A mouse is a small rodent that typically has a pointed snout, relatively large ears and
eyes, and a long tail.
Mice are found in nearly every country and type of terrain. They can live in forests,
grasslands, and manmade structures.
Here are top 30 amazing facts about Mice...
1. Mice are more than 30 known species of mice. The best-known mouse species is the
common house mouse (Mus musculus).
2. While the average mouse lifespan is only about 12 months outdoors, indoors, this number
can climb to 2 to 3 years.
3. Mice typically grow from 3 to 18 centimeters in length (nose to base of tail) and weigh
between 10 and 45 grams. Some mice have tails that are as long as their bodies.
4. Mice range in color from white to light brown, dark brown, silver, gray, or black.
Some mice exhibit dual coloration. White and brown is the most common of these combinations,
while some specimens may have white, brown, and black coats.
5. Mice are usually nocturnal animals. They have poor eyesight but make up for this with
their very good hearing and smell.
6. Whiskers help mice to sense smooth and rough edges, temperature change, and breezes.
Mice are highly social animals.
7. They build intricate burrows in the wild. These burrows typically have long entrances
and are equipped with escape tunnels or routes. In at least one species, the architectural
design of a burrow is a genetic trait.
9. They are very clean and tidy rodents with their burrows often having separate areas
for storing food, sleeping, and going to the toilet.
10. Mice groom themselves several times a day and are less likely than dogs or cats
to transmit parasites and viruses.
11. Mice are intelligent creatures with complex levels of communication, vocal – often beyond
the auditory range of humans, odorous, and body language.
12. Mice actually have facial expressions. They use these facial expressions to communicate
with other mice and express their mood.
13. In nature, mice are largely herbivores, consuming any kind of fruit or grain from
plants. However, mice adapt well to urban areas and are known for eating almost all
types of food scraps.
14. Some species like the white-foot and grasshopper mouse are omnivorous and eat mostly insects
and sometimes other small rodents and are very skilled hunters.
15. Mice have very high metabolisms, so they need to eat around 15 to 20 times a day. Due
to this need to eat so often, most wild mice build their homes near a food source.
16. An adult mouse has a heart rate of 632 beats per minute (plus or minus 51 bpm). A
human heart only beats 60 to 100 beats per minute.
17. Mice are very nimble animals and can run very fast. It has been known for a mouse to
reach a speed of 12 kilometers per hour.
18. Most mice are very good jumpers. They can jump nearly 50 centimeters in the air.
They can jump down 3 to 4 meters without injuring themselves,
They also are talented climbers and swimmers.
A baby mouse is called a ‘pinky’, a male is called a ‘buck’ and a female is called
a ‘doe’.
19. Male mice are known to court their mates and they do this by serenading the females
with their own ultrasonic loves song – recent research has now added mice to the shortlist
of singing mammals which include only bats, whales, and human beings!
20. Reproduction begins at 6-10 weeks of age, and each female can give birth to as many
as 10 litters per year. After a short gestation period of 20 days, litters of 5 to 12 young
are born and the cycle begins again.
21. Mice have a number of predators including cats, wild dogs, foxes, birds of prey, and
snakes.
22. Humans have eaten mice since prehistoric times and still eat them as a delicacy throughout
eastern Zambia and northern Malawi, where they are a seasonal source of protein.
23. When mice are threatened by something, they play dead until they feel the danger
has passed.
24. A group of mice is commonly referred to as a family, and also as a horde, mischief,
or simply, and most frequently, a nest of mice.
25. Mice and rats are the most commonly used animals in laboratories for scientific experiments.
26. The first cloned mouse, named Cumulina, was born on 3 October 1997 and lived for 2
years and seven months.
Many people buy mice as companion pets. They can be playful, loving, and can grow used
to being handled.
27. It is a myth that mice love cheese. In fact, mice don’t really like cheese at all
and they’ll even actively shy away from certain types of cheese (they have a very
sensitive sense of smell and certain cheeses give off odors that are repulsive to many
types of mice).
28. A mouse uses its tail for balance, allowing it to travel along very narrow wires and ropes.
29. The God Apollo of Ancient Greece is sometimes called Apollo Smintheus, which means Apollo
the Mouse. To honor him, white mice are kept in Apollo’s temple. Also, the Hindu God,
Lord Ganesh has a mouse as a vehicle.
The mouse is a shamanic symbol of wisdom, scrutiny, discovery, and organization.
30. In 1928, Walt Disney’s Micky Mouse was the first mouse character to be used in children
cartoons and animation. Mouse characters have remained popular since with others such as
Speedy Gonzales, Jerry from Tom and Jerry, and Stuart Little.
What do you think about these interesting facts?
Please tell us in a comment below and share.
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel to get more interesting videos.
If you like our video, please share it with your friends.