About Mouse – Humane Wildlife Removal

ALL ABOUT THE HOUSE MOUSE

Mice are small rodents and one of the most common pests that we encounter. These mammals are active all year round and even though they have Central Asian origin, they currently can be found in most countries. Mice are still considered wild animals, however, they are more likely to be found in the areas populated by people than in the wilderness, as they benefit greatly from human habitation. Even though most of us know what a house mouse looks like, that’s where our knowledge about these rodents usually ends. Considering that house mice can be a serious threat to our health and a big nuisance to deal with, we came up with a short guide on how to identify a house mouse. Below you will find information that will help you with understanding what kind of pest you are going against.

Appearance

The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a small, slender mammal of the order Rodentia. Typically, house mice are dusty grey with light-coloured bellies, however, the fur colour can vary from light/dark grey to light brown. These rodents have a round-shaped body, pointed snout, long tail, and large rounded ears. They can be recognized by their small, black, protruding eyes and their voice which is a specific high-pitched squeak.

Their tail and ears have little hair, and the hind feet are quite short. The adult house mouse is usually 7 – 10 cm long, measuring from their nose to the base of their tail. The tail, used for balance, is generally equally as long as the mouse’s body.

Diet

House mice are omnivorous but typically feed on plant matter. They prefer seeds and grain but are courageous to try new foods – hence why we often consider them nibblers’, as they are willing to try almost anything that they can find in their environment. Even though a single mouse needs no more than 3 grams of food per day, it can destroy remarkably more food than it actually consumes – as we just mentioned, mice are nibblers, which means they often chew on many foods but not necessarily finish them. That’s why we can often find the leftover items that mice have been interested in before, as they discard partially eaten foods. House mice can also survive with little or almost no water if they find themselves in a difficult environment. This species often obtains the water from the food it eats.

Habitat

As the name suggests, house mice live in and near homes, commercial buildings, and farms. They can also be found in agricultural lands. Generally, house mice cannot survive away from human settlements as the wilderness is full of potential predators and stronger competitors, for example, wood mice. House mice tend to search for shelter and food inside our houses and other buildings during the colder months.

Behaviour

These rodents are not a big fan of bright lights and are most active during twilight or night hours, which make them crepuscular or nocturnal. House mice are territorial animals and choose to live in rather hidden places that are ideally close to some kind of food source. A group of house mice usually consists of one dominant male who lives with a few females and they are young. They are certainly social animals and organize themselves into social hierarchies, where usually the dominant males respect each other’s territories. House mice prefer to nest in secluded areas and build nests of any materials they can find, such as paper products, wall insulation, or fabrics. Under good conditions, house mice can breed really rapidly – a female may have 5 – 10 litters per year.

These mammals operate on all fours, however when eating or fighting they rear up on their hind legs and use the tail as a support for balance. Mice are very good jumpers, climbers, and swimmers.

Mice are considered not to have the best eyesight and they don’t perceive some of the colours that we, humans, do. On the other hand, they have excellent senses of smell, touch, and taste, and rely a lot on their hearing. They can also sense air movements and surfaces with their whiskers.