A Family of Mice is Known as a Mischief

The word mouse describes a small rodent that is a pest or a pet. Mouse is one, and two or more are mice. A mouse has small beady eyes, a small nose and long whiskers. A mouse has a tail that is almost as long as the entire length of its body. The word "mouse" comes from Sanskrit which means "thief." Mice come from the family of rodents known as mus. The house mouse comes from the genus:"'mus musculus." Mice live almost everywhere in the world. They came to America as stowaways in ships when Europeans first came to America. The rat, also, came to America in the same way just like mice. Mice and rats are not the same, but they are similar. The mouse is smaller than the rat. The rat belongs to the genus: Rattus. Some mice are pests and tame mice are kept as pets. Rats in the wild are pests when they infest buildings and cause damage to dwellings and crops. Rats that are tame are kept as pets and rats are known to make good pets, as well, as mice.

There are famous mice. The best known are Mickey Mouse, Mighty Mouse, and the little mouse from "Tom and Jerry." Mice do well in cartoons as they make perfect cartoon characters. Mice have done very well in cartoons for many years.

1. The word: "mouse" comes from the Sanskrit meaning "thief."

2. Wild Mice cause a lot of damage to crops, food packaging, and are carriers of disease.

3, Mice will eat just about anything; mice are omnivores.

4. Mice are nocturnal, and bright light hurts their eyes.

5. A baby mouse is called a pinky or kitten, is born blind, its ears folded against its head.

6. A male mouse is called a buck, and a female is called a doe.

7. Mice are very intelligent and can be trained, Mice can learn.

8. Female mice have 5 nipples and males have no nipples.

9. The colors of mice are white, gray, brown, and black.

10. A family or group of mice is called a horde, mischief or nest.

Wild mice don't live as long as pet mice. Wild mice have many predators, such as rats, snakes, birds, and cats, just to name a few. Wild mice might live up to a year, while pet mice might live 11/2 to 3 years. Mice make excellent pets, because they are clean, docile, intelligent, trainable, small, warm and furry. The familiar house mouse inhabit houses, and other types of buildings, causing extensive damage, and they're known as pests. Mice cause many problems, such as getting into food and food packaging.

Mice have sharp teeth that keep growing, so mice have to gnaw on hard objects to keep their teeth from obstructing their mouths. If a mouse's teeth obstruct their mouth the mouse wouldn't be able to eat or would have a lot of difficulty being able to eat, and would starve.

Mice are afraid of rats, but have been known to live with rats in the wild. Rats are natural predators of mice. Pet mice and rats should never be in the same cage together, or in the same room. Mice can smell rats. Female mice can smell rats, and if pregnant, the female mouse will abort to make sure that rats don't get her babies.

Mice and rats belong to the same family of rodents: muridae. Mice belong to the genus: mus, and rats belong to the genus: rattus. When mice run they take long strides. Their hind legs are shorter than their front legs. Mice make high pitched squeaking sounds. Mice and rats are not the same, but share many similar characteristics. Mice can be kind of cute, but are better when they are in their own habitat and not in houses or buildings where they are pests.

Mice make excellent pets, because they are intelligent, can solve puzzles and find their way through mazes. They are trainable and like to play with toys. They can be trained to do tricks, sit on laps or shoulders, and to eat out of a person's hand. The urine of male mice has a distinctive odor, but not so much of a problem in female mice. The pet male mice' cage needs to be cleaned often enough to keep the odor down to a minimum. Mice should eat a well-balanced diet that is healthy for them, and the diet should be varied, so that the mouse doesn't get too bored with its diet. Mice have favorite foods that they like best, and it's a good idea to find out which foods are their favorite. Clean, fresh water should be available to pet mice and rats. A water bottle that hangs upside down in the cage is a good idea, to make it easier to provide water for the mice or rats.

Research can be done on the Internet or library before getting a pet mouse or rat for a pet. There's a lot to think about, for instance: the cost, food, living quarters, cages, toys, water bottle, and more.