Wildlifeof China
House Mouse
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: (c) Noland Aull, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY
Mus musculus
Basic stats
Diet
Seeds, grain, fruit, plant material, insects and carrion
Habitat
Buildings, barns, granaries, cultivated fields, fencerows and woodland
Range
Worldwide in association with humans
Litter size
3–12, generally 5–6
Gestation period
19–21 days
Size
6.5–9.5cm, plus a 6–10.5cm tail
Weight
12–30g
The house mouse is a small murid with a slender body, a nearly hairless, scaly tail and fur ranging from light brown to black. Its underside is generally white or buff. Head-and-body length is 6.5–9.5cm, while the tail can be almost as long as or longer than the body. Wild individuals weigh 12–30g, and males and females are similar in outward appearance. (Animal Diversity Web)
House mice live closely alongside people in houses, barns and grain stores, but also occupy fields, fencerows and wooded places near buildings. They are generally nocturnal and are capable runners, climbers, jumpers and swimmers. Their flexible diet includes stored foods, seeds and other plant matter, insects and carrion. Females can breed repeatedly when conditions permit, bearing 3–12 young after a gestation of 19–21 days. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the House Mouse eat?
- Seeds, grain, fruit, plant material, insects and carrion
- What habitat does the House Mouse live in?
- Buildings, barns, granaries, cultivated fields, fencerows and woodland
- Where is the House Mouse found?
- Worldwide in association with humans
- What is the litter size of the House Mouse?
- 3–12, generally 5–6
- How long is the gestation period of the House Mouse?
- 19–21 days
- How big is the House Mouse?
- 6.5–9.5cm, plus a 6–10.5cm tail
- How much does the House Mouse weigh?
- 12–30g