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Ancestor: Mus musculus interstellaris (Ship Mouse)

Descendants 2 Myh:

Spruce Leapers

Size: 6- 12 cm (body length), 12- 24 cm (body and tail)

Dietary Needs: Spruce seeds (especially to fatten up for the winter), spruce cones, elderberries, mulberries, grass grains and insects larvae.

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 five pups. Pups are helpess, blind and naked. Their mothers build a warm insulated tree nest before giving birth to them and feed them on milk for around three weeks. reproduction comes to a halt during the winter season, initiated by the change in daylight hours.

Other: They have long claws to help them climb rough tree bark, as they don't usually climb other types of surfaces. they are better adapted to a location with a winter season, with thicker fur and more fur covering their bodies such as their feet and tail. They can better secure themselves on thin branches by  coiling their tail around a branch, such as when they nibble ripe spruce cones that have not fallen.

Prefers to stay up in the trees away from most cats. While cats can climb, they usually stay closer to the lower branches and aren't quick climbers, using balance more often than grip. Mice can usually see them coming and move away quickly.

In severely cold weather they don't hibernate but they do use ultrasonic calls to find each other and congregate in hiding spaces where they huddle for warmth.