Why are women so afraid of mice? Seeing this little nimble rodent, they jump up in a panic and squeak all over the district so that the little tailed animals themselves scatter in fright. In fact, these creatures are absolutely harmless, except for a busted bag with cereals or stolen cheese. This is what the mouse eats and what is its favorite treat. Therefore, the hunt for food is its main driving force and the goal of short life.
general characteristics
Mice belong to the order of rodents. In it they form a separate family, in which there are 400 different species. Depending on the terrain, they are called Asia Minor, Sichuan, Caucasian, and so on. In Russia, the most common species of mice such as brownie and forest. Their closest relatives are hamsters, voles and rats.
Usually the entire length of the mice does not exceed 10 centimeters, half of which falls on the tail. The smallest species is a baby mouse, whose length is only 5 centimeters. These rodents have short, tenacious legs, a small neck, and a long tail. The presence of a mustache near the nose allows animals to navigate well in the area, in space, despite the time of day. Their ears are small, but have excellent hearing, which often warns them of the danger. The body is covered with short hair of different colors:
black, brown, gray or white. Coloring can also be unusual: striped or colorful.
Habitat
Mice live on all continents. Together with humans, they settled around the world and adapted to different climatic zones. Rodents feel great in the tropics, and in the mountains, and in the swamps. They are able to survive at a stunning height: 4 thousand meters is not the limit for these small creatures.
Typically, mice settle near human populations. This applies primarily to the brownie and Cairo species. Indeed, in cities and villages at every step you can find what the mouse eats. Therefore, here she is as comfortable as possible. But if natural disasters occur - fires, floods or earthquakes, rodents are able to leave their usual habitat and migrate.
Those species that live in the steppes or forests swim badly. But swamp mice feel free on the water. Rodent houses have three types:
- simple minks;
- complex burrows in the form of labyrinths;
- nests of grass stems.
Mice lead a terrestrial lifestyle. They rarely climb trees, but they easily climb small shrubs.
Habits and behavior
Where the mice live, there are usually many goodies that they can fancy. Getting out of their home at night, they steal everything that is bad: seeds, berries and other food. But in the afternoon they can often be seen on the surface, especially in late August - early September, when the crop ripens and you need to stock up on food for the winter. This does not mean that the mice hibernate, they are active in the cold season. Just moving under the snow, they are inaccessible to human eyes. Home improvement and replenishment continue throughout the fall, until the first frosts.
These animals are very careful. They are quite timid, always listen to all kinds of sounds. If they feel threatened, hide or go on the run. They run very fast. An ordinary mouse, as well as representatives of other species, communicate with each other using a squeak. They can live both singly and in small groups. They unite in families in the autumn to collect food for the winter together.
What do mice living in the wild eat?
Usually they like plant foods. It can be fruits of trees, bushes, grass seeds. Sometimes mice feast on insects. Those species that live in meadows and fields feed on cereals, cereal stalks and seeds. Residents of swamps and riverbanks willingly eat plants, especially their green part. Different buds, root vegetables, shoots and leaves make up their daily menu.
What does a mouse eat if it is a resident of the forest? The answer is simple - with everything that trees can give her. It can be the fruits of cedar and beech, as well as hazel, nuts and acorns. The biggest gluttons, of course, are domestic mice. In the apartments of people for them there is everything the most delicious: cheese, sausage, cereals, eggs. Some rodents eat their own kind. So, large yellow-throated mice feed on individuals of smaller sizes: forest or field. But this is if they are locked in a cage or in one room. In the wild, these species coexist peacefully, and there have been no cases of cannibalism between them. This is due to the fact that small mice are more mobile. Catching them in open space is not always possible.
What do captive mice eat?
Some people are crazy about domestic, domesticated rodents. Usually these are individuals of small size, white. They are easy to train, get used to the person and easily cohabit with him. What does a white mouse eat? Yes, anything. It can be a variety of feeds that industry produces. Mineral additives and grains are balanced in them, so that your pet develops correctly and always remains healthy. If you want to feed an animal with real food, then you can give him various cereals and cereals. Fatty and spicy foods should be excluded. Once a week, feed your baby with raw meatworm meat .
Feed domestic mice once a day. Do not exceed the dosage of food, otherwise the rodent can get sick. The features of each species are described in the encyclopedia. After reading it, you will learn in detail what the white mouse eats. Based on the information received, you can correctly form your pet’s diet so that it is always healthy, active and lives with you for many years.
Winter diet of rodents
Looking at the photo of a field mouse or a domestic one, you can see that these animals are small. And like all small animals, they have an increased metabolism, so they often eat a lot. During the ripening period, animals can cause enormous damage to agriculture, as they are forced not only to satisfy their daily gluttony, but also to prepare winter stocks. At this time, rodents actively collect all kinds of nuts, grains, seeds and hide them in secret places, but they never store food in their mink.
A kurganchikovy mouse is very interesting in this regard . She lives in the fields of Ukraine, Moldova and Hungary. When the harvest is coming, she picks up the fallen spikelets and grains of cereals and blows them to the hole. Here the products stack in the form of a slide. Every day this hill grows, turning over time into a stack, which reaches 80-100 centimeters in height and two meters in length. Then they mask this hill with earth. Because of this feature, they were called Kurganchikov.
Breeding
Mice are very prolific. They have no special marriage rituals. The male simply smells the female by smell, finds her and mates. Sometimes between males there is a rivalry and a fierce fight for the right to fertilize.
After a short pregnancy, the mouse gives birth to three to ten mice. They develop very quickly, and after three months can bring offspring. Each year, each female can give birth 3-4 times, so rodents reproduce very rapidly. The most interesting thing is that some species live together as whole family clans, like people. In one mink, young mice, forming pairs, coexist successfully with their parents.
In nature, predators regulate the rodent population. The wide distribution of animals throughout the territory of a particular area makes them easy prey for foxes, forest cats, birds of prey and snakes. If there is hunger in the forest, then even wolves and coyotes do not disdain mice. In the natural habitat, animals usually live 7–9 months. At the same time, in captivity, mice are able to stretch for as long as 5 years. Therefore, they can become your life partner for years. If you still doubt whether to buy rodents or not, then look at the photo of the field mouse. These cute animals will charm you with their innocence and cute appearance, and their quick reproduction can even become your business and generate income.
The harm caused by rodents
Knowing what the mouse eats, we can easily conclude why its dwelling in the house or on the field is unprofitable for humans. It is clear that people do not want to share their food supplies with rodents. Therefore, they are trying in every possible way to get rid of the undesirable neighborhood when they discover their traces in the pantries and barns.
In addition to stealing food, animals also leave their droppings everywhere, so it is no longer possible to use a bag of groats in which pests were in charge. Rodents also spoil the bark of fruit trees, which can lead to the death of seedlings. In Africa, for example, mice completely destroy coffee plantations, causing enormous damage to people.
Rodents suffer many diseases. The most dangerous in this regard are not brownies, but field mice. Their feces and urine contain dangerous bacteria that can enter the human body and provoke an epidemic of pseudotuberculosis, hemorrhagic fever, tick-borne encephalitis and other fatal ailments.
Benefit
It’s hard to overestimate. And first of all, it again comes from what the mouse eats. The basis of the diet of some species includes insects. Eating them, the rodent relieves humanity of harmful and annoying insects, which often can also be carriers of viruses. At the same time, being a treat for foxes and owls, they make their existence possible. By storing stocks near their minks, rodents do not always fully utilize them. And the remaining fruits sprout, give the forest a new tree or field fruit culture.
The use of mice for humanity lies in the fact that these animals are often used in laboratory experiments. They are tested on vaccines and medicines, which in the future will bring great benefits to mankind. In addition, these animals are excellent pets that do not require special care. Even the smallest child can look after pets. Being unpretentious and small, as well as easy to train, they will become favorites for your entire family.