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Ancestor: Mus musculus interstellaris (Ship Mouse)

Descendants 2 Myh:

Thornmouse

Size:7 - 10 cm (14 - 20 cm with tail)

Dietary Needs: Varied mixed diet consisting mostly of fruits, seeds and grains, but also encompasses insects and worms of both the annelid type and the insect larvae type.

Life Cycle: Mice are placental mammals. The females have a very short estrous cycle of only about a week, and the presence of such a cycle depends on the presence of males. Males have a chirping ultrasonic call they use when searching for or tracking a potential mate. Their life cycle only takes around two months to complete, sometimes less, and females can produce multiple litters a year each averaging nine pups - they are becoming more r-selected due to more predators and fewer trees to hide in, and the need to relocate nests often means it helps to have more pups to start with. Reproduction doesn't necessarily stop during dry seasons, storm seasons or other adverse weather periods, but the mortality rate of pups does increase. Still, enough survive that staying reproductively active during these times is worthwhile. Pups are helpless, blind and naked. Their mothers build a warm insulated and shaded nest sometimes in dense shrubs, under rocks in large grass bundles (generally any small hidden space they can squeeze into that will not be disturbed by other animals) before giving birth to them and feed them on milk for around three weeks.

Other: Uses more of a grasping method of climbing. It's foot pads have better traction and are more developed. Also has a grasping tail like the Southern evergreen mouse. This plus being small allows them to climb on tall robust grasses as well as shrubs. They may do this to avoid the sight of predators or scout for them, but sometimes it's to access foods, grains and grubs like caterpillars of butterflies descended from the painted lady butterfly. They may also be seen foraging in the dirt under shadow of grass and shrubs and away from the open exposure, helping to control the mealworm beetle population. Despite being good climbers they can still dash away from a threat from on the ground at great speed and have very good directional hearing for a mouse, giving plenty of forewarning if the predator in any way lacks noise discretion.

Neither nocturnal or diurnal, they emerge from their sleeping nests whenever the conditions are favourable. This is usually the hours around daybreak and the hours around sunset, but they may use the cover of high noon sunlight for activity. Hot, bright conditions are not ideal for cats to hunt, and lizards will be in the shade.