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House Mouse: Mus musculus
The house mouse is identified by a small slender body weighing between ½ to 1 ounce as an adult. The ears are large, the tail is semi-naked and is as long as the head and the body together. The fur is usually dark gray on the back and light gray on the belly, but many color variations are possible.
A female produces between four and seven pups per litter following a gestation period of about 19 days. The pups are born blind and naked. Within 7-10 days they are covered with fur; the eyes and ears are open. A female will typically produce about eight litters in her lifetime, although if conditions are good, she is capable of giving birth to a little every 24-28 days. The normal life span for a mouse is about one year or less.
Inside buildings, mice set up their nests near food sources, and once established, they stay close to home, traveling short distances between the food and the nest. The nest is made from paper, insulation, furniture stuffing, or any soft material chewed into small bits to make a soft bed.
In most infestations, the mice feed during the night with the heaviest activity occurring at dusk and again shortly before dawn. Constant mouse activity during the day indicates a severe infestation.
An adult mouse consumes about 3-4 grams of food daily. Mice will eat almost anything, but cereal grains and various seeds are preferred. Meats, peanut butter, nuts, and various types of sweet liquids and candies are also readily taken. Mice may even eat each other when food is scarce. The house mouse requires extremely small amounts of water to survive. When free water is available, they will seek out and eagerly drink between 3 and 9 milliliters per day. But, mice can survive without water in most environments because they can satisfy their water needs by extracting water from their food.
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