"Mice" redirects here. For other uses, see Mice (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with
rat.
A mouse (plural mice) is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). It is also a popular pet. The American white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) also sometimes live in houses. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles. They are known to invade homes for food and occasionally shelter.
Although mice may live up to two and a half years in captivity, the average mouse in the wild lives only about four months,[citation needed] primarily owing to heavy predation. Cats, wild dogs, foxes, birds of prey, snakes and even certain kinds of arthropods have been known to prey heavily upon mice. Nevertheless, because of its remarkable adaptability to almost any environment, and its ability to live commensally with humans, the mouse is regarded to be the second most successful mammalian genus living on Earth today, after humans.
Mice can at times be harmful rodents, damaging and eating crops[1], causing structural damages and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces[2]. In North America, breathing dust that has come in contact with mouse excrements has been linked to hantavirus, which may lead to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
Primarily nocturnal animals, mice compensate for their poor eyesight with a keen sense of hearing, and rely especially on their sense of smell to locate food and avoid predators.[3] The original motivation for the domestication of cats is thought to have been for their predation of mice and their relatives, the rats.[citation needed]
Reproduction
Pups that are just a day old
Breeding onset is at about 50 days of age in both females and males, although females may have their first estrus at 25–40 days. Mice are polyestrous and breed year round; ovulation is spontaneous. The duration of the estrous cycle is 4–5 days and estrus itself lasts about 12 hours, occurring in the evening. Vaginal smears are useful in timed matings to determine the stage of the estrous cycle. Mating is usually nocturnal and may be confirmed by the presence of a copulatory plug in the vagina up to 24 hours post-copulation. The presence of sperm on a vaginal smear is also a reliable indicator of mating.[4]
Female mice housed together tend to go into anestrus and do not cycle. If exposed to a male mouse or the pheromones of a male mouse, most of the females will go into estrus in about 72 hours. This synchronization of the estrous cycle is known as the Whitten effect. The exposure of a recently bred mouse to the pheromones of a strange male mouse may prevent implantation (or pseudopregnancy), a phenomenon known as the Bruce effect.[4]
The average gestation period is 20 days. A fertile postpartum estrus occurs 14–24 hours following parturition, and simultaneous lactation and gestation prolongs gestation 3–10 days owing to delayed implantation. The average litter size is 10–12 during optimum production, but is highly strain dependent. As a general rule, inbred mice tend to have longer gestation periods and smaller litters than outbred and hybrid mice. The young are called pups and weigh 0.5–1.5 g (0.018–0.053 oz) at birth, are hairless, and have closed eyelids and ears. Cannibalism is uncommon, but females should not be disturbed during parturition and for at least 2 days postpartum. Pups are weaned at 3 weeks of age; weaning weight is 10–12 g (0.35–0.42 oz). If the postpartum estrus is not utilized, the female resumes cycling 2–5 days postweaning.[4]
Newborn male mice are distinguished from newborn females by noting the greater anogenital distance and larger genital papilla in the male. This is best accomplished by lifting the tails of littermates and comparing perineums.[4]
Laboratory mice
Mice are common experimental animals in biology and psychology primarily because they are mammals, and also because they share a high degree of homology with humans. They are the most commonly used mammalian model organism, more common than rats. The mouse genome has been sequenced, and virtually all mouse genes have human homologs. They can also be manipulated in ways that would be considered unethical to do with humans (note Animal Rights). A knockout mouse is a genetically engineered mouse that has had one or more of its genes made inoperable through a gene knockout.
There are other reasons for why mice are used in laboratory research. Mice are small, inexpensive, easily maintained, and can reproduce quickly. Several generations of mice can be observed in a relatively short period of time. Mice are generally very docile if raised from birth and given sufficient human contact. However, certain strains have been known to be quite temperamental. Mice and rats have the same organs in the same places, just different proportions.
Species
- Subgenus Coelomys
- Subgenus Mus
- Mus booduga (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, southern Nepal, central Myanmar)
- Mus caroli (Ryukyu islands, Taiwan and southern China to Thailand; introduced in Malaysia and western Indonesia)
- Mus cervicolor (Northern India to Vietnam; introduced to Sumatra and Java)
- Mus cookii (Southern and northeastern India and Nepal to Vietnam)
- Mus cypriacus (Cyprus)
- Mus majorius (Athens, Greece)
- Mus famulus (Southwestern India)
- Mus fragilicauda (Thailand and Laos)
- Mus macedonicus (Balkans to Israel and Iran)
- Mus musculus (introduced worldwide)
- Mus nitidulus (Central Myanmar)
- Mus spicilegus (Austria to southern Ukraine and Greece)
- Mus spretus (Southern France, Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, Morocco to Tunisia)
- Mus terricolor (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan; introduced to Sumatra)
- Subgenus Nannomys
- Mus baoulei (Ivory Coast to Guinea)
- Mus bufo (Mountains of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and neighboring parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo)
- Mus callewaerti (Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo)
- Mus goundae (Central African Republic)
- Mus haussa (Senegal to northern Nigeria)
- Mus indutus (Southern Angola to western Zimbabwe and northern South Africa)
- Mus mahomet (Ethiopia, southwestern Uganda and southwestern Kenya)
- Mus mattheyi (Ghana)
- Mus minutoides (Zimbabwe, Southern Mozambique, South Africa)
- Mus musculoides (Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the range of M. minutoides)
- Mus neavei (Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to northeastern South Africa)
- Mus orangiae (South Africa)
- Mus oubanguii (Central African Republic)
- Mus setulosus (Senegal to Ethiopia and western Kenya)
- Mus setzeri (Northeastern Namibia, Botswana, and western Zambia)
- Mus siridandus (Colombia, Argentina)
- Mus sorella (Eastern Cameroon to western Tanzania)
- Mus tenellus (Sudan to southern Somalia and central Tanzania)
- Mus triton (Southern Ethiopia to central Angola and Malawi)
- Subgenus Pyromys
As pets
Main article:
Fancy mouseMany people buy mice as companion pets. They can be playful, loving and can grow used to being handled. Pet mice should not be left unsupervised outside as they have many natural predators, including (but not limited to) birds, cats and dogs. Male mice tend to have a stronger odor than the females. Well looked after mice can make ideal pets. Some common mouse care products are:
- Cage — Usually a hamster or gerbil cage, but special mouse cages are now available.
- Food — Special pelleted and seed-based food is available. Mice can generally eat most rodent food (for rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, etc)
- Bedding — Usually made of hardwood pulp, such as aspen, sometimes from shredded, uninked paper or recycled virgin wood pulp. Using corn husk bedding is avoided because it promotes Aspergillis fungus, and can grow mold once it gets wet, which is rough on their feet. Mice should not be exposed to pine or other scented tree chips as many studies show these to have adverse effects on lung function in mice.[citation needed]
Some benefits of having mice as pets are
- Minimal shedding and allergens
- Entertaining and interactive
- Inexpensive
- Clean (contrary to popular belief)
- Socially self-sufficient when in a group of other mice
- Less likely to bite than other rodent pets
- Relatively intelligent
- Bond well to their owners
- Are playful and attentive
Disadvantages include:
- Short lifespan
- Small and fragile (not as easy to handle as a dog or a cat)
- Defecate and urinate frequently
- Nocturnal
- Frequent eye infections when under stress
- Easily subject to disease when without optimal care
- Frequent reproduction
Nutrition
In nature, mice are herbivores, consuming any kind of fruit or grain from plants.[5] Due to this, mice adapt well to urban areas and are known for eating most all types of food scraps, especially cheese. In captivity, mice are commonly fed commercial pelleted mouse diet. These diets are nutritionally complete, but they still need a large variety of vegetables. Food intake is approximately 15 g (0.53 oz) per 100 g (3.5 oz) of body weight per day; water intake is approximately 15 ml (0.53 imp fl oz; 0.51 US fl oz) per 100 g of body weight per day.[4]
As food
"Pinkies" redirects here. For other uses, see
Pinkie.
"Pinkie" mice for sale as
reptile food
Mice are a staple in the diet of many small carnivores. Humans have eaten mice since prehistoric times and are still eaten as a delicacy throughout eastern Zambia and northern Malawi,[6] as well as in parts of east Asia,[citation needed], although no longer routinely consumed by humans elsewhere. They are an excellent seasonal source of protein.
In the U.S. mice are used as pet food for pets such as snakes, lizards, frogs, tarantulas and birds of prey. Most US pet stores now carry mice for this purpose. Some other countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, have restricted this practice, citing ethical concerns regarding both predator and prey.[7]
Common terms used to refer to different age/size mice when sold for petfood are "pinkies", "fuzzies", "crawlers", "hoppers", and "adults"[8]. Pinkies are newborn mice that have not yet grown fur; fuzzies have some fur but are not very mobile; hoppers have a full coat of hair and are fully mobile but are smaller than adult mice. Mice without fur are easier for the animal to consume, however mice with fur may be more convincing as animal feed. These terms are also used to refer to the various growth stages of rats (see Fancy rat).
Mice in popular culture
The mice stereotype in popular culture is that of a small, sneaky, creature that hides in the walls of one's home and steals swiss (and or Gorgonzola) cheese from the pantries of its occupants. Mice also appear in many of the Redwall books as heroes.
See also
Notes
External links
