House mouse
Mus Domesticus
History:
Originated in the steppes of Central Asia.
Reportedly found in this country as early as the 9th Century, when and how remains unsolved.
Certainly as agricultural practices improved man’s harvests, the need for greater storage facilities were created thus providing more food and nest sites for mice and rats.
Colour: Brown to grey with a lighter underside
Ears: Large
Eyes: Small
Tail: Slightly less than body length
Weight (adult): 10-25 g
Litters per year: 5-8
Litter size: 4-8
Maturity: 6-8 weeks
Average life span: 3-4 months
Ears: Large
Eyes: Small
Tail: Slightly less than body length
Weight (adult): 10-25 g
Litters per year: 5-8
Litter size: 4-8
Maturity: 6-8 weeks
Average life span: 3-4 months
Habits:
M. domestics will drink water if available but can survive on food with a moisture content of 15% and can consume 20% of its body weight per day.
It is omnivorous, feeding from a number of different points,
Whole wheat, which has been partly eaten by mice, has a kibbled appearance whilst whole grain, partly eaten by rats, has a cut or chopped appearance.
Rodent Control Methods:
For rodent control methods, please refer to CRRU UK CODE OF BEST PRACTICE: Best Practice and Guidance for Rodent Control and the Safe Use of Rodenticides. Undertaking rodent control in line with this best practice document is a requirement of the UK Rodenticide stewardship regime. This must be adhered to in order to reduce SGAR residues in birds of prey and other wildlife. A key principle of this guide is the ‘risk hierarchy’. “The concept of ‘risk hierarchy’ should be at the forefront when deciding a rodent control strategy for any site. The key here is that any intervention conducted must be potentially effective but, in the risk hierarchy, the least severe methods must always be used. It is not necessary that all options in the risk hierarchy should be employed, and found to fail, before an effective solution is reached. But all should be considered.” Users should also consult the CRRU guidance on permanent baiting.
The guides can be downloaded here http://www.thinkwildlife.org/