Mouse is an amazing animal. They are smart, beautiful, easily adaptable to any living conditions and unpretentious. It is not for nothing that these rodents became characters of folk tales both in our country and among other peoples. Usually, those people who keep these rodents as pets sooner or later begin to be interested in questions about how big the largest mouse in the world is, what these animals are like, how much they can weigh.
What sizes are there?
These rodents are very diverse, including in size. The sizes of the largest mice are:
- baby - up to 7 cm;
- forest mouse - up to 10 cm;
- gerbil - 6 to 13 cm;
- steppe or field - from 7 cm and more;
- brownie - 6-10 cm;
- white - from 6 to 13 cm.
Each of these animals has its own unique features that distinguish the species of rodents. Of course, each species has its own dimensions.
How tiny are baby mice?
There are large mice, but the little ones are the smallest, which is why they got such a name. The length of their body does not exceed 7 cm. The length of the tail is proportional to the body. These are the mice that fit in the smallest palm.
Size determines the way of life. Under natural conditions, babies do not dig holes, they arrange dwellings in the grass, building something resembling a nest. The special moments in their lifestyle do not end there. These little mice nimbly climb trees, do not hibernate, endure cold easily, and are not against snacking on protein foods, that is, worms, insect larvae, or someone else's eggs.
The fur of the babies is ocher, yellowish, sometimes with a reddish tint. Belly, tips of ears and muzzle are white. In nature, these mice live everywhere, but due to pest control of crops, gardens and orchards, their numbers have dropped significantly. It is most likely to meet babies in their natural habitat in the Caucasus, in the southern regions of Yakutia and Great Britain.
Are forest mice big?
This species of rodents got its name because of its habitat. These rodents settle in clearings, edges, and can live in the thicket of the forest. This is not a very large mouse, the body length of a forest animal reaches 10 cm, while the tail rarely grows over 7 cm. But these mice are well-fed. The average weight of the animals is 20 grams, which is decent enough for such a not very large rodent.
Their coat color is dark - black, brown, red. The muzzle is specific - the nose is long and sharp. In addition to the shape of the nose, the hallmark of these animals are gigantic, in comparison with the size of the head, ears. Curiously, it was from the forest mouse that such a world-famous cartoon character as Mickey Mouse was copied.
Average sizes determine the lifestyle of mice. These mice live in different ways, adapting to the existing conditions. They can settle in hollows of trees, dig deep minks, or they can simply settle down for the night among the branches or roots of trees.
Gerbils - big or small?
This mouse, kept at home in our country, is in most cases a descendant of Native American women. The first gerbils were brought from the USA in the last century as a laboratory material, an alternative to the classic whites. Under natural conditions in Russia, you can meet dwarf or Mongolian gerbils. In total, more than a hundred varieties of mice of this type live in the world, both small and large.
Gerbils have different sizes and colors, but the common thing for all species is the following:
- tassel on tail;
- small, compared to the head, ears;
- pink or almost white nose;
- stupid face shape;
- big eyes that make the animal look like an anime cartoon character.
The main distinguishing feature of gerbils is their lack ofcharacteristic mouse odour. These animals are ideal pets for people prone to allergies. The sizes of gerbils depend on their immediate species - from babies 6-7 cm to large mice 12-13 cm in length, excluding the tail.
Large-sized voles?
This mouse is a rodent that is a character of folk and author's fairy tales. It is voles that carry grain, settle in barns and, in principle, prefer to live in close proximity to humans. The minimum body length of this animal is 7 cm. However, how big the vole mouse grows depends on its nutrition. In rural barns, mice can grow into larger animals than their counterparts born among the steppe feather grass.
The distinguishing feature of this species of rodents, which distinguishes voles from all others, is the length of the tail. The proportional ratio with the body is 1:3. This species of mice has a hamster mentality - they build pantries, constantly replenish food supplies and live in holes with a lot of "rooms".
Do house mice grow big?
The most common type of rodent that can be found everywhere. A house mouse is an animal that lives close to humans and actively uses this neighborhood. This mouse can be found in city dumps, in the garbage chutes of apartment buildings, in attics, basements, shops - everywhere.
Her body length starts from 6 cm, but some individuals can be much larger. Tail of brownies or equalbody length, or slightly shorter. Under favorable conditions, house mice often grow up to 10 cm, but they can also cross this threshold.
The color of the fur coat is gray, the muzzle is proportional, the ears are small, tightly pressed. The eyes are black, slightly protruding, they say about them - “beads”, very expressive and mobile.
White mice are always small?
This is a visually familiar little white mouse that lives in scientists' laboratories, pet stores or petting zoos. In nature, there are no such rodents as an independent species, however, albinos are found among all breeds of mice.
The size of these mice is small, on average they grow up to 10 cm. However, their body length and coat structure depend on genetics. Such a mouse may be smaller if there were babies among its ancestors, and larger if it has mountain rodent genes in its veins.
What size is the biggest rodent?
In nature, a large mouse is a rarity. For the middle climatic zone, the following sizes of mice are characteristic: length up to 13 cm excluding tail, weight within 50 grams.
Of course, at home growing, you can achieve large sizes with the help of a special diet. However, it is still impossible to grow a giant from a small ordinary mouse. British institutes have been experimenting with increasing the size of mice. The work of scientists consisted in various options for influencing the body - from irradiation to stimulation of individual parts of the brain. However, they did not achieve any significant results, asas a rule, mice died during the experiments.
Among the terrestrial species, the largest rodent grows up to 17 cm in length, weighing an average of 60 grams. The length of the tail is equal to the body. The animal looks more like a small rat than a mouse. The largest rodent lives in the mountains, in the southern regions. The mouse is called so - mountain.
Are there giant mice?
There are indeed giants among mice. But they do not walk on the ground, but fly through the air. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest mouse is a giant fruit bat that lives in Asia, on the islands of Oceania, in Australia and, of course, in Africa.
This animal is one of the varieties of flying foxes and has a surprisingly beautiful golden, light red or yellowish fur. Bats are strict vegetarians. They do not adhere to a full "night mode", you can see these mice flying in the daytime.
The size of the winged golden mice is impressive. The wingspan in flight averages 1.8-2 meters. Body weight - from 1.5 kilograms. Body length - from 50 centimeters. Of course, winged giants do not have a tail.
