Main Menu
  • All Animals
  • Animal Lists
    • By Scientific Name
    • By Class
    • By Location
    • Pictures
    • Favorites
  • Endangered
  • Reference
  • Blog

Mouse

Apodemus Sylvaticus

Last updated: January 3, 2021
Verified by: AZ Animals Staff

Found on every continent on Earth!

Continue Reading after the facts...


Mouse Scientific Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Rodentia
Family
Muridae
Genus
Mus
Scientific Name
Apodemus Sylvaticus

Mouse Conservation Status

  • Least Concern

Mouse Locations

  • Africa
  • Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Central-America
  • Eurasia
  • Europe
  • North-America
  • Oceania
  • South-America
Mouse Locations

Mouse Facts

Main Prey
Fruit, Seeds, Grasses
Habitat
Open fields and woodland areas
Predators
Bird, Cat, Fox, Reptiles
Diet
Herbivore
Average Litter Size
6
Lifestyle
  • Solitary
Favorite Food
Fruit
Type
Mammal
Slogan
Found on every continent on Earth!

Mouse Physical Characteristics

Colour
  • Black
  • Brown
  • Grey
Skin Type
Fur
Top Speed
8 mph
Lifespan
2-5 years
Weight
100-200g (0.2-0.4lbs)

Mouse Images

Click through all of our Mouse images in the gallery.

View all of the Mouse images!

The mouse is a small rodent that is spread widely throughout nearly every country. The mouse is found in all corners of the globe, including parts of Antarctica.

Many people today like to keep the mouse as pets because of the small size and quiet temperament of the mouse. The mouse is also used a lot in scientific research although the mouse is not an easy animal to examine.

The mouse is often easy prey around the world for small mammals, birds and reptiles. Due to this the mouse generally does not live for much longer than a few months in the wild, mainly because the mouse is small easy prey for many mammals and birds. The mouse though has been known to get up to a few years old when kept as a pet.

Mice can be harmful pests at times, through damaging and eating crops and spreading diseases through their parasites and faeces. It is because of the pest problems caused by mice, that domestic cats are thought to have been introduced into common households.

The gestation period in female mice is less than a month, and the female mouse has an average litter size of about six baby mice, although the mouse litter size is commonly higher than six. The baby mice are known as pups and these mice pups are born with no hair and with their eyes and ears closed. Mouse babies are weaned when they are around three weeks old.

There are nearly 40 different known species of mouse found throughout the world. The different mouse species range in size and colour that is generally dependent on their environment.

Mouse Foot Facts

  • Mice have soft feet with nails on each of their toes that enables the mouse to climb well as they can wrap their feet around things.
  • Mice have five toes on their two back feet and four toes on their two front feet which gives mice more stability when standing on their back feet.
  • Mice use their two front feet to grip onto food such as seeds and berries, so that the mice can eat their food with ease.
  • The mouse has very small and flexible feet but it can easily get its feet stuck in areas that are too small, like if the bars on a mouse cage are too close together.
  • Like hamsters, the foot structure of mice enables them to run backwards into their burrows when wanting to escape from predators.

Mouse Teeth Facts

  • An adult mouse has 16 teeth which it uses for holding onto and chewing its food.
  • Mice have one upper pair and one lower pair of incisors at the front of their mouths which mice use to grip onto and bite their food.
  • Mice have between two and five cheek teeth which mice use for gnawing, but when mice use their cheek teeth the incisors at the front of their mouths stop moving.
  • The incisors at the front of the mouth of mice grow continuously to keep them sharp and strong, and mice must gnaw them down regularly to stop them front getting too long.
  • Mice tend to eat food that is hard so they can gnaw their teeth whilst eating meaning that although mice will eat cheese if they come across it, the myth about mice loving cheese is not entirely true.
View all 45 animals that start with M

Mouse FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Are Mice herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?

Mice are Herbivores, meaning they eat plants.

What Kingdom do Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the Kingdom Animalia.

What class do Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the class Mammalia.

What phylum to Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the phylum Chordata.

What family do Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the family Muridae.

What order do Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the order Rodentia.

What type of covering do Mice have?

Mice are covered in Fur.

What genus do Mice belong to?

Mice belong to the genus Mus.

In what type of habitat do Mice live?

Mice live in open fields and woodland areas.

What is the main prey for Mice?

Mice eat fruit, seeds, and grasses.

What are some predators of Mice?

Predators of Mice include birds, cats, foxes, and reptiles.

How many babies do Mice have?

The average number of babies a Mouse has is 6.

What is an interesting fact about Mice?

Mice are found on every continent on Earth!

What is the scientific name for the Mouse?

The scientific name for the Mouse is Apodemus Sylvaticus.

Sources
  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals
  7. David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals

Our Newest Animals

Loach

Have sharp spines below their eyes

Toadfish

Can be heard out of water

Codfish

They eat other fish

Most Recently Updated Animals

Alpine Dachsbracke

Good companion and hard-working breed!

Loach

Have sharp spines below their eyes

Saint Bernard

Gentle, loyal and friendly!

Most recent blog post


Top 10 World’s Smallest Animals

What are the smallest animals in the world? Before we begin, let’s define “smallest.” After all, single-celled organisms, which can only be seen with microscopes, are crawling over everything — including our bodies! So, for our smallest animals in the world list, we’re limiting it to animals viewable with unaided human eyes. Smallest Rabbit: Pygmy […] Read More

Support A-Z Animals!

Adult Stress Relief Coloring Book

Adult Stress Relief Coloring Book

Wonderful Stress Relieving Animal Designs for Hours of Fun, Focus, and Relaxation.

  • INSTANT download with two edge formats
  • Yours to keep forever
  • Color with markers, coloring pencils, felt tips, and gel pens
  • Zentangle designs and shapes are prove to reduce stress, increase mindfullness, and increase focus
  • Every animal also includes encyclopedia information to learn more about these incredible creatures
  • Large 8.5 x 11 format

70% off this week!

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sourcing Our Content
  • Privacy & Our Policies

Copyright © 2008 - 2021 A-Z Animals