Mouse

A mouse is a small rodent with a pointed nose, round ears, beady black eyes, and a long, thin tail. There are more than 30 species of true mice. The most common is the house mouse, which lives almost everywhere humans do. A house mouse weighs less than an ounce, about the same as a slice of bread. From nose to tail tip, it measures about six inches.

Mice live on every continent except Antarctica. They make homes in fields, forests, deserts, barns, attics, and the walls of houses. A mouse will eat almost anything. In the wild, mice eat seeds, grains, fruits, insects, and roots. In houses, they nibble on crumbs, cereal, and even soap.

Mice have amazing senses. Their eyesight is poor, but their hearing, smell, and touch are sharp. The long whiskers on a mouse's face help it feel its way through dark spaces. A mouse can hear sounds far above what humans can hear. It squeaks to its family in high pitches that people cannot detect at all.

Mice are also famous for how fast they multiply. A female mouse can have her first litter when she is just six weeks old. She can give birth to five or six babies every three weeks. In one year, a single pair of mice and their babies' babies could grow into hundreds of mice if nothing stopped them. Cats, owls, snakes, foxes, and hawks all keep wild mouse numbers in check.

Mice have shaped human life in strange ways. They sneak into farms and eat stored grain, which has made them pests for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians may have first welcomed cats into their homes to hunt mice. Today, mice are also some of the most important animals in science. About 95 percent of a mouse's genes are similar to a human's. Researchers use lab mice to study diseases, test new medicines, and learn how bodies grow. Almost every medicine in your cabinet was tested on mice first.

Mice also turn up everywhere in stories. Mickey Mouse became the most famous cartoon character in the world. Stuart Little, Jerry, Mrs. Frisby, and the mice in Cinderella all showed mice as clever, brave, and kind. This is a little strange, since the real animal is usually hiding in the wall, trying to steal your cracker.