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Why some women are so afraid of small mice, scientists decided to find out. And they found out that this fear is laid at the genetic level. At a time when men hunted and women in caves raised children, predators unexpectedly attacked defenseless people. And since then, when even a small rodent animal suddenly appears at the feet, the woman subconsciously feels danger. And what remains to be done? Of course, scream out loud.
The little mouse can also make a stir if it is in the living room, despite its very tiny size.
Features of the Baby Mouse
The appearance of this type of mouse is previously characterized by a smaller size: the body length is from 5 to 7 cm, and the tail is usually the same length as the body. An adult weighs from 5 to 10 grams.
A small mouse, although small, but it has an advantage over others: the developed musculature of the tail and its amazing tenacity. And it is precisely because of this that she can wrap herself around stems or reeds and climb up without effort.
In this rodent, the muzzle is shortened, but blunt and pointed in the nose. The nose is somewhat compressed laterally closer to the front edge. The cheekbones are thin and weak. The paws are short, and the feet are elongated - from 12 to 16 mm and narrow, ending with sharp claws. The third finger is always slightly longer than the others.
The animal is covered with very thick and soft hair. The upper part of the body is bright with sandy-ocher hues or dark orange; brownish-olive can also be found. In the back, the color is more saturated dark. The abdomen is painted in white or light gray, and there is a sharp color transition in the dark side zone. Depending on the season, the baby mouse changes its fur colors, however, they are very insignificant. The fur color of adults is brighter, while the young ones are dull and much darker.
The incisors of these rodents are long and wide, have roundings in the back, and pointed in front. The upper ones differ in that they are already weaker than the lower ones and have a smooth surface.
The auditory openings are large, the tympanic chambers are also large, have a bulge from the inside.
Habitat
The best animals feel the best among the thickets of rare shrubs, hiding in the weeds, on wastelands, boundaries and fallow lands. Often the family can be seen near busy roads. He lives well in tall grass meadows. This species of mice also prefers the wettest habitat, therefore, along the banks of small rivers, on swamps and marshy meadows, they are also common, especially where the territories are densely covered with reeds.
When colds come, small mice, fleeing from frost, hide in dry reeds, make a small mink for themselves, or settle closer to a human dwelling - in hay, barns, in the attics of houses or under the floor.
Nutrition
The diet of baby mice is quite extensive and mainly depends on the time of year. They prefer cereals, legumes, various berries, seeds, young sprouts and buds of broad-leaved trees, shrubs, and reeds. Flower nectar is also a favorite dish of the animal.
They are attracted to agricultural land because a large amount of tasty food is growing in the fields: cereal cereals, oats and other cultivated plants planted by people. To reach the grains that hide in the ears, these nimble rodents climb up, helping themselves with a long and strong tail. He wraps himself around the stem, helping his mistress maintain balance on a plant bending from her weight.
It certainly causes damage to the crop, especially if its population is large. But at the same time, it can destroy a sufficient number of insects that damage the crop. The menu of these animals contains various small insects, most often bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars and moths. He loves the mouse and honey dew secreted by some insects.
The daily feed rate of these mice is 30 percent. of their total mass.
Lifestyle and features of procreation
Little mouse mice live separately from each other. Males occupy an area of about 400 m2 for themselves, females need a lot less.
A special feature of baby mice is the ability to weave a cozy soft ball-shaped house from various waste products of plant origin. Inside, such a house is very solid and comfortable due to the fact that it is lined with shredded grass and down. Such a nest, the diameter of which is from about 60 to 130 mm, can be located on the soil or fastened not far from the ground on the stems of plants - at a distance of up to 60 cm.
Such houses are loose, have only one inlet side hole in the form of a mink or, to enter the house, the hostess simply pushes the wall. After the cubs appear in the nest, a caring mother clogs all loopholes for several days due to uninvited guests.
These animals have an amazing ability to procreate. Each brood is from 3 to 8 cubs. Under favorable circumstances, one female may have up to 6 litters per year. A special peak of birth occurs in August and September. The pregnancy period lasts no more than 21 days. At this time, while the offspring are hatched, the females always drive the males away from themselves. But an interesting fact: he who lives in captivity does not drive the males away.
The kids sit in the nest for the first 11 days. Mom mouse is very caring. All these days she has been busy feeding milk to children, and she has 4 nipples, bring food to children, endlessly cleans them and even eats all stools. It is so necessary that the enemies do not smell the milky smell of children.
The mice that are born quickly grow up. A few days later they begin to explore their house. On the fourth day, they themselves begin to tidy their own skin. A week later, they already see perfectly. When teeth appear after 9 days, one hundred percent development of solid food begins. After 10 days from birth, the cubs stop taking their mother’s milk and completely switch to solid food.
At the same time, they leave their shelter. When the children turn 16 days old, they are completely ready to live independently. And their mother most often expects a new offspring. At the age of 45 days, the calves are already fully matured, and they themselves are ready for procreation.
In nature, usually a baby mouse lives no more than 6 months, less often - up to a year or a little more, and after a year the population can completely change.
Due to its miniature size, such a breed is kept at home, placed in a small terrarium, and then the pet's life expectancy reaches 5 years.
However, it should be borne in mind that mice are the causative agents of some very dangerous diseases that are very difficult for the human body to tolerate. First of all, it is an erysipelas infection, leptospirosis, etc. Therefore, it is advisable to buy these animals in a pet store.
Video: Baby Mouse (Micromys minutus)
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