For some, a small gray animal causes disgust, for others, tenderness. But whether a person wants it or not, the mouse is his constant companion. So why not get to know this animal better. How long do mice live? How do they triple their dwellings? What do they eat and how do they reproduce? How to choose a pet and provide him with comfortable conditions?

• Class: Mammals;
• Order: Rodents;
• Suborder: Mouse-like;
• Family: Mice;
• Subfamily: Mouse.

Mouse - description and external characteristics

All over the earth, excluding the extreme northern and high mountain regions, these small rodents are distributed. The closest relatives of mice are jerboas, mole rats, hamsters and dormice. And more distantly related are rats, chinchillas, porcupines, beavers, Guinea pigs. In total, the Mouse subfamily unites 121 genera and more than 300 species.

The mouse is a medium-sized animal with an elongated and pointed muzzle, large rounded ears and bulging beady eyes. Long, bald or slightly feathered tail - distinguishing feature animal. The limbs, which are not the same in length, are adapted for digging, moving along vertical and horizontal surfaces. The body length of a rodent can vary from 3 to 20 cm, weight - from 15 to 50 g.

Mice have a special bite. On the lower and upper jaws, the animal has 2 chisel-shaped teeth that grow continuously. Rodents are forced to constantly grind them down, which is why their incisors are very sharp.

Animals from the Mice family have good eyesight and can distinguish between red and yellow shades. The habitual body temperature of these rodents ranges from 37.5 to 39⁰С. The maximum lifespan of mice is 4 years.

How mice behave in their natural environment

In order for rodents to maintain a constant body temperature, they need to be active in winter and summer, day and night. Gluttony and fussiness for mice - character traits helping to survive and leave offspring.

In autumn, the animals begin to collect provisions in a mink or on the surface of the ground, where the "warehouse" is masked by earth. And if in the off-season, rodents are awake at night and sleep during the day, then in winter, activity remains around the clock. In spring and autumn, when there is a lack of food and temperature fluctuations not observed, mice actively multiply.

Mice live in large families, since together it is easier for them to defend themselves, get food, build dwellings, and raise offspring. In a mouse flock there is a leader who maintains order in the group. Female mice are peaceful. But young males do not always put up with their subordinate position. The stomping of the hind legs and aggressive tail strikes indicate the intention of the animal to win the “throne”. Inter-family clashes can lead to the disintegration of the pack.

In burrows, mice spend most of their time raising their offspring, escaping from danger, storing food or resting after eating it. The maximum depth of the hole is 70 cm, and the total length of the passages can reach 20 m. Some species of mice build nests in thickets of tall grasses (baby mouse) or live in tree roots and old stumps ( wood mouse).

Minks are temporary and permanent, and the latter can be summer and winter. Temporary animal dwellings are planned simply. The permanent mouse burrow has a spacious nesting chamber and several entrances. In summer burrows, where rodents give birth to children, bedding is made of fluff, blades of grass, shavings and feathers. And in winter - a pantry for food supplies is arranged.

What does a mouse eat in nature?

In summer and autumn, when the time comes for the harvest to ripen, the mice begin to actively prepare food supplies for the winter. The main food of animals is cereals, as well as seeds of various plants. Field mice love wheat, barley, oats, buckwheat.

Rodents living in forests feed on cedar nuts, hazel, maple, beech seeds, acorns, and small insects. And animals living near water bodies prefer to eat leaves, roots and stems of plants, berries, grasshoppers, caterpillars, larvae, spiders and other invertebrates. House mice living close to people readily adapt to the human diet and eat bread, meat, dairy products, and sweets.

Animals living in the wild drink very little. The mouse body independently produces water by breaking down food. Additional sources of moisture are the fleshy leaves of plants, fruits, vegetables.

Mouse Enemies

The mouse is a key link in the food chain of many ecosystems. Many wild animals depend on the existence of this small rodent. For mice living in the forest, the main enemies are foxes, martens, arctic foxes, ferrets, ermines, weasels, lynxes and even wolves. Predators easily break holes and can eat up to 30 small animals per day.

Mice are the main food for snakes and large lizards. Such reptiles as a boa constrictor, python, viper, radiant snake swallow the victim whole. During the hunt, the snake freezes, and then abruptly pounces on the victim, biting it with poisonous teeth, and then waits for the animal to become motionless.

From above, mice are also in danger. Among the birds there are predators that differ in the power of their beak, visual acuity and hearing. These are owls, buzzards, hawks, eagles, owls, kites. They hunt during the day or at night, making swift attacks from the air.

The life expectancy of rodents directly depends on the conditions environment. The average indicator is 2-3 years. Factors such as climate, nutrition, infectious diseases and attacks by wild animals.

For mice, both frost and dry weather can become fatal, hot weather. Too sharp fluctuations in temperature destroy numerous colonies of rodents. Often associated with the weather and the ability to fully eat. An inadequate diet significantly shortens the life of a mouse.

Many species of mice that live away from humans live a little less than or more than a year. And an animal tamed by a person, receiving a balanced diet and care, can live up to 6 years.

reproduction in mice

The mouse is a polygamous animal. In nature, one male fertilizes from 2 to 12 females. For 12 months, mice have from 3 to 8 broods. The female reaches sexual maturity 10 weeks after birth. At this time, she begins estrus, which lasts 5 days and is expressed in a special behavior.

If, after coating, the female failed to become pregnant, a new estrus occurs within a week. In case of successful fertilization, after 17-24 days, the female animal is expected to give birth. In one litter there are from 3 to 9 cubs. Mouse females give birth at night. Babies, having been born, are not able to move, hear and see. They do not have hairline, and the size ranges from 2 to 3 cm. The mice develop rapidly:

• 3 days - a fluff appears on the body;
• 5 days - cubs begin to hear;
• 7 days - the body weight of the animal doubles;
• Day 14 - palpebral fissures erupt;
• Day 19 - mice begin to eat on their own;
• Day 25 - the length of the calf reaches 500 mm (the tail is shorter by 15-20 mm) and the mouse is already sexually mature.

Decorative mice develop a little more slowly. It is recommended to mate them no more than 2-3 times a year. Multiple births exhaust the female, and each subsequent offspring becomes weaker.

Types of wild mice

Shrew or shrew mouse (Myosorex)

Animals from the Shrew family are divided into only 14 species. This mouse with a long nose is small in size (6-10 cm). Only born cubs weigh less than 1 g. The nose of the animal, curved at the end, is called the proboscis. The coat of the animal is shiny, thick, silky; happens gray, ocher, reddish shades.

A mouse with a long cute nose orients itself in space thanks to its sense of smell. She is an omnivore, but prefers to eat insects, as well as some vertebrates (frogs, baby rodents, small reptiles). Without food, this animal can live no more than 10 hours.

White-toothed shrews live in large clusters in South America, Africa, Australia. This little mouse with a long nose feels great near water bodies, in humid forests and undergrowth.

Japanese mouse (Sylvaemus mystacinus)

A mouse with large round ears and a long nose. It is also called Asia Minor. Inhabits the islands of Japan, the south-west of Georgia, as well as the Kuril Islands of Russia. Prefers highlands mixed forests, with dense shrubby undergrowth.

Japanese mice do not dig holes, inhabiting voids in trees and buildings, accumulations of stones and dense bushes. The length of the body and tail are almost equal (up to 13 cm). Only 6 breed warm months per year, during this time they give 2-3 litters of 3-6 cubs.

wood mouse (Sylvaemus sylvaticus)

A distinctive feature of the animal is a yellow round spot on the breast. The length of the rodent is 12 cm, the tail is 7-10 cm. These mice can occupy abandoned burrows, rotten stumps, voids under stones and other natural shelters. The wood mouse is especially common in Siberia, Western Asia, Altai, in the deciduous forests of Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. It feeds on cereals, seeds, nuts, and insects.

Mouse gerbil (Gerbillidae)

In the family of Mouse gerbils, they are distinguished into a separate subfamily, numbering more than 100 species of animals. The natural range of these animals is the arid steppes of Eastern Europe, African and Asian deserts and semi-deserts. They are active during the daytime; in winter they do not hibernate, but their lifestyle becomes more lethargic.

Outwardly, the gerbil mouse looks more like a rat. The length of the animal can reach 20 cm, and the weight is 250 g. The color of the animal is brownish-sandy on the back, and lighter on the chest. A well-furred long tail falls off in dangerous situations, a new one does not grow. The gerbil mouse can walk on its hind legs and jump over long distances (up to 4 m). It feeds on grains of wheat, barley, corn, millet, as well as fruits and nuts.

Baby mouse (Micromys minutus)

The genus name refers to the miniature size of the animal. The maximum length of the animal's body is 7 cm, and the tail is 5 cm. The animal prefers to live in the steppe and forest-steppe, in grain fields, in floodplain meadows. Among the grass, you can find spherical houses of this rodent, made of dry stems and leaves.

The baby mouse is distinguished by the fiery red color of the skin, which appears after the first molt. It feeds on invertebrates, green leaves, grains. The baby mouse is peaceful, quickly adapts to a new environment, so it can be tamed by people.

White mouse (Mus musculus)

It is also called a house or house mouse, because the animal has adapted to live next to a person. In living quarters, sheds, pantries, these rodents hide complex, multi-channel burrows, where they live in vast colonies. Not far from the burrows, they arrange storage for food: seeds, nuts, crackers, pieces of vegetables.

The white mouse is not a large animal, its length reaches 8-11 cm. The long tail is covered with sparse hair, scaly rings are clearly visible on it. The color of the skin of the animal depends on the species, but on the back the pile is darker than on the stomach. The house mouse lives on all continents, in all climatic zones and is a faithful companion of man.

Grass Mouse (Arvicanthis)

The length of the body of an individual, together with the tail, can exceed 30 cm. Gray or brown wool consists of elongated soft hairs and hard bristles, as well as hard hairs-thorns in certain types. The rhythm of their life is similar to the human one - they are awake during the day and sleep at night.

Grass mice are native to Southeast Africa. These rodents love moisture, and live mainly in river floodplains, in humid tropical plantations. They can both dig holes and occupy other people's dwellings.

Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius)

The field mouse is not like other rodents of the Mouse family. The animal has a clear, contrasting color stripe on the skin, which runs along the entire spine, from the muzzle to the warp of the tail. The size of the animal varies from 8 to 12 cm without a tail. The color, depending on the species, can vary from light gray to dark brown and black. The field mouse builds a dwelling on its own, or uses suitable structures.

The field mouse inhabits the territories of Western and Northern Europe, as well as part of Asia: China, Sakhalin, Taiwan. The animal loves meadows and fields, in deciduous thickets, but is also found in the city. The field mouse feeds on invertebrate insects, cereals, plant stems and fruits.

House mouse: pet choice

Decorative mice are friendly, not aggressive, clean, quickly get used to the owners, and it is very easy to care for them. When choosing an animal, you should pay attention to the habits and appearance of the rodent. Animal with good health looks like that:

• wool does not stick out, there are no bald patches;
• teeth are white, even;
• the animal has moist and shiny eyes;
• the animal does not have mucous discharge from the nostrils and eyes;
• the mouse is actively moving and eating.

Do not forget about how many years mice live. The maximum lifespan of these animals is 3-4 years, so it is better to choose a pet under the age of 12 months. It is necessary to pay attention to the gender of the rodent, since several males will not get along in one dwelling.

Males are slightly larger than females, their body resembles an elongated pear. A 30-day-old male mouse has shaped testicles under the tail. And in the female, from the 3rd day after birth, 5 pairs of rudimentary nipples are clearly visible.

A domestic mouse is a collective animal, so it is better to purchase several individuals. If further breeding of animals is planned, then before mating, males and females must be kept separately.

Thanks to modern breeding, decorative mice have hundreds of species, among which there are singing, waltzing, and animals with an unusual coat color (white albino mice, pure black mice, ashen and cream animals).

Some types of mice are especially popular:

• Japanese pygmy mouse- very miniature, up to 5 cm long. White skin is decorated with black and brown spots. Friendly, clean and energetic. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. There are mice in the litter of 5-7.
• The spiny mouse or akomis is a large decorative mouse with many needles located along the entire back. Color reddish-brown or blackish-red. The neck is framed by a voluminous fat hump. The nose is elongated, the eyes are convex, the ears are large, oval in shape. The mouse is very active, quickly gets used to people.
• Decorative African striped mouse - has an interesting coloration: light and dark stripes alternate along the body. The animal does not emit an unpleasant odor. It climbs well on vertical surfaces. The striped mouse is a very shy animal. In case of danger, it can pretend to be dead or jump to a height of up to 2.5 m. The body length rarely exceeds 10 cm.

Care and maintenance of mice at home

A house where decorative mice live can be a cage, an aquarium, a transparent plastic box. For a small number of animals, a dwelling measuring 25 * 45 * 22 cm is enough. The bottom of the terrarium is covered with sawdust from fruit trees or a hygienic filler made of corn, paper, straw. To change the litter decorative rodents need at least 1 time per week, but better every 3 days. From above, the terrarium is covered with a lid with holes for oxygen to enter.

Inside the house, several shelters are equipped, preferably at different heights. All types of mice are very active and run up to 40 km a day in their natural environment, so a running wheel should be in the terrarium. You can supply water to rodents through a hinged drinker or pour it into a small saucer.

The decorative mouse is an animal that easily catches colds and overheats. It is better to place the animal house away from the window, protect the cage from drafts and bright sunlight. The ideal temperature for these rodents is 20-22⁰С.

What do decorative mice eat

All animals from the Mouse family are prone to obesity, so you need to know what a decorative mouse eats. The basis of the diet of the animal are cereals: barley, wheat, corn, sorghum. The grain must not be ground. Usually, house mice are very small and eat up to 1 tsp per day. stern.

The favorite delicacy of the animals are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, caraway seeds, walnuts, peanuts and hazelnuts. Vegetables and fruits are necessary in the diet of the animal. It is better if the vegetables are green: cauliflower, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, parsley. And fruits are not very sweet and juicy: apple, banana, quince, pear, plum. Bread and egg white can be given occasionally.

What mice do not eat: citrus fruits, smoked meats, meat, food for cats and dogs.

Varieties of wild rodents have long been considered enemies of man. Mouse vole harms plantings of grain crops. The house mouse contaminates products with feces and urine, makes books, clothes, and interior items unusable. Many types of mice carry infectious diseases: salmonellosis, hepatitis, encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, false tuberculosis and others.

But mice also bring significant benefits to humans. Cosmetologists and doctors have been using mice to conduct all sorts of experiments for more than one century. This is due to the extraordinary fecundity of rodents and the similarity of the human and mouse genomes.

Zoologists grow special fodder mice for pythons, agamas, boas, geckos, snakes, ferrets, owls and cats. Sometimes decorative rodents are used for such purposes, which are sold to pet stores.

IN ancient greece the white mouse was considered a sacred animal. Thousand colonies of animals lived in the temples. They were the heroes of legends and myths. They thought that the white mouse helps the oracles see the future, and the active reproduction of animals promised prosperity and a good harvest. The black mouse was considered a product of dirt and was subject to extermination.

In Japan, they believed that a white mouse brings happiness. Seeing a place where a colony of rodents lives is a good sign, and a dead mouse meant grief. The Chinese considered this animal a symbol of wisdom and honesty. And among the ancient Persians and Egyptians, on the contrary, both the white and black mice were endowed with destructive, evil power. They associated the invasions of rodents with the intrigues of the terrible god Ahriman.

Cats appeared in the human house due to the dominance of harmful rodents. Even 6 thousand years ago, people began to feed wild cats, and those, in turn, began to protect their food supplies. But even now, mice for a domestic cat remain a favorite pastime. This long-standing enmity is the basis of many fairy tales, songs, cartoons, and proverbs. In the age of the Internet, special videos for cats appeared. The mouse on the screen for a domestic cat becomes an occasion to remember their hunting instincts.

• Mice don't like cheese at all. Rather, animals will prefer whole grains or seeds. The favorite delicacy for these little rodents is smoked lard. It is he who is often used as bait in a mousetrap.
• Just one year - that's how long a male marsupial mouse lives. Nature gave these animals only 2 weeks to breed. After mating, which lasts 10-13 hours, the male dies to give life to his babies.
• Of great importance in communication between mice is smell. With the help of "odorous" marks (from feces, urine, secretions from the glands), rodents delimit the territory, orient themselves in space, and transmit information to each other. Each mouse family has its own unique smell, speaking about the genetic affiliation of the animal.
• Cheerful goggle-eyed mouse, restless baby - the constant heroine of the modern multimedia world. Fun tablet and phone games offer to catch the mouse on the screen; for a domestic cat, this can become a real drug, and for its owner, it can be a reason to laugh heartily.

Mice are the smallest rodents on the planet, bringing people both benefit and harm. They spoil crop stocks and are carriers of dangerous infections. But using mice in scientific research helps save lives.

Diverse in appearance and lifestyle, mice are often easy prey for predatory reptiles, birds, and mammals. Because of this, animals rarely live long lives. Small size, calm temperament and funny behavior allow these rodents to be kept as pets. Animals that are lucky enough to become human favorites live much longer than their wild relatives.

Mice are the largest family in the class of mammals. These rodents are distributed throughout the world, except for Antarctica and high mountainous regions.

In nature, there are various types of mice. The smallest mice are about 5 cm in size, and the largest members of the family reach 35 cm. Most mice are gray in color, hence the expression "mouse color".

What are mice? Why are rodents dangerous to humans? What mice can be kept as pets? The article provides a description and photographs of representatives of the mouse family, information about their features and lifestyle.

Features of representatives of the order of mice

The mouse family belongs to the order of rodents. Science knows 519 species of these animals. A typical representative of the mouse family is a small animal with small ears and short hair that has a gray, reddish, brown or black color. In nature, white albinos with red eyes are also found.

Mice are very fertile. The female bears cubs for 25 days and brings up to five litters per year. There are 8-12 little mice in each litter. For about three weeks, the mouse feeds the cubs with milk. After 20 days, their incisors form and they begin to feed on their own. The mice develop very quickly, within three months after birth they are ready to bear offspring. The average lifespan of a mouse is about 2 years.

Mice lack a collarbone, which allows these rodents to get into the narrowest gaps. In addition, the animal quickly adapts to any living conditions and can do without water for a long time. All this makes mice very tenacious.

The presence of a thin mustache helps the animals in orienting themselves on the ground. Rodents have two pairs of constantly growing sharp incisors. If their size reaches 2 cm, rodents may die, so they need to gnaw something, grinding their incisors.

The genes of mice are 80% identical to those of humans. Due to this property, mice, mostly white, are used in laboratory scientific and medical research.

Lifestyle and nutrition of rodents

Mice are mostly nocturnal. They have polyphasic activity: sleep alternates with periods of wakefulness from 25 to 90 minutes.

The animals are very mobile, they can move at speeds up to 13 km per hour. Usually they run on certain routes. You can determine the path of their movement by the left litter.

Rodents nest in groups consisting of a male and several females with cubs. Each family has its own area. Males are very aggressive towards other males. The grown offspring are usually expelled from the family.

In nature, the animals make nests from grass, settle in holes or hollows of trees, making stocks of food for the winter. Getting into the room, they settle under the floor, between the walls, in the attics.

The animals feed on plant seeds and small invertebrates. They can also eat bird eggs and small chicks. Mice living in the house eat any food, gnaw candles, soap, plastic items, paper. These animals are capable of inflicting serious damage to humans.

The biggest harm that a wild mouse can cause to a person is various dangerous diseases carried by it:

• typhus;
• intestinal infections;
• Bubonic plague;
• lentospirosis;
• salmonellosis;
• sodokoz;
• rabies;
• tularemia.

Scientists do not exclude the possibility of transmission of breast cancer by mice. Diseases can be transmitted through rodent-contaminated food, water, bites, and indoor air heavily polluted with rodent waste.

Description of the types of wild mice with a photo

Representatives of different types of mice differ from each other in size, color and habitat. The following types of wild mice live in Russia:

forest mouse

The wood mouse lives on the edges of mixed and deciduous forests or in meadows among tall grass. The size of the rodent is about 10 cm, and the length of the tail reaches up to 7 cm. The mouse has round ears, its color can be from red to dark brown (see photo). The eared animal moves very quickly, can climb high into the trees.

The rodent settles in the hollows of trees, under the roots and fallen trees. The wood mouse hibernates in burrows, the depth of which is up to 2 meters. Minks have several chambers for food supplies, a nest compartment and 2-3 exits.

The animal feeds on fallen tree seeds, acorns, nuts, berries, grass sprouts. The diet is supplemented with small invertebrates.

The beast breeds 2-3 times a year, bringing 5-8 cubs. The number of animals depends on the yield of feed and climatic conditions.

house mouse

The house mouse lives in human housing or adjoining buildings: barns, warehouses, sheds. Can climb to upper floors apartment buildings. Usually it is a gray or black mouse, which reaches 6-10 cm in length. The length of its tail is up to 60% of the size of the body.

In the spring, the house mouse moves to nature, and with the onset of cold weather, it returns to the premises. In houses, animals bring a lot of inconvenience: they gnaw on furniture, wiring, walls, and spoil food.

field mouse

Field mice are called mice that live in meadows and fields. They are distributed in Europe, Siberia, the Far East and Mongolia.

Voles are dark or reddish in color with darker stripes and have a white belly and legs. Their size reaches 7-12 cm. The tail of the animals is relatively small. They go out for food mainly at night, since during the day they risk becoming a victim of numerous predators, for example common grass snake. They feed on plants and small insects. These mice are very prolific and tenacious.

Mouse gerbil

The gerbil was brought to Russia from America for laboratory research. Now there are more than 100 varieties of this animal. Dwarf and Mongolian gerbils live in Russia.

Sand mice are often kept as decorative pets. They have a red color with a black stripe and a white tummy. At the end of the tail, some animals have a fluffy tassel.

yellow-throated mouse

The yellow-throated mouse is found in Russia, Moldova, Belarus, China, and Ukraine. This mouse got its name because of the unusual coloring: the beast itself is colored red, and its neck is girded with a yellow stripe. The animal is listed in the Red Book of the Moscow Region.

The sizes of these mice are 10-13 cm. The long tail has the same length. Rodents feed on plant foods. They can harm gardens by destroying the shoots of fruit trees.

grass mice

Grass mice live in Africa. These rodents are the largest among relatives. Their size reaches 35 cm along with the length of the tail. Weight can be more than 100 g. The color of animals has grayish or brownish hues with dark patches. Animals nest in burrows or bushes. They can settle in rooms and houses. Grass mice live in large colonies. They feed on vegetation. Can completely destroy agricultural crops.

Decorative house mice

Thanks to the work of breeders, a variety of domestic decorative mice have been bred. They differ in the type of wool and color. The coat of a domestic decorative animal can be curly, long, satin. Even naked mice have been bred, which do not have hair at all.

Animals can be painted both in a mouse standard color, and in blue, silver, red and other shades. Mice with Siamese color, sable or chinchilla color are in demand. Depending on the features, coloring happens:

At home, small decorative mice are kept in cages with small cells or glass terrariums. They create a living corner in which they place feeders, drinkers, items for games. They are unpretentious for food. These can be cereals, grains, greens, vegetables, dairy products, or special foods purchased in specialized stores. To grind the incisors, the animals are given stale bread crusts and tree branches.

Most often, houses contain white mice. The white mouse is larger than the decorative mouse and smaller than its wild relative. An albino mouse has red eyes and a pink nose.

Family MOUSE- MURIDAE

Pasyuk (Rattus Norvegicus Berk.). The largest rat. The tail is slightly shorter than the body, the muzzle is elongated, the ears are short. The coloration of the upper body is from light reddish to dark buffy-brown. The underside of the body is dirty gray with various shades. On the tail are horny scales - rings. The area is the entire globe. In natural biotopes, it inhabits urem (floodplain) forests, shrub thickets along rivers and other water bodies. The Karako rat is common in the forests of the Far East.

Pasyuk is active throughout the year at all hours of the day, but especially at night and at dusk. Fertility is very high. Under favorable conditions, they breed all year round. There are an average of eight cubs in a litter, which are born blind and naked, but grow quickly. A female has two or three offspring per year. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of three months. Pasyuk feeds on a variety of foods. In forest biogeocenoses it prefers small animals. Deals massive damage. Spoils food products, harms grain and melon crops, harms fish and hunting farms. carrier of many pathogens infectious diseases- typhus, plague, tularemia, encephalitis, etc. Pasyuk skins are of a certain importance in the preparation of fur raw materials.

Rice. 46. ​​Forest mouse (photo by Tatarinov).

Harvest mouse (Apodemus agrarius Pall.). A small animal with a tail somewhat shorter than the body. The color above is reddish with an ocher or grayish-brown tint. Along the spine there is a black-brown stripe, the belly is whitish-gray. Area - Western Europe, the European part of the USSR, the south of Siberia, the east of Kazakhstan, the Far East. An inhabitant of the forest and forest-steppe zone. Biotope - floodplains of rivers and lakes, overgrown with shrubs, forest edges, overgrown moist cuts, thickets of reeds. For the winter, part of the populations migrate to haystacks, straw, and human buildings. During the year from three to five litters, each with three to nine cubs. Sexual maturity occurs in three to four months. Eats plant, food and insects. It harms crops and forest nurseries, especially in the Far East and Western Siberia, where the number of this rodent is high.

forest mouse (Apodemus siylvaticus L.). The mouse is larger than the brownie. The hind foot is elongated, the tail exceeds the length of the body. A head with a pointed muzzle, large ears and large eyes. The coloration of the back is reddish-ocher in color with various shades. The underside of the body is a dirty gray. Buffy spot on chest between forelimbs various shapes(Fig. 46). Area - Europe (except for the northern outskirts), North Africa, Western and South Asia, the European part of the USSR, Crimea, the Caucasus, the Carpathians, Kazakhstan, Southwestern Siberia, the mountains of Central Asia.

A characteristic inhabitant of a broad-leaved forest of different ages. Found in mixed and coniferous stands. Often settles in clearings, in bushes, in shelterbelts, in plantations along railways and highways. In the mountains (Caucasus, Carpathians, Mountainous Crimea) it occurs above the border of tall forest. Settles in natural shelters, especially in hollows, sometimes located at high altitudes. In the Carpathians, Podolia and other places, this species inhabits the hollows of lindens and beeches at a height of 5.2–6.6 M. The burrow of wood mice of a simple structure is located under the roots of trees. It consists of a nesting chamber, one or two storage chambers, and two or three outlets.

The wood mouse is active throughout the year, mainly at dusk and at night. A young female brings cubs at the age of 80–90 days. There are three to eight blind and naked young in a litter. Grow fast. The average interval between two broods is 50–60 days (N.P. Naumov, 1940), and there are up to five broods per year. The number of populations of wood mice especially increases in years of abundant harvest of the main forest-forming species, in the Carpathians - beech, in the central regions - acorns. This trophic relationship is expressed within the entire range of the wood mouse and related species of mouse-like rodents. The main food of this rodent is seeds of various tree species, then berries and insects, and finally - green vegetative parts of plants. There is a change in food throughout the year. In the spring, mice eat the remains of last year's seed crop; summer - berries and seeds herbaceous plants, green fodder and insects; in autumn - seeds of tree species; in winter - stocks consisting of seeds of woody plants. Forest mice have a negative impact on reforestation processes and the cultivation of forest crops. During the years of mass reproduction, they and yellow-throated mice (Apodemus Flavicollis M e 1 h.) can almost completely destroy the crop of seeds of oak, beech, linden, maple. Mice cause great harm to forest and fruit nurseries, as well as forest belts. In some places they harm agricultural crops.

forest lemming (Myopus schisticcolor Li 11.). In appearance, it resembles forest voles. On the first finger of the forelimb there is a large flat claw with a notch at the end. The tail is short, as long as the back foot. The sole, except for the heel area, is bare. The coloration of the head, sides and abdomen is blackish-gray with an ashy tinge. There is a reddish-brown spot on the upper side of the body. Range - from northern Scandinavia along the taiga zone to Pacific Ocean, north of the European part of the USSR, Siberia, Far East. An inhabitant of the plains and mountain taiga, settles in wetlands with sphagnum cover. It is rare, but during the years of mass reproduction it becomes numerous and migrates. Burrows in moss or tree roots. The breeding season is from June to September, females bring two litters per season, each with two to seven cubs. Lemmings feed on mosses and lichens.

Forest, or red-backed vole (Clethrionomys Glareolus Schreb.). A typical representative of the group of voles. It clearly differs from mice in such outward signs: tail short, equal to half the length of the body; rear foot small, no more than 20 Mm; The ears are small, almost do not protrude from the coat; the muzzle is blunt, the eyes are small. The color of the back is rusty - or reddish-red with various shades. The belly is ash-gray. The tail is markedly bicolored. Range - forest landscapes of almost all of Western Europe, the European part of the USSR, the taiga of Western and Central Siberia, Transcaucasia.

The vole lives in various types forests, from coniferous in the north to broadleaf in the south. In autumn and winter, it migrates to haystacks, straw piles, residential buildings. Sometimes it makes a nest on the soil surface, but usually it digs complex burrows with several exits and one or two chambers. Active at night and at dusk throughout the year. It breeds three to four times a year. Each litter has two to eight cubs. Sexual maturity occurs after two months, the duration of pregnancy is 18–20 days. In summer it eats grass, acorns, nuts, seeds of other tree species, berries; in winter - bark, shoots of shrubs and trees. Damages gardens and forest crops. Serves as food for pine marten, mink, polecat, ermine, fox and others forest predators. During the years of abundant harvest of seeds of the main forest-forming species, the number of forest voles increases abruptly, and then these animals literally flood the forests. In the Carpathians, this is observed during the harvest years of beech nuts.

Other types of forest voles are also found on the territory of the USSR: red { Clethrionomys Rutilus Pall.) - the north of the European part of the USSR, Siberia, the north of Kazakhstan, the Far East, the Tien Shan ( Clethrionomys Frater Thomas) - southeast of Central Asia, red-gray (Clethrionomys Rufocanus Sund.) - the north of the European part of the USSR, the Far East, Siberia. The biology of these species is similar to that of the bank vole.

Water vole, or water rat (Arvicola Terrestris L.). Large vole with thick soft fur. Dorsal coloration brownish-gray to black. The lower part of the body is grayish-slate with an ocher tinge. Range - Western Europe, Asia Minor, Northern Mongolia, most of the territory of the USSR, with the exception of Central Asia, the Far North, eastern Siberia, the Far East. A typical representative of the water-coastal theriofauna. In Western Siberia, the water rat is common in the forest zone. In the Carpathians, a small subspecies of this species ( A. T. Scherman Shaw.) inhabits the upper forest belt and adjacent areas of polonium.

underground vole (Pitymys subterraneus De S e1. Long.). Small short-tailed vole. The color of the top is brownish-gray, the belly is gray with a silvery tinge. The coat is soft and short. The tail is two-colored: gray-brown above, whitish below. Area - Europe, Western Asia; in the USSR - the west and southwest of the European part north to the Vologda region. In the west of Ukraine, it is a characteristic representative of the fauna of the beech forest and the Carpathian crooked forest.

Burrows on the slopes of moist forest beams, overgrown with shrubs and young growth, under the trunks of fallen trees, between roots, in stones among thickets of mountain pine (Carpathians). The passages are located shallow and have a complex structure. Breeding from March to September. During this interval, there are three or four litters of five or six cubs. Maturity occurs in 2.5 months. The vole eats bulbs, rhizomes, vegetative organs of herbaceous plants, seeds. Does not bring significant harm to forestry. Serves as food for valuable fur-bearing animals, birds of prey and owls.

Bush vole lives in the Caucasus (pitymys Majori Thomas.), numerous in the deciduous forest belt and subalpine zone. The biology of this species is similar to that of the ground vole.

Representatives of the Mouse family (Rodent order).

They have subfamilies:

Deomine ( Deomyinae)

gerbils ( Gerbillinae)

Shaggy hamsters ( Lophiomyinae)

Mouse ( Murinae)

Mouse, or mice (lat. Muridae) - a family of mammals from the order of rodents (Rodentia). Mouse is the most extensive family of modern rodents and mammals in general. It has about 120 genera and about 400-500 species.

The family is not only the richest in genera and species, but also one of the most widespread, and, thanks to its tendency to follow man everywhere, it is now capable of even greater distribution, at least as far as some individual genera are concerned. The members of this family, without exception, are all small in stature, but this disadvantage is fully compensated by the number of individuals. Wanting to give big picture appearance of these animals, it can be said that the distinguishing features of the family are: a sharp stigma, large, black eyes, wide, deeply concave ears covered with sparse hair, a long, hairy or often bare-scaly tail and small legs, thin delicate with five fingers paws, as well as a short soft fur coat. More or less in relation to these external changes of the basic type is the structure of the teeth. Usually the incisors are narrow and thicker than wide, with a wide sharp edge or a simple point, they are flat or convex on the front surface, white or colored, and sometimes with a longitudinal groove in the middle. The three molars in each row, decreasing from front to back, form the rest of the dentition, but they also decrease to two or increase to four in the upper jaw. From chewing, they grind off, and then the surface is smooth or folded. Cheek pouches are also found in some species, but in others they are completely absent; in some the stomach is arranged simply, in others it is strongly constricted, etc.

They inhabit all countries, and although they prefer the plains of temperate and warm latitudes to harsh mountainous areas or the cold north, but they are also found where the vegetation boundary reaches, therefore, in mountainous areas they reach the line of eternal snow.

In Russia, there are 12-15 species of mice from 5 genera. Landscaped areas, fruitful fields, plantations are, of course, their favorite habitats, but marshy spaces, the banks of rivers and streams are also quite suitable for them, and even lean, dry plains barely overgrown with grass and shrubs provide them with another opportunity for existence. .

Some species avoid the proximity of human settlements, others, on the contrary, are imposed on man, like uninvited guests, and follow him wherever he establishes a new settlement, even across the sea. They inhabit houses and yards, barns and stables, gardens and fields, meadows and forests, everywhere causing harm and disaster with their teeth. Only a few species live alone or in pairs, most live in societies, and some species are found in myriad herds. Almost all have an extraordinary ability to reproduce, the number of cubs of one litter varies from 6 to 21, and most of the species give birth several times a year, not excluding even winter.
Mice are adapted in every way to torment and torment people, and the whole structure of the body seems to help them especially in this. Agile and agile in their movements, they are excellent at running, jumping, climbing, swimming, penetrating through the narrowest openings, and if they do not find access, then they punch their way with sharp teeth. They are quite smart and cautious, but at the same time bold, shameless, impudent, cunning and bold; all their senses are refined, but their sense of smell and hearing are far superior to the rest. Their food consists of all edible substances of the plant and animal kingdom. The secret to murine success is a good ability to adapt to changing environments. Mouse climb well, run well, know how to dig holes, there are semi-aquatic forms. Almost all mice are characterized by nocturnal or twilight activity. In nutrition, they are widely omnivorous. Finally, in mice there is a rapid change of generations, a high rate of reproduction and high mortality. Some species living in cold and temperate countries are subject to hibernation and prepare supplies for the winter, others at times undertake migrations in innumerable crowds, which, however, usually end in their death.
Few breeds are suitable for keeping in captivity, because only the smallest part of the whole family is able to be easily tamed and is distinguished by a peaceful attitude towards each other.
In everyday life, there are two main groups: rats and mice. Rats are more clumsy and uglier looking, mice are more beautiful and comely.

In the former, the tail has about 200-260 scaly rings, in the latter from 120 to 180; those legs are thick and strong, those slender and thin; adult rats are much larger than their relatives.
black rat(Battus rattus) reaches 35 cm in length, and the body is up to 16 cm, and the tail is up to 19 cm, the body is dark, brownish-black above, slightly lighter below, grayish-black.

Dark gray at the base of the hair has a greenish metallic sheen. The legs are gray-brown, slightly lighter on the sides. On a relatively long tail, there are 260-270 scaly rings. Albinos are not uncommon.

She followed man to all latitudes of the globe and traveled with him by land and sea around the world.

Pasyuk(Battus norvegicus) much larger, body length 42 cm, including 18 cm tail length, coat color is different on the back and belly. The upper part of the body and tail are brownish-gray, Bottom part the body is greyish-white, both parts are demarcated. The undercoat is mostly pale grey. The tail has about 210 scaly rings. Sometimes there are individuals completely black, white with red eyes, roan and piebald. Pasyuk, also called a gray, red, Norwegian ship rat by them, occasionally reaches a length of 28 cm, with a tail length of 23 cm and a mass of over half a kilogram. According to some reports, sometimes as a result of mutations, rats of even more impressive sizes appear. According to one version, China is the homeland of Pasyuk, and it came to Europe from the east, forcing large rivers, such as the Volga, not earlier than the middle of the 16th century.At present, the gray rat is distributed throughout all settlements of Russia, including the Arctic, is absent only on some high arctic islands, a number of regions of Central and Eastern Siberia. In their way of life, in their manners and habits, as well as in their habitats, both types of rats are so similar that when describing one, you depict the other. If we accept that the pasyuki nest more often in the lower rooms of buildings and mainly in damp cellars and cellars, drainpipes, sluices, cesspools and garbage pits and along river banks, while the black rat prefers the upper parts of houses, for example, grain barns, attics, then very little will remain that would not be common to both breeds. Both the one and the other species of these harmful animals live in all sorts of nooks and crannies of human dwellings and all places that give them the opportunity to get their own food. From the cellar to the attic, from the front rooms to the latrine, from the palace to the hut - they are found everywhere. Pasyuki can settle even in refrigerators, with a constant temperature below 10 degrees below zero. In general, there are entire populations of gray rats living all year round, or only in the summer outside buildings - in fields, gardens, gardens, parks, and wastelands. In the southern regions of Russia, they also inhabit natural landscapes, preferring near-water biotopes.

By the nature of the diet, rats are carnivores rather than omnivores, plant foods included in the diet, as a rule, are high-calorie - seeds, fruits. There are known cases of attacks by rats on people who are in a helpless state. There are frequent cases of cannibalism and active predation in relation to smaller rodents.

Near humans, rat populations have found a permanent food base in the form food waste and faeces. According to some calculations of public utilities that carry out deratization (destruction of rats and mice), the number of rats in major cities more than 5 times the number of people. According to this logic, at least 50 million rats live in Moscow.Rats pose a serious threat as a constant reservoir of dangerous epidemic diseases of typhus, tularemia, plague, etc.

house mouse(Mm muscuhis) in appearance still has some resemblance to the black rat, but it is much more beautiful, its body parts are more proportional, and it is much smaller in stature. Its entire length is approximately 18 cm, of which 9 cm fall on the body. The tail has 180 scaly rings. It is one-colored: the yellowish, grayish-black color of the upper body and tail gradually fades into a lighter underparts, legs and fingers of a yellowish-gray color.

forest mouse(Sylvaemus sylvaticus) reaches 20 cm in length, its tail, consisting of approximately 150 scaly rings, is 11.5 cm long.

The wood mouse inhabits all of Europe east to Belarus and Ukraine, while in Russia it is replaced by a close species - the small wood mouse (S. uralensis). The wood mouse genus includes up to 12 very similar species, partially replacing each other in the temperate zone and subtropics of Eurasia. This mouse is two-tone, the upper part of the body and tail is light gray-brown, the lower part, legs and fingers are white, and their color differs sharply from the color of the back. Both of these species differ from the next one in their longer ears. The ears are half the length of the head and, pressed against the head, reach the eyes.

1. Field mouse (Apodemus agrarhts) 2. Forest mouse (Syivaemus sylvaticus)

Harvest mouse(Apodenms agrarius) reaches 18 cm in length, the tail has 8 cm. The field mouse is the most common of the 9 species of the field mouse genus. Previously, wood mice were also included in this genus. It is tricolored: the upper part of the body is reddish-brown with black stripes along the back, the lower part and legs are white and differ sharply from the upper part of the body. The tail has about 120 scaly rings. All these mice are unusually similar to each other in terms of their location, temper and lifestyle, although both have their own characteristics.

None of them is tied exclusively to the place from which it got its name: the wood mouse equally willingly lives both in barns or houses and in the field, and the field mouse limits its location to the field just as little as the brownie - to the dwelling of a person, so that on occasion one can see all three species together. In a cage, after a few days, she becomes tame; even old mice quickly become accustomed to humans, and those caught by young ones surpass in their good nature and carelessness most other rodents kept in captivity.

The house mouse breeds unusually fast. She gives birth 22-24 days after mating from 4 to 6, rarely 8 cubs, and during the year probably from 5 to 6 times, so that the immediate offspring of one year reaches at least 30 heads.

Most small view this family, baby mouse(Micromys minutus). She is more mobile, more agile, more fun, in a word, a much more attractive animal than all the others. In length, it has 13 cm, of which almost half falls on the tail. The baby mouse is the only representative of the genus i. probably one of the smallest rodents in the world. Its mass averages only 6 g (3.5-13 g). It differs from mice of other species by a blunt muzzle, small ears and eyes, and a semi-grasping tail covered with hair. Unlike other mice, the baby is more active during the day. The color of the coat is variable, it is of two colors: the upper body and tail are yellow-brown-red, the belly and legs are completely white, however, there are also darker or lighter, redder or browner, grayish or yellowish ones; the belly is not particularly different from the upper part. Young animals have a slightly different physique than old ones, and a completely different body color, namely, a much more gray color on the back.
The baby mouse has long been a mystery to zoologists. Pallas discovered it in Siberia, described it exactly and drew it quite well, but after him almost every naturalist who came across it passed it off as a new species, and everyone considered himself right. She lives on all the plains where agriculture flourishes, but is not always found in the fields, but mainly in swamps, reeds and reeds. The baby lives throughout the temperate zone of Eurasia, prefers meadows in the south of the forest zone, forest-steppe, according to the corresponding altitudinal belts penetrates into the mountains of southern Eurasia to northern India and Vietnam, occurs in the Caucasus up to 2200 m.

It eats the same as all other mice: bread and seeds of all kinds of herbs and trees, as well as all kinds of small insects.

In its movements, the baby mouse differs from all other species of this family. Despite her insignificant size, she runs unusually fast and climbs with the greatest perfection and dexterity. She is also equally good at swimming and diving. So she can live everywhere. In winter, the animals move into burrows; in agricultural landscapes they prefer haystacks. stacks. sometimes barns. It is believed that each baby mouse gives birth two or three times a year, each time 5-9 pieces of cubs. Most of the animals live only 2-3 months, so only the young from the last brood survive until winter.

Subfamily Polevkovye (Family Hamsters)

Voles, or voles (lat. Arvicolinae, or lat. Microtinae) is a detachment of rodents of the hamster family. Includes voles, lemmings, mole voles, lemmings and muskrats. Voles include small mouse-like rodents with a body length of 7-36 cm. The tail is always shorter than the body - 5-2 cm. Voles weigh from 15 g to 1.8 kg. Outwardly, they resemble mice or rats, but in most cases they are well distinguished from them by a blunt muzzle, short ears and tail. The color of the top is usually monophonic - gray or brownish. Molar teeth in most species without roots, constantly growing, rarely with roots (in most extinct); on their chewing surface - alternating triangular loops. Teeth 16.

Mole voles and Kashmir voles have adapted to the underground way of life. Other voles (muskrat, water rats), which are distinguished by larger body sizes, lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle.

They inhabit the continents and many islands of the Northern Hemisphere. The southern border of the range passes through North Africa (Libya), the Middle East, northern India, southwestern China, Taiwan, the Japanese and Commander Islands; found in North America as far as Guatemala. In the mountains they rise to the upper limit of vegetation. The greatest species diversity and high numbers are reached in open landscapes of the temperate zone. They often nest in large colonies. Above-ground parts of plants predominate in food; some species store food. They are active all year round and do not hibernate during the winter. They are very prolific, bringing from 1 to 7 litters per year with an average size of 3-7 cubs.

In some species (muskrat, vole Microtus ochrogaster), males also take part in caring for offspring. They breed throughout the warm period of the year, some species also breed in winter, under snow. Young individuals become independent at 8-35 days and soon reach sexual maturity. Due to the high reproductive potential, the number of voles is subject to sharp fluctuations over the years. Life expectancy in nature is from several months to 1-2 years. Also, voles are forced to flee from white northern burrowing polecats, because they are their main food.
The subfamily consists of 7 tribes, 26 genera and 143 species. Many voles are serious pests of agricultural crops and natural carriers of pathogens of tularemia, leptospirosis and other diseases. Skins of large species (muskrats) are used as fur raw materials. Due to the high abundance and its cyclic fluctuations over the years, vole populations have a serious impact on the populations of predators, such as snowy owls and Canada lynxes.

gray voles(lat. Microtus) - a genus of rodents of the subfamily of voles. Small mouse-like rodents that differ from mice in their shorter ears and tail. Body length 11-20 cm. Tail length is usually less than 1/2 body length - 1.5-9.5 cm; it is slightly or moderately hairy. Only in voles living in the north, the tail is covered with thick hair. Molar teeth without roots, with constant growth. The coat is usually quite high, dense and soft; in species living in the north or in the highlands, a sharp seasonal dimorphism was noted in the density and height of the hairline. The coloration of the upper side is usually dark, brownish-gray, sometimes blackish, or with a reddish tinge; abdominal - lighter, from grayish to pale brown. It is almost impossible to distinguish many types of voles by external signs.

Gray voles are distributed over the vast territory of Eurasia and North America from the tundra to the subtropics and the northern part of the tropical zone. They inhabit a wide variety of landscapes. In the mountains they rise to a height of 4500 m above sea level. The most favorable for them are open landscapes of temperate climate zone. There are day and night forms. They usually nest in colonies, arranging complex nesting burrows. In winter, they often accumulate in stacks, stacks, etc. places. They feed mainly on the green parts of plants, roots, and other plant foods; some species store a significant amount of roots.

They breed mainly in the warm period of the year, but under favorable conditions in winter.

During the year there are usually 3-4, sometimes up to 7 litters. The average number of cubs in a litter is 5-6. Populations vary greatly from year to year. Most gray voles are dangerous pests of grain and fruit crops, as well as pasture plants;

are a natural reservoir of pathogens of a number of infectious diseases (tularemia, leptospirosis).

There are 62 species in the genus of gray voles, of which 12 are in the fauna of Russia. The most common are the common vole ( Microtus arvalis) and house vole (Microtus oeconomus):

common vole(lat. Microtus arvalis) - a species of rodents of the genus gray voles. Small animal; body length is variable, 9-14 cm. Weight usually does not exceed 45 g. The tail is 30-40% of the body length - up to 49 mm. The color of the fur on the back can vary from light brown to darkish gray-brown, sometimes with an admixture of brown-rusty tones. The abdomen is usually lighter: dirty gray, sometimes with a yellowish-buffy coating. The tail is either single or slightly bicolor. The most lightly colored voles from central Russia. There are 46 chromosomes in the karyotype.

Distributed in biocenoses and agrocenoses of forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones of continental Europe from the Atlantic coast in the west to the Mongolian Altai in the east. In the north, the range border runs along the coast Baltic Sea, southern Finland, southern Karelia, the Middle Urals and Western Siberia; in the south - along the Balkans, the Black Sea coast, the Crimea and the north of Asia Minor. It is also found in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in Northern Kazakhstan, in the southeast of Central Asia, on the territory of Mongolia. Found in the Korean Islands. In its vast range, the vole gravitates mainly to field and meadow cenoses, as well as to agricultural lands, vegetable gardens, orchards, and parks. It avoids solid forests, although it is found in clearings, clearings and edges, in light forests, in riverine thickets of shrubs, and forest belts. It prefers places with well-developed grass cover. In the southern part of its range, it gravitates towards more humid biotopes: floodplain meadows, gullies, river valleys, although it also occurs in dry steppe areas, on fixed sands outside deserts. In the mountains it rises to subalpine and alpine meadows at an altitude of 1800-3000 m above sea level. Avoids areas subject to intense anthropogenic pressure and transformation.

In warm weather, it is active mainly at dusk and at night; in winter, activity is round-the-clock, but intermittent.

Lives in family settlements, as a rule, consisting of 1-5 related females and their offspring of 3-4 generations. The sites of adult males occupy 1200-1500 m² and cover the sites of several females. In their settlements, voles dig a complex system of holes and tread a network of paths, which turn into snowy passages in winter. The animals rarely leave the paths, which allow them to move faster and easier to navigate.

The depth of the holes is small, only 20-30 cm. The animals protect their territory from alien individuals of their own and other types of voles (up to killing). During periods of high abundance, colonies of several colonies often form in grain fields and other feeding places.

The vole is a typically herbivorous rodent whose diet includes a wide range of foods. characteristic seasonal change diet. In the warm season, it prefers the green parts of cereals, Asteraceae and legumes; occasionally eats mollusks, insects and their larvae. In winter, it gnaws at the bark of shrubs and trees, including berries and fruits; eats seeds and underground parts of plants. Makes food stocks reaching 3 kg.

The common vole breeds throughout the warm season - from March-April to September-November. In winter, there is usually a pause, but in closed places (stacks, stacks, outbuildings), if there is sufficient food, it can continue to breed. In one reproductive season, the female can bring 2-4 broods, a maximum of middle lane- 7, in the south of the range - up to 10. Pregnancy lasts 16-24 days. The litter has an average of 5 cubs, although their number can reach 15; cubs weigh 1-3.1 g. Young voles become independent on the 20th day of life. They begin to breed at 2 months of age. Sometimes young females become pregnant already on the 13th day of life and bring the first brood at 33 days.

Average duration life is only 4.5 months; by October, most of the voles die, the young of the last litters hibernate and start breeding in the spring. Voles are one of the main food sources for a variety of predators - owls, kestrels, weasels, stoats, ferrets, foxes and wild boars.

The common vole is a widespread and numerous species that easily adapts to human economic activities and the transformation of natural landscapes. The number, like many fertile animals, varies greatly by season and year. Characterized by outbreaks of numbers, followed by prolonged depressions. In general, fluctuations look like a 3- or 5-year cycle.

In the years largest number population density can reach 2000 individuals per ha, falling to 100 individuals per ha during depression years.

It is one of the most serious pests of agriculture, horticulture and horticulture, especially during the years of mass reproduction. It harms grain and other crops on the vine and in stacks, gnaws the bark of fruit trees and shrubs.

It is the main natural carrier of plague pathogens in Transcaucasia, as well as pathogens of tularemia, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, toxoplasmosis and other diseases dangerous to humans.

Housekeeper vole(lat. Microtus oeconomus) - a species of rodents of the genus gray voles (Microtus). Body length 10-16 cm, weight up to 50-70 grams. The tail is about half the length of the entire body. The color of the back is rusty or dark brown, with an admixture of yellow. The coloration of the sides is lighter, often with a reddish tint. The belly and paws are grey. The coat color is darker in summer than in winter. Adults are also lighter in color than juveniles. The tail is two-colored - its upper side is darker than the lower one. Chewing surface of the first lower molar with 6 closed enamel loops, on its outer side - with 3 protruding corners. The chewing surface of the middle upper molar has 4-5 enamel loops. The first molar on the outer side with 4 ledges.

Distributed in swampy areas throughout the territory from forest-tundra to forest-steppes, except for the south of the European part of Russia, the Caucasus and part of the Amur basin. It also lives in North America in Alaska. It settles in damp meadows, glades, grassy swamps, and is also often found in light forests near water bodies, in floodplains of rivers. Rarely found in forests.

They are active around the clock, but most often the peak of activity occurs at night. They live in family groups of 2-3 broods of one pair of animals that inhabit closely spaced burrows. The individual habitat area of ​​the female is 300-1000 square meters, the male - 900-1500. Predominantly, the areas of females are isolated from each other, males are combined or enter the areas of females.

Burrows are connected to feeding places by a network of paths, near which there are refuge minks. During feeding, the animals do not go further than 20 meters from the nearest hole. In winter, they make moves under the snow. Herbivorous species. It feeds mainly on green juicy and tender parts of various herbs, berries, seeds and insects.

Creates winter reserves from nodules and rhizomes, seeds of various meadow, marsh plants. There are 2-3 broods per year, which usually appear in the warm season. At a time, the female gives birth to 5-6 cubs, much less often their number varies from 1 to 15. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 2 months.

steppe pied(lat. Lagurus lagurus) is the only species of the genus Lagurus of the hamster family. A small animal with a short tail. Body length 8-12 cm, tail 7-19 mm. Weighs 25-35 g. Eyes and ears are small.

The coloration of the upper body is rather uniform: from dark or brownish-gray to light, grayish-yellow; gradually changes into a slightly lighter coloration of the sides and abdomen. A dark stripe runs along the spine from nose to tail. Winter fur is only slightly longer and thicker than summer fur. There is a lightening and yellowing of the color from west to east and from north to south. 4 subspecies are known, all are represented in Russia. The steppe lemming is common in the southern forest-steppes, steppes and northern semi-deserts of Eurasia - from the Dnieper region (Kremenchug region) to the Tien Shan, Western Mongolia, China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). On the territory of Russia, it is found in the south of the European part of Russia (Voronezh, Tambov regions), in the Ciscaucasia, the Middle and Lower Volga regions, in the Middle and Southern Urals, in Western Siberia, in the Altai steppe, in Tuva, in the steppes along the river. Abakan (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia).

Lives in the steppes; on pastures and fallows it penetrates into the forest-steppe, and along the banks of lakes and rivers - into the semi-desert. Forb steppes and shrubs avoids; numerous in grass-forb, feather-grass-fescue and sagebrush steppes. Willingly settles on arable land, fallow lands, pastures, along roadsides and railway embankments. In the rocky alpine steppe, it is known up to an altitude of 2800 m above sea level. m. (central and eastern Tien Shan). In dry years, it often goes to low relief areas, to river valleys and lake basins.

It is active around the clock, but leads a semi-underground lifestyle and comes to the surface only for a short time, usually at dusk or at night. The exceptions are the years of increased numbers, when the pied-breeds make mass migrations.

Digs rather complex burrows 30-90 cm deep; also uses the holes of other rodents - ground squirrels, gerbils, mole voles, deep cracks in the soil. The main burrow is connected to several temporary path networks. In winter, tunnels under the snow. Lives in small colonies; a couple of animals settle in the nesting hole in spring.

Less than other types of voles need water and wet food. Prefers green parts of narrow-leaved grasses, wormwood; in dry years it also eats tubers and bulbs, seeds, shrub bark, and sometimes animal food (locusts). Winter stocks are not typical. During the years of mass reproduction, it strongly eats away steppe vegetation. In favorable years, it brings up to 6 litters, 5-6 cubs (maximum 10-14) in each. A newborn pied beetle weighs about 1 g. The steppe pied breeds from March-April to October; in warm and forage winters in the east of the range, cases of under-snow breeding are known.

Steppe pieds are the basis of the diet of the fox and corsac (more than 90% of the bones in excrement). The fox eats up to 100 pieds per month. Small mustelids (polecats, ermine, weasel) and birds of prey (harriers, long-legged buzzard, gulls, owls) also feed on pieds. On occasion, they are also hunted by large predators - a badger, a wolverine, even a brown bear.

In captivity, steppe pieds live for a maximum of 20 months, although some specimens lived up to 2-2.5 years. In nature, life expectancy is calculated in months. The number of steppe lemmings fluctuates over the years more sharply than in other small voles of the fauna of Russia - years of mass reproduction are replaced by depressions. In some places, the steppe lemming is one of the main pests of field crops and animal husbandry, as it spoils pastures, hayfields and grain crops, eating away the most valuable species of fodder plants.

Muskrat, or musky rat(lat. Ondatra zibethicus) - a mammal of the subfamily of voles of the order of rodents; the only species of the muskrat genus. This semi-aquatic rodent native to North America is acclimatized in Eurasia, including Russia. Outwardly, the muskrat resembles a rat (it is often called a musky rat), although it is noticeably larger than an ordinary pasyuk (gray rat) - the weight of adults can reach 1.8 kg, although, as a rule, they weigh 1-1.5 kg. Body length - 23-36 cm, tail length is almost equal to body length - 18-28 cm. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed. The body of the muskrat is valky, the neck is short, the head is small and dull-faced. Her appearance indicates adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle. The auricles barely protrude from the fur; the eyes are small and set high. Lips, like those of beavers, are overgrown with incisors, isolating them from the oral cavity, thanks to which the muskrat can gnaw off plants under water without choking. The tail is flattened laterally, covered with small scales and sparse hairs; a crest of elongated coarse hair runs along its underside. On the hind legs there are swimming membranes, and along the edges of the fingers there is a border of short hair. Muskrat fur consists of coarse guard hairs and a soft undercoat. The coloration of the back and limbs is dark brown to black. The belly is lighter, sometimes grayish-blue. In summer, the color brightens. The fur is very thick, dense and lush, which makes it waterproof. The muskrat constantly monitors its fur: it lubricates with fatty secretions and combs it. Another adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle is an increased content of hemoglobin in the blood, and myoglobin in the muscles, which creates additional oxygen reserves when diving underwater.

Another special adaptation is heterothermy, the ability to regulate blood flow to the limbs and tail; the limbs of the muskrat are usually colder than the body.

In Russia, the muskrat range extends from the borders of Finland through the entire forest zone of the European part of Russia and a significant part of the forest-steppe and taiga zones of Siberia to the Far East and Kamchatka. It is also found in Israel on the banks of fresh rivers.

The muskrat leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, settles along the banks of rivers, lakes, canals, and especially willingly - freshwater swamps. She prefers shallow (1-2 m deep), non-freezing reservoirs with banks covered with dense grassy vegetation. Muskrats are active around the clock, but most often after sunset and early in the morning. They feed on coastal and aquatic plants - reeds, cattails, reeds, sedges, horsetails, arrowheads, pondweeds. In spring, the muskrat feeds on young stems and leaves, in summer and autumn it eats basal parts and rhizomes, in winter only rhizomes. It also eats agricultural crops. Less often, when there is little plant food, it eats mollusks, frogs and fish fry.

For housing, the muskrat builds burrows and huts. Burrow digs in the high bank. The length of the burrows is different, in steep banks - 2-3 m, in gentle ones - up to 10 m. The burrow opening is located under water and is not visible from the outside, and the nesting chamber is above the water level. It happens that the nesting chambers are located on two floors and are connected by passages - this is provided in case of a change in the water level in the reservoir. Even in the most severe frosts, the temperature in the nesting chambers of muskrats did not fall below 0 °C. On low swampy shores, the muskrat constructs from the stems of aquatic plants (reed, sedge, cattail), fastened with silt, surface dwellings - huts up to 1-1.5 m high. The entrance to them is also located under water. It also builds floating and open nests - feeding grounds. In addition to residential huts, muskrats also build storerooms, where they store food for the winter.

Muskrats live in family groups with their own feeding grounds. The inguinal (perineal) glands of males secrete a musky secret with which they mark their territory. Due to their abundance, muskrats play an important role in the diet of many predators, including ilka, raccoon, otter, raccoon dog, barn owl, harriers, alligators, pikes. Especially great damage is done to them by minks, which live in the same biotopes as muskrats and are able to penetrate into their holes through underwater passages. On land, foxes, coyotes and stray dogs prey on muskrats. Even a crow and a magpie attack the young. Occasionally, muskrat burrows and huts are destroyed by a wolf, bear, and wild boar. Usually the muskrat escapes from enemies under water or in a hole, but in a hopeless situation it can desperately defend itself using teeth and claws. Slow on the ground, the muskrat swims well and dives well. Without air, it can do up to 12-17 minutes. Vision and sense of smell are poorly developed, basically, the animal relies on hearing. Litters average 7-8 cubs. In the northern regions, there are 2 broods per year and reproduction is limited to warm months - from March to August; in the southern ones, reproduction is almost uninterrupted, and the female can feed 4-5 broods per year. The cubs are blind at birth and weigh about 22 g. On the 10th day they already know how to swim, and on the 21st they begin to eat plant foods. By the 30th day, young muskrats become independent, but remain with their parents for the winter. The maximum life expectancy is 3 years, in captivity - up to 10 years. Muskrat is one of the most important fur trade species, it gives a valuable durable skin. In a number of places, the muskrat's burrowing activity harms the irrigation system, dams and dams. She does damage agriculture, especially rice growing; uncontrollably bred, destroys aquatic and coastal vegetation. It is a natural carrier of at least 10 natural focal diseases, including tularemia and paratyphoid. The muskrat is a numerous and widespread species, since it is prolific and easily adapts to environmental changes - the construction of irrigation canals, etc. However, its number is subject to natural cyclical fluctuations - every 6-10 years it drops sharply for unknown reasons.

forest voles(lat. Myodes, or lat. Clethrionomys) is a genus of rodents of the subfamily of voles. Small mouse-like rodents: body length 7-16 cm, tail 2.5-6 cm. The auricles are barely visible. The eyes are small. The coloration on the dorsal side of the body is rusty or reddish-red, which makes it easy to distinguish forest voles from gray voles. The belly is gray or white. In winter, the hairline becomes redder and thicker.

Unlike most voles, forest voles molars have roots. There are 56 chromosomes in the diploid set of all species. They inhabit the forest, forest-steppe and partly steppe zones of Eurasia and North America. Distributed very widely. In North America, they are found from the north of the continent (Alaska, British Columbia, Labrador) to the states of Colorado and North Carolina. In Eurasia, they are found from the Pyrenees in the west to the ranges of the Khingan system in the east; in the north they reach the northern border of the forests;

in the south, the border runs along the north of the Iberian Peninsula, the Apennine Peninsula, Western Asia, Western Transcaucasia, the Mongolian People's Republic, Eastern China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan. They inhabit mainly deciduous and coniferous forests. They also live in swampy areas of the forest-tundra, in the floodplain forests of the steppe zone. They rise in the mountains up to 3000 m above sea level. Active around the clock and all year round. They dig short and shallow burrows in the thickness of moss or forest floor. They also hide in the voids at the roots of trees, under hummocks. They are quite good at climbing bushes and trees. They feed mainly on vegetative parts of herbaceous plants, to a lesser extent on seeds, bark, shoots and buds. They also eat various invertebrates, lichens and mosses. Sometimes they make small stocks. The breeding season in some years begins even with snow cover and continues until late autumn. There are 3-4 litters per year, each of which has from 2 to 11 cubs. In places, forest voles harm forest plantations, gardens, and shelterbelts. They carry pathogens of tick-borne typhoid fevers and leptospirosis. They serve as an important food object for fur-bearing animals, especially mustelids.

There are 13 species in the genus:

Myodes andersoni

California bank vole (Myodes californicus)

Tien Shan vole (Myodes centralis)

Gapper vole (Myodes gapperi)

· bank vole(Myodes glareolus)

Myodes imaizumii

Myodes regulus

Red-backed vole (Myodes rufocanus)

red-backed vole (Myodes rutilus)

Myodes shanseius

Myodes smithii

Bibliography

1. Life of animals. - M.: State publishing house

geographical literature. A. Brem. 1958.

2. Mouse - article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia

3. Russian names according to the book Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia. "Mammals" Book. 2 = The New Encyclopedia of Mammals / ed. D. MacDonald. - M.: "Omega", 2007. - S. 444-445. - 3000 copies.

4. www.wikipedia.org

5. www.dic.academic.ru

6. www.zoomet.ru

Infraclass: Eutheria, Placentalia Gill, 1872= Placental, higher beasts

Order: Rodentia Bowdich, 1821 = Rodents

Family: Muridae Gray, 1821 = Mouse

Genus: Mastomys natalensis Smith, 1834 = polynipple rat (Mastomys hildebrandtii (Peters, 1878) Myomys fumatus (Peters, 1878))

and many other kinds

FAMILY MOUSE = MURIDAE GRAY, 1821

The family includes rodents of various sizes from small to medium. The body length is from 5 to 48.5 cm. The physique of the majority is relatively slender. The cervical interception is well defined. The limbs are usually of medium length, with the hind limbs slightly longer than the front, rarely significantly exceeding them, or the length of the fore and hind limbs is approximately the same. The long tail is usually devoid of hair, sometimes covered with sparse hair. On the tail are well-defined skin scales. In some species, the tail is covered with rather thick hair or has a tassel at the end. In some climbing forms, the tail may be semi-grasping. The limbs are five-fingered with varying degrees of reduction of the extreme fingers. In some arboreal species, the first finger on the forelimbs or on the hind legs is opposed to the rest of the fingers and has a nail instead of a claw. The soles of the limbs are hairless. Semi-aquatic species on the hind limbs may have swimming membranes between the fingers. Representatives of three genera (Beamys, Saccostomus and Cricetomys) have cheek pouches. The hairline is varied. It can be uniform, silky and soft, or sharply subdivided into an elongated, coarse awn and thin soft down, or turn into short, thin needles. The color of the dorsal surface and body is usually brown or gray with red or black tints. There is no sexual dimorphism in coloration.

The skull is elongated. The brain capsule is convex or somewhat flattened. The facial section is sometimes shortened. The zygomatic arches are usually weak. The infraorbital foramen is somewhat elongated in height, with an expanded upper section through which part of the anterior lobe of the masticatory muscle passes. Occasionally, the infraorbital foramen is large, rounded. There is usually no sagittal crest. There is also no lambdoidal or it is poorly developed. Fronto-parietal ridges are usually present. Bony auditory drums of various sizes, most are small and thin-walled. In the lower jaw, the coronoid process is often poorly developed, while the articular process is rather large. Typical dental formula=16. The number of molars may be reduced (genus Mayermys).

Cheek teeth may or may not have roots. The chewing surface of the cheek teeth typically has ridges or transverse ridges, with the ridges usually arranged in three longitudinal rows. The crowns of the cheek teeth are low or of medium height, only rarely high. Teeth almost always decrease in size from front to back. Os penis is available.

The placenta is chorioallantoic, discoidal. The chromosomes in the diploid set range from 32 in Oenomys, 40 in Mus to 50 in Thamnomys and Aethomys, and 60 in Micromys.

Distributed almost throughout the globe, except for the highest latitudes. The largest number of 399 species of the family is found in Southeast Asia. Some species, spreading behind humans, have become cosmopolitans.

Members of the family inhabit a wide variety of landscapes. They lead a terrestrial or semi-arboreal (most species), rarely semi-aquatic lifestyle. Some species can move by jumping on their hind limbs. Almost all representatives are adapted to digging holes, although there is no adaptation to an exclusively underground existence. The shelter is burrows dug by the rodents themselves, or voids under stones, fallen tree trunks, sometimes hollows, bird nests, human buildings. They are active during the day or at night, with arboreal forms usually active at night. They do not hibernate. Some species are kept alone, others in pairs or family groups, and others form large groups or colonies.

Most species feed on various plant objects and invertebrates. Some species also eat small vertebrates - amphibians, reptiles, birds, their eggs, small rodents, and sometimes fish. There are omnivorous forms. There are from 1 to 22 cubs in a litter. The duration of pregnancy is from 18 to 42 days. Sexual maturity can occur at 35 days of age (house mouse), or at the age of several months (most species). In the southern parts of the range, they tend to breed all year round, often with several peaks in breeding activity. Life expectancy in natural conditions is 1-3 years. The number of some species can vary greatly from year to year. Some species cause significant damage to crops and food stocks. There are species of great epidemiological significance.

The most common characteristics of the spatial and ethological structure of settlements of representatives of the family Muridae include the following:

(1) a relatively high degree of individualization of female home ranges, overlaid with overlapping and significantly larger male home ranges in the absence of territorial protection;

(2) during the breeding season, aggregations of adult individuals of different sexes are formed, which are relatively isolated in space from other similar formations;

(3) in adults, aggregations show a significant proportion of peaceful contacts; however, females are characterized by territorial dominance relationships based on mutual antagonism, and in males competing for females, agonistic interactions lead to the formation of a dominance hierarchy;

(4) stable pair bonds are absent and the predominant breeding strategy is polygyny or promiscuity;

(5) the resettlement of young animals occurs in a short time after leaving the brood burrows;

(6) with the end of the reproductive period in the aggregations, a redistribution of individuals occurs, accompanied by the formation of wintering groups, which mainly include individuals of the same sex.

Thus, seasonal changes in the system of space use are relatively weakly expressed, and we can only speak of a redistribution of individuals in aggregations along the course. annual cycle breeding.

The family apparently contains 100 genera (400 species).