Long-tailed mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long-tailed mouse |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pseudomys
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| Species: |
higginsi
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The long-tailed mouse (Pseudomys higginsi) is a small Australian mammal. It belongs to the Rodent family. You can only find it on the island of Tasmania.
This mouse is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and animals. Its diet includes insects and many different kinds of plants. It likes to live in forests, especially in rocky, high-up areas called sub-alpine scree. These mice might live in burrows underground.
The long-tailed mouse weighs about 70 grams. That's about the same as a small apple! It has a special tail that helps tell it apart from other mice. The tail is dark on top and white underneath. It's also very long, about 1.3 times longer than its head and body put together. Scientists think the mouse uses its long tail to help it balance when it jumps around on rocks.
Scientists have found old bones, called fossils, of this mouse. They were found in Cloggs Cave in Buchan, Australia. These fossils are very old, between 12,000 and 20,000 years old!
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Where the Long-Tailed Mouse Lives
The long-tailed mouse lives in many different places. You can find it from sea level all the way up to about 1,200 meters high. It seems to prefer places that get a lot of rain, like wet forests.
This mouse is quite adaptable. It can live in many types of habitats. It also handles changes to its environment well. One study looked at how these mice reacted to different ways of logging in old Eucalyptus forests. The study found that the long-tailed mouse was found in equal numbers across all logging areas. This means logging didn't seem to bother them much.
Another study found more long-tailed mice in forests that had been disturbed. This suggests that logging and harvesting did not harm the variety of animals and plants in the area. A study in 2012 compared where the mouse used to live to where it lives now. They wanted to see if losing old habitats meant the mouse was in danger. Even though some habitats have been lost, the long-tailed mouse is doing better than expected. It is not as threatened as some other animals.
What the Long-Tailed Mouse Eats
The long-tailed mouse is an omnivore that eats whatever it can find. Its diet changes with the seasons. It also depends on what food is available in its local area.
Scientists studied what the mouse eats by looking at its droppings. They found that it eats many different plants. These include grasses, grains, bamboo, fruits, ferns, and mosses. It also eats fungi and many kinds of insects.
How the Long-Tailed Mouse Lives
The long-tailed mouse is mostly active at night. This is called being nocturnal. But sometimes, it can also be active during the day. You can find it in rainforests, wet scrub, eucalyptus scrub, and even in low alpine areas.
The number of long-tailed mice in an area can be linked to other animals. For example, studies have shown that where there are more long-tailed mice, there are often more swamp rats. However, if there are many feral cats, there are usually fewer long-tailed mice. Tasmanian devils also seem to reduce the number of long-tailed mice. They also affect other small mammals in the area.
Life Cycle of the Long-Tailed Mouse
The long-tailed mouse has a specific breeding season. It breeds from September through June. Pregnancy lasts about 31 to 33 days. On average, a mother mouse will have 3 babies in a litter.
The young mice become independent about 33 days after they are born. They reach their adult size when they are about 40 days old. Their tails keep growing until they are about 75 days old. Male and female long-tailed mice look very similar. They don't have big differences in size or appearance. However, their body weight, hind foot length, and tail length can vary a bit depending on where they live.
Like all mammals, the mother mouse nurses her young. The babies drink milk from their mother shortly after birth until they are old enough to eat other foods. The young mice can hold onto their mother's nipples. This allows the mother to move quickly if she needs to escape danger.
