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INTRODUCTION. The house mouse is the most commonly encountered and economically important of the commensal rodents, the Norway and roof/black rats being the other two.  House mice are not only a nuisance, damage/destroy materials by gnowing, and eat and contaminate stored food, they are also of human health importance as disease carriers or vectors.  It is thought to be of Central Asian origin, but is now of worldwide distribution and found throughout the United States.

RECOGNITION. Adult with head and body length 2.5-3.5in (6.5-9 cm), tail length 2 3/4-4in (7-10.2 cm), weight about 1/2-1 oz (12-30 g).  Fur smooth, color usually dusty gray above and light gray or cream on belly (some mice light brown to dark gray above), but fur color varies considerable from area to area or location to location regardless of living habits.  With muzzle pointed, eyes small, incisors ungrooved, ears large with some hair.  Feet short and broad.  With a uniformly dark, scaly, semi-naked tail.  Adult droppings 1/8-1/4in (3-6 mm) long, rod-shaped, lack ridges (American cockroach droppings with ridges), with pointed ends.

HABITS. Mice are very social.  Related males and females are compatible, but unrelated male mice are typically very aggressive toward on another.  Social hierarchies with one male dominating lower-ranking males result in the maintenance of territories, which may include a large number of females as well as lower-ranking males, most of which will be related.  All mature mice tend to show aggression towards strangers of either sex that enter their territory, which is marked with urine.  Territory size varies but it is usually relatively small.  If food and shelter are plentiful, they amy not travel more than 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) from their nests.

     Mice are inquisitive.  During the daily territorial patrol, they will explore anything new or changed, and establish new travel routes if needed.  Mice are nibblers and eat only small amounts of food at any one time or place.  Although mice will eat many kinds of food, seeds are usually preferred.  There are 2 main feeding periods, at dusk and just before dawn, with many other mini feeding times in between.  They will sample new foods but return to the old food unless the new food is preferred.  Required moisture is normally obtained from their food but they will take free water when available, especially when feeding on high-protein food.  When given a choice, they prefer sweetened liquids over plain water.

 

 

 

 

 


     Their preferred nesting sites are dark, secluded places where there is abundant nesting material nearby and little chance of disturbance.  Nesting materials include paper products, cotton, packing materials, wall/attic insulation, fabrics, etc.  Mice are nocturnal in habit.  They require an opening of greater than 1/4in (6 mm) to gain entry.

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