The mouse is an amazing animal. They are smart, beautiful, easily adaptable to any living conditions and unpretentious. It is not for nothing that these rodents became characters in folk tales both in our country and among other peoples. Usually those people who keep these rodents as pets, sooner or later begin to be interested in questions about how big the largest mouse in the world is, what these animals are, how much they can weigh.
What sizes are there?
These rodents are very diverse, including in size. The sizes of the largest mice are as follows:
- baby - up to 7 cm;
- forest mouse - up to 10 cm;
- gerbil - from 6 to 13 cm;
- steppe or field - from 7 cm and more;
- brownie - 6-10 cm;
- white - from 6 to 13 cm.
Each of these animals has its own unique features, which differ in the types of rodents. Of course, each species has its own dimensions.
How tiny are baby mice?
There are large mice, but babies are the smallest, which is why they got such a name. The length of their body does not exceed 7 cm. The length of the tail is proportional to the body. These are the mice that fit in the smallest palm.
Dimensions determine the way of life. Under natural conditions, babies do not dig holes, they arrange dwellings in the grass, constructing something resembling a nest. The special moments in their lifestyle do not end there. These little mice climb trees agilely, do not hibernate, easily tolerate cold, and are not against snacking with protein products, that is, worms, insect larvae or someone else's eggs.
The fur of the babies is buffy, yellowish, sometimes with a redhead. The tummy, the tips of the ears and the muzzle are white. In nature, these mice live everywhere, but due to the control of pests in crops, gardens and kitchen gardens, their numbers have dropped significantly. It is most likely to meet babies in their natural habitat in the Caucasus, in the southern regions of Yakutia and Great Britain.
Are forest mice big?
This variety of rodents got its name because of its habitat. These rodents settle in the clearing, edges, can live in the woods and more often. This is not a very large mouse, the body length of a forest animal reaches 10 cm, the tail rarely grows over 7 cm. But these mice are well-fed. The weight of animals on average is 20 grams, which is decent enough for such a not very large rodent.
Their fur color is dark - black, brown, red. The muzzle is specific - the nose is long and sharp. In addition to the shape of the nose, the hallmark of these animals are giant, in comparison with the size of the head, ears. Curiously, it was from the forest mouse that such a world-famous cartoon character as Mickey Mouse was drawn.
Average sizes determine the lifestyle of the mice. These mice live in different ways, adapting to existing conditions. They can settle in the hollows of trees, dig deep minks, or they can simply settle for the night among the branches or roots of trees.
Are gerbils large or small?
This mouse, contained at home in our country, is in most cases a descendant of Native American women. The first gerbils were brought in from the USA in the last century as laboratory material, an alternative to classic white. Under natural conditions in Russia you can find dwarf or Mongolian gerbils. In total, more than a hundred varieties of mice of this type live in the world, both small and large.
Gerbils have various sizes and colors, but the common thing among all species is as follows:
- tassel on the tail;
- small ears in comparison with the head;
- pink or almost white nose;
- blunt muzzle shape;
- big eyes that make the animal look like an anime-style cartoon character.
The main distinguishing feature of gerbils is their lack of a characteristic mouse odor. These little animals are ideal pets for people prone to allergies. The sizes of gerbils depend on their immediate appearance - from babies 6-7 cm to large mice 12-13 cm long, excluding the tail.
Large voles?
This mouse is a rodent, a character of folk and author's tales. It is voles that carry grain, settle in barns and, in principle, prefer to live in close proximity to humans. The minimum body length of this animal is 7 cm. However, how large the vole mouse grows depends on its nutrition. In rural barns, mice can grow into larger animals than their counterparts born among the steppe feather grass.
A distinctive feature of this species of rodents, distinguishing voles from all others, is the length of the tail. The proportional ratio with the body is 1: 3. This variety of mice has a hamster mentality - they arrange pantries, constantly replenish food supplies and live in burrows with a large number of “rooms”.
Are house mice growing big?
The most common variety of rodents that can be found everywhere. A house mouse is an animal that lives in proximity to humans and actively uses this neighborhood. This mouse can be found in city dumps, in garbage chutes of apartment buildings, in attics, in cellars, shops - everywhere.
Her body length starts from 6 cm, however, some individuals can be much larger. The tail of the houses is either equal to the length of the body, or slightly shorter. In favorable conditions, house mice often grow to 10 cm, but they can also cross this threshold.
The color of the fur coat is gray, the muzzle is proportional, the ears are small, tightly pressed. The eyes are black, a little on the roll out, they say about such - “beads”, very expressive and mobile.
Are white mice always small?
This is a visually familiar little white mouse that lives in the laboratories of scientists, in pet stores or contact zoos. In nature, there are no such rodents as an independent species, however albinos are found among all breeds of mice.
The size of such mice is small, on average they grow to 10 cm. However, the length of their body and the structure of the coat depend on genetics. Such a mouse may be smaller if among its ancestors there were babies, and more if its veins contain mountain rodent genes.
What is the largest rodent?
In nature, a large mouse is a rarity. The average climatic zone is characterized by such sizes of mice: length up to 13 cm without tail, weight within 50 grams.
Of course, at home, growing with the help of a special diet can achieve large sizes. However, a giant cannot be grown from a small ordinary mouse. British institutes conducted experiments to increase the size of mice. The scientists' work consisted of various options for influencing the body - from irradiation to stimulation of individual brain regions. However, they did not achieve any significant results, as a rule, the mice died during the experiments.
Among terrestrial species, the largest rodent grows to 17 cm in length, weighs an average of 60 grams. The length of the tail is equal to the body. The animal resembles a small rat rather than a mouse. The largest rodent lives in the mountains in the southern regions. The mouse is called mountain.
Are there any giant mice?
There really are giants among the mice. But they do not walk on the earth, but fly in the air. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest mouse is a giant winged animal that lives in Asia, on the islands of Oceania, in Australia and, of course, in Africa.
This animal is one of the varieties of flying foxes and has a surprisingly beautiful golden, light red or yellowish fur. Bats are vegans. They do not adhere to the full "night mode", you can see the flight of these mice in the daytime.
The dimensions of the winged gold mice are impressive. The wingspan in flight is an average of 1.8-2 meters. Body weight - from 1.5 kilograms. The length of the body is from 50 centimeters. The winged giants, of course, have no tail.