California pocket mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California pocket mouse |
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|---|---|
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| In Pleasanton, California, US | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodipus
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| Species: |
californicus
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The California pocket mouse (Chaetodipus californicus) is a small, furry rodent. It is active mostly at night (nocturnal) and usually lives alone. This mouse belongs to the Heteromyidae family, which includes other pocket mice and kangaroo rats.
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Where the California Pocket Mouse Lives
The California pocket mouse makes its home in California, USA, and in northern Baja California state, Mexico. You can find it in places like the California chaparral and woodlands. This includes areas across Southern California, such as the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains and the California Coast Ranges. It also lives in the Transverse Ranges and the Peninsular Ranges.
There are eight different types, or subspecies, of the California pocket mouse. These include C. c. californicus, C. c. femoralis, and C. c. dispar. Each subspecies lives in a slightly different part of the mouse's overall range. For example, some are found near Berkeley, California, while others are in San Diego County or Baja California.
Sadly, the areas where these mice live are getting smaller. This is happening because of climate change and human activities. For instance, new homes and buildings are being built in their natural habitats.
What the California Pocket Mouse Looks Like
The California pocket mouse has fur that is brown on its back and tan on its belly. It has special white hairs, almost like tiny spines, near its rear end. Its tail is dark on top and light underneath. The end of its tail has a small tuft of fur.
Male and female California pocket mice are about the same size. This means you can't tell them apart just by looking at their size. Sometimes, people confuse this mouse with the San Diego pocket mouse (C. fallax). Both mice live in some of the same areas. However, the California pocket mouse has larger ears than the San Diego pocket mouse.
These mice are quite small. Their total length, including their tail, is about 190 to 235 millimeters (about 7.5 to 9.2 inches). Their tail alone is usually 102 to 143 millimeters long (about 4 to 5.6 inches). They weigh between 18 and 29 grams, which is about the same as a few quarters.
What the California Pocket Mouse Eats
The California pocket mouse mainly eats seeds. This makes it a granivore. But it also enjoys munching on insects and leaves.
Like all animals in the Heteromyidae family, this mouse has special external cheek pouches. These are like little pockets on the outside of its cheeks. The mouse uses these pouches to carry seeds back to its burrow. This way, it can store food for later!
See also
- California chaparral and woodlands
- Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands
