Rodents
More about Rodents:
| ROOF RAT | HOUSE MOUSE | DEER MOUSE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Appearance | |||
| Adult Size | Sleek, Graceful | Small, Slender | Small, Round |
| Weight | 5-9 oz | 1/2 – 1 oz | 1/2 – 1 oz |
| Length | |||
| Head & Body | 6 – 8 in | 2 – 3.5 in | 3 – 4 in |
| Tail | 7 – 10 in | 3 – 4 in | 2 – 2.5 in |
| Snout | Pointed | Pointed | Pointed |
| Ears | Large, Nearly Naked, Can be pulled over eyes | Large, Some Hair | Large, Sparse Fur |
| Eyes | Large, Prominent | Small | Large, Black, Protruding |
| Tail | Uniformly Dark | Uniformly Dark | Sharply Bicolor |
| Fur | Grey to black, Smooth | Light Brown, Light Gray, Smooth | Brown with white feet and underbelly |
| Droppings | Spindle shaped, .5 in | Rod shaped, .5 in | Pointed end, Dark in color |
| Senses | |||
| Sight | Poor, Color Blind | Poor, Color Blind | Keen |
| Smell, Taste, Hearing | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Food | omnivorous; especially fruits, nuts, grains vegetables; .5-1 oz day | omnivorous, prefers cereal grains; .1 oz per day | omnivore, insects, seeds, fruits, flowers, nuts 1/10 oz |
| Water | 15-30 ml/day | 3-9 ml/day; can subsist Without free water | utilizes moisture in food |
| Feeding Habits | shy to new objects; steady eater | inquisitive; nibbler | stores or caches food, nibbler |
| Climbing | very agile, active climber | good climber | most time on the ground, but adept climber |
| Nests | walls, attics, trees | within buildings, stored food | burrow |
| Home range radius | 98-164 ft | 10-33 ft | 10-30 feet |
| Age at mating (months) | 2-3 | 1.5-2 | 1-2 |
| Breeding season | spring and fall peaks | year long | year long, more in warmer months |
| Gestation period (days) | 22 | 19 | 20 |
| Young per litter | 4-8 | 3-7 | 4-6 |
| Litters per year | 4-6 | 8 | 2-4 |
| Length of life | 1 year | 1 year | 1-2 years |