. Often there is a daily routine in which the periods of wakefulness of the leader of the pack determine the activity of subordinate individuals. At the same time, weak animals prefer to get their own food, explore the territory and dig holes while their leader is resting, so as to, as they say, not catch his eye. The activity of the strongest male often depends on the behavior of his subordinates: the leader becomes more active if they are too noisy.

Factors that influence the rhythm of activity of mice are also the age and sex of the animals. Before the birth of the offspring, the female increases her activity: she has to eat a lot, collect material for building a nest and drive other females away from it. After giving birth, the mouse spends almost all the time in the nest, feeding, warming and caring for the offspring, leaving the shelter only to eat.

In older individuals, activity is reduced compared to the younger generation.

The skeleton of the white-footed (or deer) mouse lacks collarbones. Thanks to this, the animal is able to crawl into very small holes (1 cm in diameter).

For research purposes, humans have learned to control the circadian rhythm of mice and other rodents, directing it to their own benefit. You can make the mice stay awake during the day, when it is more convenient to observe them. To do this, you need to take care of the animals and feed them only during daylight hours.

When meeting, mice sniff each other's faces with extreme caution, and then all other parts of the body. After this identification process, the animals disperse peacefully if the results of this kind of check show that they belong to the same community.

Representatives of the mouse family usually live in large families. A single animal will not be able to quickly detect food, stock up on food for a long winter period, arrange a future home, and notice the impending danger in the form of a predator. In groups it is easier for these animals to survive in natural conditions and raise offspring.

However, living together with mice also has its downsides. Between individuals, as well as in human society, conflicts arise from time to time. They are most often associated with a lack of food, which appears during rapid and excessive reproduction. In order to ensure order in the pack, the subordination of weaker individuals to the stronger ones is maintained. According to this principle, a leader is elected who proves his superiority by certain behavior and specific sound signals.

House mice naturally live in burrows dug by large families. The leader dominates all family members, especially young males. This most likely occurs due to the reluctance to give up one’s “throne” to others. Very often young animals are determined to conquer this place. The signal for the start of war is expressed in tail strikes and stomping of hind legs. If the old leader is defeated in this battle, he becomes a subordinate. There are cases when all young males are in a fighting mood and have an equal chance of success. Then the family breaks up, and its members go in search of females in order to create new families.

Female mice are more peaceful. They often build joint nests, where they hatch and raise offspring together. Males do not particularly care for their cubs, and during the mating season they become aggressive.

Sometimes these animals, upon contact, develop a desire to groom. This involves cleaning the hair from parasites. This, as well as the welcoming ceremony, is of great importance for establishing friendly relations within the family.

To protect themselves from enemies and members of other families, mice demarcate their territory using marks. The animals then use them to navigate. Most often, the marks are odorous, that is, made by urine, feces or gland secretions. Scent signals are also used to convey information about the availability of food, and in females, about readiness to meet a male.

Research scientists have concluded that certain substances in urine even contain information about the genetic makeup of mice. The smell is not the same not only among different mouse-like rodents, but also among neighbors, individuals from other families. If an animal is caught and kept away from its native community for some time, its smell will change or be lost altogether, therefore, when returning, the mouse will be attacked by its former fellow tribesmen.

Like most rodents, mice consume very little water. The amount necessary for life is produced inside the body during the combustion of carbohydrates. Larger mammals and even humans have this ability, but for them the internal source of water is not enough.

Desert species of mice can live without any external sources of water at all. The limited amount of feces and concentrated urine prevent their body from getting rid of valuable fluid. Some desert mice consume small amounts of seawater. An ordinary house mouse can exist without water for a long time.

With the exception of the little mouse, all animals of this family live in burrows. Most of the mice's lives pass in them: here they raise offspring, feed, rest after eating food, make supplies, and hide from unfavorable environmental conditions and danger.

Burrows are divided into temporary and main. Temporary burrows have a simple layout. The main ones consist of many holes connecting to the main nesting chamber and entrance holes. This type of burrow is divided into summer and winter.

Summer burrows are intended for the birth and feeding of offspring, so they are much more complex. They have a nest with soft, warm bedding, which is arranged in advance from bird feathers, wool or dried blades of grass. If mice live in houses near humans, bedding is made from various kinds of leftover household items, that is, from ropes, shavings, paper, rags, etc.

There are species of mice that lead an exclusively arboreal lifestyle. They make nests in the crowns of trees and find food without descending to the surface of the earth.

Before the birth of the offspring, the female expands and cleans the nest.

Winter burrows have a simpler layout than summer burrows. In most cases, they have a chamber for storing supplies - the so-called pantry. Burrows intended for protection from danger and unfavorable environmental conditions or, for example, for rest in hot weather, most often have only one entrance hole and a short side. It has been noticed that young individuals build the smallest burrows for themselves. Most species of mice have several protective burrows.

Such minks do not protect from four-legged predators. Mice hide from dogs, foxes, ferrets and various raccoons in more complex burrows. But even they do not guarantee salvation from the attacks of stoats and weasels, which freely penetrate them.

Minks, in addition to protecting and feeding their offspring, have another equally important function. It consists of providing optimal temperature conditions, since mice have rather weak and imperfect thermoregulation. By taking refuge in a hole, mice save themselves from death due to overheating or hypothermia.

The main feature of shelters is that passages and chambers are located in different layers of soil, so if desired, the animal can choose its optimal microclimate.

Baby mice make spherical nests between tall stems of reeds, reeds and cultivated cereal plants. The nests are thus located at a height of about 150 cm.

Mouse nest

Wood mice live in voids under tree roots or in hollows. Food supplies that allow the mouse family to feed for 1–2 years are stored in underground chambers. In winter, during inclement weather, mice almost never come to the surface of the earth. Also, wood mice that live in fields make burrows with 2–3 entrance holes. A nest is made from split stems. Most often it is located at a depth of 70–80 cm, and from it there is a branch in which food supplies are stored.

House mice live in most cases in warehouses and human homes. If their settlements are in a field, then the animals make burrows, where at a depth of 40 to 50 cm there is an underground nest with several entrance holes leading to it. During the warm season, house mice can change their place of residence several times, settling where there is a lot of food, for example, along the sides of roads, forest plantations, ditches, in gardens and in fields with ripening grain. In the fall, the animals move again, this time into haystacks or forest plantations.

Table of contents

Internal organs

Let's take a closer look at the internal organs. The animal's trachea is located in the cervical region, followed by the esophagus. The thyroid gland is located in the area of ​​the larynx, and a little lower, near the sternum, is the thymus gland. The secretion is released into the blood thanks to these endocrine glands.

The heart valve and lungs are located in the sternum.

Note that a dome-like diaphragm is found only in rodents. It seems to separate the sternum from the peritoneum.

The liver is located under the diaphragm, it is also like a dome. On the left side and slightly below the liver is the stomach, from which the loops of the small intestine branch off.

In the middle of the intestine you can see the lateral outgrowth of the cecum. Note that this organ is quite highly developed in mammals that feed on plant foods. Then comes the large intestine and anus.

In males, testes in the shape of ellipses are located at the bottom of the abdominal cavity. In individuals that have reached puberty, they lie in the scrotum.

Wolffian canals branch off from the testes - ducts into which the ducts of the seminal vesicles flow. Depending on their size, the male will be successful or unsuccessful in breeding. The genital organ is clearly visible.

In female individuals we can see the uterus. In those females who have not yet reached puberty, the uterine horns are very thin, barely noticeable. But for those who have already given birth to offspring, they are wide. The embryo is clearly visible in the uterus of pregnant female mice.

Kinds

The mouse subfamily is one of the most numerous, it includes more than 500 species of rodents, which are combined into 121 genera. Let's look at a few of the most common varieties.

Harvest mouse

Field mice are one of the largest groups of rodents. The size of voles ranges from 8 to 12 cm. You can recognize a field mouse by its color; its fur is brownish-brown, often with reddish markings, a rather wide dark stripe is visible on its back, and light gray fur on its belly. These rodents live in Europe, China, Mongolia, and Korea.

Typically, field mice live in open spaces - fields, meadows. There they dig shallow burrows or colonize existing natural shelters. Sometimes voles can settle in garden plots and even enter houses.

The field mouse is cautious and timid, and practically does not detect its presence. You can most often hear these mice squeaking only if they are caught in a trap.

House mouse

The house mouse is a rather small species, the body size of the animals is from 6.5 to 9 cm. The color is dark, brownish-gray, the abdomen is light. House mice have perfectly adapted to living near humans. They can live in houses, bathhouses, and outbuildings.

House mice are the most common species, as they settled across all continents along with people. These rodents are found everywhere, with the exception of the Far North, Antarctica and high mountain areas.

Herbal

One of the largest representatives of the mouse subfamily. The body size can reach 15 – 18 cm, the tail length is slightly less. The coat is elongated, grayish-brown.

Herbal

The homeland of these rodents is Southeast Africa. They live both in the savannah and in tropical bushes. Often found in pastures, gardens, and floodplains. Grass mice, unlike their relatives, lead a diurnal lifestyle.

Lesnaya

The wood mouse got its name because, unlike its relatives, it chooses mixed and deciduous forests for living. It can be found in steppes and even on rocky areas. In nature, the wood mouse tries to occupy natural shelters (empty holes of other animals, voids between stones, rotten stumps), but if necessary, it also digs holes.

The rodent's body length is 8–10 cm, the length of the tail is almost equal to the length of the body. The color is reddish-gray, the fur on the belly is lighter. A distinctive feature is a small yellowish spot on the chest.

Gerbil

Gerbils are a separate subfamily, in which there are more than 100 species of rodents. The body length of the gerbil, depending on the species, is from 6 to 20 cm, the tail length is from 6 to 24 cm. The color is dull, inconspicuous, most often the coat is sandy or muted brown. The difference from most of its relatives is its long, well-furred tail.

Habitat: arid steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. Gerbils are predominantly diurnal and do not hibernate in winter, but become more lethargic in winter.

Shrew

It is very easy to distinguish shrews from other mice. These rodents have a long, strongly pointed muzzle with a slightly curved nose at the end. Shrews are small rodents with thick fur of an ash-gray, reddish or buffy hue.

They prefer to live in places with high humidity; some species lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle. They occupy the burrows of other animals or dig their own in the ground. They can build nests under fallen trees or dead wood, in rotten stumps, and sometimes settle next to humans.

Yellowthroat

The yellow-necked mouse is a small rodent, the size of which rarely exceeds 10 cm. The color is quite bright, brownish-red, and there is a yellow stripe around the neck, from which the mouse got its name. Another feature of this variety is its large, rounded ears.

Yellowthroat

The distribution area is almost all of Europe and Western Asia. Most often, mice live in open clearings of mixed and deciduous forests, but they can also be found in city parks, gardens and personal plots.

Sense and smell organs

Since these animals lead an active lifestyle at night, their visual organs are poorly developed. As scientists have found, rodents can distinguish between red and yellow colors.

Mice are endowed with excellent hearing - small tailed parasites can even hear high-frequency sounds.

At night or in a dark room, they navigate the area with the help of their antennae - vibrissae. The organ of smell plays an important role in the life of rodents - thanks to the excellent organ of smell, they distinguish friend from foe, find food and determine their location in space.

There are special glands on the paws that secrete a secretion, this substance helps them mark their territory.

When a mouse is frightened or stressed, a special substance appears in its urine; it gives a signal to other relatives about impending danger so that they can run away.

Reproduction

How do bats reproduce and are born? Before hibernation, animals open the mating season (how and where do bats hibernate?). A few months after mating, 1-2 mice are born , which the mother feeds with milk for 2 weeks.

Bat cubs are under the care of their mother for 3 weeks , after which they begin to live independently. Ask how long bats live; there is evidence that bats can live up to 30 years .

Features of life

Rodents are active all year round, so they constantly accumulate provisions for the winter. However, house animals settle into human housing, where you can always get something to eat. As a rule, in the summer, mice move into the fields, and closer to winter they again occupy residential buildings.

Wild pests are active mainly at night, but this factor depends on climate conditions. They do not like heat, and closer to the onset of cold weather they become more active during the day.

The mouse’s body can even go without water for a long time, because their body itself is able to secrete the required amount of moisture.

Enemies of mice

The mouse is the most important link in many food chains. For some animals, mice are the main source of food. The main enemies of mice:

• snakes and large lizards;
• mammals (cats, foxes, small mustelids, mongooses, wolves, badgers, hedgehogs);
• birds (owls, eagles, owls, kites, hawks, crows).

Sometimes mice become victims of their close relatives - rats. Yes, and the answer to the question can a mouse eat a mouse is also yes. This happens very rarely, but mice deprived of the opportunity to get food can attack their weaker relatives.

And, of course, we must not forget about the main enemy of house mice – humans.

Care and maintenance of domestic mice

There is nothing difficult about caring for and maintaining decorative mice, even for a child. The conditions of detention should be as follows:

• indoor air temperature – +20…+27 degrees;
• humidity – 55-65%;
• dim lighting;
• no draft.

Attention! It is important to choose the right place for a house mouse to live. The cage should not be located near heating devices or in direct sunlight. Overheating is dangerous for the life of a rodent.

Cage and filler

Before buying a cage, you need to decide how many mice will live there. For a family of 3-4 individuals, a dwelling measuring 60x50 cm is suitable. The height can be any, but not less than 40 cm. For one house mouse, a cage with dimensions of 40x30 cm is used.

Preference is given to designs made of metal gratings with a plastic removable tray. It’s good if it has high sides, then the filler won’t spill out. The door must close securely, otherwise the decorative mice will escape.

A thick layer of wood shavings is poured onto the bottom - at least 3-4 cm. Only natural materials can be used as bedding - pressed sawdust, crushed corn cobs. Cotton wool, rags, paper are not the best option, as they do not hold back unpleasant odors and quickly get wet.

Interior design of a mouse's home

It is recommended that pet mice have a resting house. You can make it yourself from scrap materials or buy it ready-made at a pet store. A little filler is poured inside so that mice can burrow into it when they are cold or scared.

In addition to the house, you will need a feeder and water bowl, as well as a running wheel to increase physical activity. It is better to give preference to a solid structure without holes. The tail can get stuck there while running, which can lead to injury. If there is enough space in the cage, it is worth placing pipes, tunnels and ladders inside. With their help, it is convenient to connect the first level with the second.

Hygiene

Cleaning the cage of a decorative rodent is done as the litter becomes dirty. If there is only one house mouse living there, the procedure is carried out once every 5-7 days, if there are several, more often. The old filler is thrown away and new filler is added. Every time during cleaning, all equipment is washed - drinking bowl, feeder, pipes and wheel. It is better to clean the tray with a soda solution and scald it with boiling water.

Attention! An unpleasant smell in the cage appears only because the owner of a pet rodent rarely cleans the cage. This is also why mouse fur stinks.

The fur of a house mouse also needs to be looked after. It becomes contaminated with feces and urine, and pieces of food stick to it. Even if the fur smells bad and looks untidy, the decorative rodent should not be bathed. Mice cannot swim and are very afraid of water, unlike domestic rats. Dirty fur can be cleaned in other ways - with a toothbrush, a damp cotton pad or a piece of soft cloth.

Bathing a house mouse in water is allowed in exceptional cases when the contamination cannot be removed in any other way or is life-threatening. To wash your pet you will need a deep bowl. No more than 2 cm of water is taken into it. The fur is gently wetted by hand, then detergent for rodents is applied, lathered and rinsed. After thorough rinsing, the pet mouse is wrapped in a towel and held in your arms for as long as possible so that it does not catch a cold.

Taming of ornamental rodents

A house mouse is easier to tame than a hamster. The main thing in this matter is consistency and regularity of communication.

After purchasing the decorative rodent, leave it alone for a day or two. During this time, he will adapt, inspect and sniff his new home. Next, you can begin to gradually tame the mouse:

1. You should approach the cage more often and talk to the rodent in a quiet and gentle voice.
2. The next stage is getting used to the owner’s smell. To do this, you need to feed the mouse by hand through the grill.
3. After a few days, you can try to open the door and give something tasty in the palm of your hand. The rodent will have to come and take the food on its own.
4. Soon the house mouse will understand that the owner's hands do not pose a threat. She will begin to climb right into your palm and eat calmly. At such moments, you need to carefully stroke her back.
5. At the final stage of taming, the decorative mouse will calmly allow you to pull yourself together. The main thing is not to scare her with sudden movements or loud noise.

To prevent a house mouse from going wild, you need to regularly communicate with it. If you don't pick it up for a long time, it will quickly wean itself off its owner.

Important! House mice love company. If an ornamental rodent lives alone in a cage, it needs to be given more attention.

Breeding

House mice become sexually mature at 30-35 days of age. In females, estrus begins; in males, a sign of maturation is the descent of the testes into the scrotum. It is recommended that females be mated for the first time upon reaching three months of age.

Effective mating is possible only during estrus, which occurs in females every 3-8 days and lasts from 4 to 20 hours. Pregnancy in house mice lasts 22 days.

Approximately in the middle of gestation, the female begins to build a house or nest from the litter in which the pups will be located after birth. She uses wood shavings, scraps of soft fabric, paper, and napkins as building materials. It is important to ensure that all this is at the disposal of the pregnant female.

There are from 5 to 9 mice in a litter. They are born naked, blind and deaf. The weight of a newborn mouse is 1-2 g.

Little mice develop quickly. On the third day they develop hearing, and on the fourth day their bodies are covered with soft fur. By the fifth day of life, their body weight doubles. Two weeks after birth, the eyes open. From this age, domestic mice begin to feed themselves. The young animals are weaned from their mother on the 21st-25th day.

To avoid uncontrolled reproduction, male domestic mice are separated from females.

Many people are not sure whether to get a pet mouse, because this animal has already earned a bad reputation. However, ornamental species of rodents make excellent pets - they are easy to care for, interesting to watch, mice are quickly tamed, and do not require much attention or high maintenance costs.

How to find a rodent nest by following their tracks

Mouse nest.

Following the route, you can find the nest. The traces of the pasyuks are clearer, but the distance between them is greater. They press their paws harder. Wood mice and voles have less clear markings and are closer together.

The places where the nests are located are covered with fallen leaves or rubbish. The entrance diameter is up to 5 cm. It is easy to check whether rodents live there. You need to roll up the newspaper and place it in the hole. Having pulled out the crumpled and splashed paper a day later, it becomes clear that there are inhabitants inside and it is necessary to take measures to destroy it.

The structure of rat paws

The most common rat is the Pasyuk, whose tracks are very similar to all mouse-like ones. However, the paws are slightly larger.

Rat front paws

The size of the rat's footprint reaches 2*1.5 cm. The fingers are up to 10 mm long, ending in short sharp claws. If the prints are clear, the plantar tubercles will be clearly visible.

Hind legs of rats

On a large print measuring 4 cm, only the front half is visible. All 5 fingers are visible, the side ones are protruding.