Scientists have been able to identify a lot of different rodents; they live in different parts of the planet. They are not found only on the coldest continents, but on the rest they live.
Among them, people's favorites are hamsters, since they are often found at home, although they live freely in nature, as well as rats, which are also often pets or live in people's houses without their permission, voles and ordinary mice.
The latter are especially disliked by people, since they often destroy winter supplies and are considered dangerous carriers of diseases.
Usually people have difficulty distinguishing rodents and cannot always tell exactly who is in front of them. But this is not surprising in the case of mice, since among them there are approximately 400 different species.
Outwardly, they are all very similar, and behave almost identically. The animal mouse is famous for its incredible cunning and is difficult to catch. People have been fighting for centuries, primarily with this representative of rodents.
What are the external features of the mouse?
Nowadays, many photos of mice are taken, and they are easy to find on the Internet. Due to this, it is possible to accurately determine what species a mouse that appears on human territory belongs to.
Usually its body does not exceed 10 cm, moreover, about half the size is the tail. This small process is always bare, and it is difficult to detect the presence of hairs on it. At the same time, the body is completely covered with hair of a uniform color.
However, there are two unique species that have spines that replace fur. We are talking about Elliott the mouse and the so-called spiny species. The fur of these strange creatures is replaced by needles similar to thorns, like those of a cactus.Mice are brown, sometimes brown, and gray ones are common. Scientists have discovered mice that have stripes running down their backs.
Mouse Squad
Mammal. Cubs are viviparous. The female feeds the pups 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 from 1 to 12 cubs in a litter. The number of pregnancies per year is 3-5. There is a tendency for the rodent population to increase once every 7 years.
Mice are born blind, toothless, and naked. After a week, teeth begin to grow and fur appears. After 20 days, the incisors appear, and the young animals begin to provide for themselves. The young female is ready for fertilization after 3 months of her life.
How are mice different from other rodents?
If we conduct a detailed description of mice, it is important to note that they have excellent hearing, allowing them to pick up sounds of various tones. To do this, they use ears that are rounded in shape.
On the small pointed muzzle you can notice the presence of antennae called vibrissae. Thanks to this important organ, mice are able to navigate perfectly, even in the dark. However, they do not have pouches behind their cheeks.
Most species of mice do not like to climb trees, however, they easily move on the basis of grass stems growing in meadows. And also for this they use reeds or small branches of bushes.Among them, the smallest individual was identified; it was named “baby”, since it has a body size of only 5 cm.
Wild ones from all over the planet
These rodents are distributed throughout the world in great diversity. Below are the types of mice with photos and names.
African
Has five subspecies. The color is dark brown with a light belly. They reach a length of 10 cm and a weight of up to 23 g. The presence of a long, prehensile tail allows them to settle in trees and old hollows. Exclusively herbivorous species. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle.
Gerbils
It was brought in for experiments in laboratories, and now lives as a pet for some people. It has a red color with a black stripe, and a light belly. Characterized by the presence of an unpleasant odor. There is a tassel at the tip of the tail.
Little mouse
It got its name due to its small body size - up to 6-7 cm and weighing up to 10 g. It has a red or brown color. The baby mouse is distributed from Spain to Japan. Lives in forests or steppes. It feeds on plants and insects. When settling near agricultural lands, they cause great damage to crops.
Herbal
The main habitat is eastern Africa. Very large animals. How much a mouse weighs depends on its diet and the presence of diseases. Despite this, the weight of a grass mouse reaches 100 grams, and its length is up to 20 cm without a tail. It has a gray or brown color with dark splashes.
Yellowthroats
In Moscow, the animal is listed in the Red Book. A characteristic feature is a yellow stripe around the throat against a background of gray or red fur. It grows up to 12 cm and weighs up to 45 g. It is omnivorous. Causes great damage to agricultural lands and forests.
Japanese
Belongs to dwarf. The coat color is brick, with a white tip of the tail. It reaches a length of 11 cm, weight - up to 15 g. Very long tail - up to 9 cm. Lives in bamboo forests, feeds only on plants. The female brings up to 7 mice.
Striped
It has a relatively small body - up to 16 cm, and weight up to 20 g. The fur is dark with light stripes. Life expectancy is up to 8 months. By type of nutrition - a herbivore.
Bank vole
The most common subspecies of wood mice. Causes enormous damage to agricultural lands and forests, and is a carrier of diseases dangerous to humans. Color – all shades of red. Grows up to 13 cm, weight up to 18-20 g. Lives in a family and never alone. It feeds on plants, roots and insects.
White mouse
The white mouse, or albino, got this color due to a gene mutation. In addition to the color of her fur, she has red eyes. This is an artificially obtained species. There are also albinos with normal black iris color. Most common as pets. They weigh about 30 grams and grow up to 12 cm, excluding the tail. A rodent like a white mouse and what it eats may differ slightly from the typical diet of wild species. She eats grass, vegetables, cottage cheese, fish oil and raw meat.
Zebra
Lives in northern Africa. A distinctive feature is the ability to jump 2.5 meters in height. The active phase is at night. In the USA they live as pets. How long mice live at home depends on proper care. In captivity, the age of a mouse reaches 4 years, while in the wild it is only six months. It has a protective striped color, which allows it to successfully hide from predators. Weight ranges from 30 to 60 g, and height – up to 13-14 cm. It is omnivorous.
Vulcanova
Lives in the highlands of Mexico. In the laboratory it can live up to 5 years. She is up to 14 cm tall and weighs up to 60 g. She has large eyes and grayish-yellow fur. They usually feed on plants, but sometimes they can also consume animal products.
Needle
Stands out for the large size of its eyes and ears. It has a height of up to 25 cm and a weight of up to 30 grams. The back is covered with thin needles. In case of danger, it can painlessly shed part of its skin. Belongs to herbivorous species.
Where do different types of mice live?
Due to the characteristics of the body, this animal was able to take root in any place. In most cases, they use the surface of the earth to live, however, some species have good skills in moving along vertical surfaces.
Where do mice live and how can humans meet them? Usually, people most often encounter two types of these rodents, since only the Cairo or house mouse lives near human buildings.
Some mice like to live near various bodies of water, and they swim tolerably well. They do not like to have couples and usually live alone.- Detailed description with photos of all animals included in the Red Book of Russia
Zebra - habitats, appearance, diet and behavior, life cycle + 94 photos
Leopard - habitats, life cycle, rutting season and lifespan + 118 photos
However, a subspecies of the house mouse, called the Kurganchik mouse, likes to start a family of up to 20 individuals living in a common burrow. They create common reserves for wintering and build nests necessary for life.
Most mice like to live in a permanent place. They leave their inhabited area only if necessary due to some environmental changes. However, they usually do not move far, since they do not have the desire to look for a long time for a new place to live.
Lifestyle
A mouse can cause enormous damage to humans. By nature and food preferences, a rodent is a predator. But the pest mainly consumes plant foods and therefore its diet consists of seeds, fruits of trees or shrubs and cereal crops. Mice living in swampy areas, wet or flooded meadows feed on the buds, foliage or flowers of various plants.
Habitat of a mouse A herbivorous creature with an appetite eats helpless chicks, drags eggs from nests, feasts on worms and various insects, replenishing the body's protein reserves. When settling in or near a person’s home, mice happily destroy potatoes, sausages and bakery products, eggs and other food products that are easy to get to. They do not disdain soap, candles, toilet paper, books, and polyethylene.
Interesting!
The strong smell of cheese can repel rodents.
Various breeds of mice, having settled almost throughout the planet, arranging their habitat, can build nests from grass stems, occupy abandoned holes, old hollows, or dig complex underground systems with many passages. Once in a person’s home, rodents settle under the floor, in attics, and between walls. Unlike representatives living in swamps and near water bodies, steppe, mountain and forest mice swim poorly.
The active life of animals coincides with the evening or night time, but they try not to move too far from their home. The mouse has many enemies, these include birds of prey, reptiles, mongooses, foxes, hedgehogs, cats, crows and other representatives of the fauna.
Important!
Mice make huge reserves for the winter, but do not hibernate.
Mostly voracious and ubiquitous rodents cause harm, but there is one area of science in which the omnivorous mouse is useful and irreplaceable. These are special scientific and medical laboratories where animals become experimental subjects. Thanks to these small animals, many important discoveries were made in genetics, pharmacology, physiology and other sciences. Surprisingly, 80% of the genes endowed with a living mouse are similar to human structures.
Decorative
The ornamental mouse differs from the wild one in that it is not exterminated, but rather is kept as a pet. Almost all animals of this breed are bred in laboratories, so the color of their coat can be varied. There are even “naked” species. Food needs to be provided in a variety of ways - from cereals and seeds to meat and cottage cheese. There is also special food for house mice.
Rosette
She has short, very shiny fur with combs and rosettes. They reach a length of about 10 cm and weigh about 15-20 g. The color may vary. They prefer plant foods.
Naked
In fact, this mouse still has fur. But it is so short and colorless that it gives the impression of its complete absence. This phenomenon is caused by gene mutation. They live for about a year.
Texel
They have thick, wavy fur. Stiff hairs emerge through the main fur, slightly longer than the rest of the fur. Color may vary. The mustache also has curls. Curliness is more pronounced in young individuals.
Rex
They have a round small body and short curly fur. The texture of the fur is the same as that of Texel mice.
Longhair
The color can be varied. The coat either curls or remains smooth. They are small in size, body length is about 12 cm and weight is about 18 g. They live up to 2 years.
Representatives of mice can be very different. Some are destroyed, others are kept as pets. Wild individuals carry many deadly diseases and destroy crops. Decorative mice are safe for health, since most of them were bred in sterile laboratories, and each individual underwent a vaccination procedure.
Life hacks and gardening tips
Tip #1
Since voles actively reproduce and can have offspring repeatedly from spring to autumn, it is preferable to prevent them from appearing on the site. To do this, experienced gardeners recommend taking preventive measures.
Prevention includes:
- systematic waste removal on site;
- collecting compost heaps outside the fertile area in closed boxes;
- refrain from mulching the beds with seed husks and other products that voles love so much.
What product would you choose to combat vole mice?
ChemicalFolk
Tip #2
Some gardeners soak sawdust in kerosene, tar, formalin or turpentine, and then scatter them around the area. Although this method is effective, it is dangerous for humans and pets. For this reason, you should refrain from using this method, or do it carefully.
Tip #3
After the rodents have been exterminated, it is necessary to disinfect the premises, especially residential ones. Any places where mice have been, as well as objects with which they interacted, can pose a danger. Treatment of premises should be carried out using personal protective equipment. Bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and medical antiseptics can act as a disinfectant.
