Little native mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little native mouse |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pseudomys
|
| Species: |
delicatulus
|
The little native mouse (Pseudomys delicatulus), also known as the delicate mouse, is a type of rodent (a mammal with strong, sharp front teeth for gnawing) that belongs to the Muridae family (a large group of mice and rats).
The Kunwinjku people from western Arnhem Land call this tiny creature Kijbuk.
You can find this mouse in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, and even in Papua New Guinea.
Contents
What Does the Little Native Mouse Look Like?
The little native mouse has soft fur that can be yellow-brown or grey-brown on its back. Its belly is white.
It is the smallest of all Australian native mice. Its head and body are usually between 55 and 75 millimeters long. Both male and female mice are about the same size and color. They weigh between 6 and 15 grams.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
In Arnhem Land, where scientists have studied them a lot, these mice usually have babies in July and August.
After being pregnant for 28 to 31 days, the mother mouse gives birth to two to four young. The babies are born with their eyes closed and ears folded back. They grow up quickly and can live on their own when they are about four weeks old. Their nest is a cozy chamber lined with grass.
Where Does the Little Native Mouse Live?
This mouse likes to live in sandy areas that drain water well. These places are often savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees.
The little native mouse makes its home in different places. It might live inside hollow logs or under pieces of tree bark. It also digs burrows in the ground.
The design of their burrows changes depending on the soil. In hard, rocky sand, their burrows are shallow but have many tricky tunnels and fake paths. They have one main room for nesting. In soft, sandy areas, their burrows are deep and simple, usually about two meters long with just one main chamber. Sometimes, they even dig burrows inside termite mounds!
What Does the Little Native Mouse Eat?
Most of what the little native mouse eats comes from seeds of native grasses.
- Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1455–1456. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=13001709.
