Forest Mouse - is that for an animal?

This kind of mid-sized mice.They are slightly larger brownies.The average body length of 70 to 100 mm, the tail is roughly the same, and sometimes even more.Head compared with the body of a large, pointed snout with a pretty large eyes.The ears are long (up to 22 mm), webbed, round.They are adjacent to the side of the muzzle, and sometimes not only reach to the eye, but also close them.Hind legs are rather long narrow feet.The claws are very sharp.

On the back of the soft fur.Mostly upper body mice brown.Although there are individuals who have fur yellow or red tones.For the young there is a character more dim and diffuse color.Their abdomen whitish.On the chest between the forelegs is present in the form of a smear spot.

Where does a small rodent with long ears?

Forest Mouse lives in Russia, Ukraine, North America, Asia, Pakistan.He prefers not to live in the open steppe areas without ponds.For her native home become a forest in the mountains or on the plains, and the beam, shrubs and river valleys.Sometimes you can find in the coniferous forests, or even on a treeless.It may settle near human outbuildings, most of it occurs in the winter.

diet

The wood mouse eats?The main components of the diet are considered to be the seeds of trees.In second place among the preferences in food - berries, insects and green plants.Stocks animal does in burrows, and in the hollows and the very roots of the trees.

habitat and breeding rodent

mice are active mainly at night and at dusk.They prefer to settle in the hollows, located high enough.But in most cases they live under the roots of trees, fallen trunks, under stones, overhanging cliffs.Particularly deep holes do not dig and do not create intricate catacombs, only a few cameras for nesting and two or three outputs.

number of mice varies depending on climatic parameters.It can breed up to 4-5 times a year.The hibernation is not lies.

Pest or assistant?

Mouse harms forest as a natural renewal of hardwood trees and afforestation.It was recorded by the complete destruction of these rodents seed beech, linden, maple.They eat sown seed has sprouted damage, harm to agricultural plantations.Yet there is one positive aspect of the existence of this type of mice - a role in the food chain.Simply without them they would be unable to survive, especially in winter, birds of prey, snakes and even hedgehogs.

Mouse timber is a carrier of pathogens of diseases such as tularemia, erysipelas infection, paratyphoid and others.

Similar types

mouse from homes forest differs in that it does not have the back of the upper incisors clove.If you compare with a mouse-baby, the representatives of this species are much larger.In Asia there is no white belly, as is the forest.Mining same mouse, compared to wood, much more.

geographical changes and subspecies

Depending on the environment and the appearance of a mouse color may vary slightly.Towards the south, they become larger in size, color - bright and yellow patch on the chest appears in a larger number of rodents.Incidentally, the increase and the sheer size of this spot, especially in mountainous individuals.

Starting with Sweden and the mouse to the middle of the Urals forest mainly dark color.Already the Urals can meet representatives from more dull colors.In the south of Ukraine and in Crimea is dominated by a mouse with a light shade of wool, the Caucasus - with red.

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conclusion Now you know who this wood mouse, you see her photos in this article.We are also told where it lives, what he eats, how to harm people.We hope that this information has been useful to you.