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Mouse
(rodent)
Mouse (rodent), common name for any small member
of three families of rodents; large species
of one of the families to which mice belong
are known as rats. The word mouse has no exact
meaning in classification systems. Mice are
numerous throughout most of the world, but for
convenience they are often grouped as the Eurasian
mice and the American mice. Fields and human
habitations serve as homes for these animals.
Mice, like rats, consume and damage large quantities
of food and spread diseases.
The
common house mouse is the most frequently observed
species and is the ancestor of the white mice
that are raised for scientific experimentation.
In its wild state the house mouse is slightly
less than 17 cm (less than 6.5 in) long including
the tail, which is slightly more than 8 cm (more
than 3 in) long; domestic mice, because of better
nutrition, are often considerably larger. The
house mouse is yellowish-gray above, sometimes
streaked with black, and lighter gray beneath.
It breeds every 10 to 17 weeks throughout the
year, producing five to ten young in a litter.
There
are many species of common American wood mice.
The deer mouse, slightly larger than the house
mouse, is a common American outdoor mouse. Prevalent
in the southern United States is the cotton
mouse. Dark brown with grayish feet, it is injurious
to cotton plants. The grasshopper, or scorpion,
mice inhabit western North America and differ
from typical mice in feeding primarily on insects
and other arthropods. The common wood mouse
inhabits Europe. Harvest mice are common in
America and Europe. The so-called field, or
meadow, mouse is classed as a vole. The name
mouse is applied also to the pocket mouse, to
jumping mice, and to the dormouse and its relatives.
If
mice are invading your home please give Pestech
a call and we will give you a free phone estimate.
REMEMBER PESTECH DOES NOT REQUIRE CONTRACTS
FOR PEST CONTROL!!
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