Mitchell's hopping mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mitchell's hopping mouse |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Notomys
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| Species: |
mitchellii
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The Mitchell's hopping mouse (Notomys mitchellii) is a special kind of mouse found in Australia. It is the largest of the hopping mice, usually weighing between 40 and 60 grams. These mice have big back legs, similar to a jerboa or kangaroo rat. This helps them move by hopping, just like a tiny kangaroo!
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About the Mitchell's Hopping Mouse
What Does It Look Like?
Mitchell's hopping mice are sandy grey on their backs. Their chests have white fur, and their bellies are even paler. They have a long tail with a brush-like tuft at the end. This bushy tail helps them keep their balance when they are hopping fast.
Where Does It Live?
You can find the Mitchell's hopping mouse across many dry areas in Southern Australia. They are quite common in places like the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. These mice prefer to live in mallee shrublands, which are areas with certain types of eucalyptus trees and bushes, often on sandy dunes.
How Does It Live?
Mitchell's hopping mice are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. During the day, they rest in special burrows. These burrows are deep holes in the sand dunes with a few tunnels connecting them. Sometimes, up to eight mice of different ages and sexes can share one burrow.
These mice can live for up to five years in a lab setting. Scientists think they live longer to help them survive long dry periods without much water. While they can save water by making very concentrated urine, they are not as good at dealing with a lack of water as some other desert rodents.
Their diet mostly includes roots and green plants. During dry times, studies have shown that their stomachs were full of about 85% roots, 11% green leaves, and only 4% seeds.
Can You Keep One as a Pet?
In 2010, a report from the Australian Government looked into keeping native Australian animals as pets. It said that the Mitchell's hopping mouse would be a good choice for many people to keep. However, at that time, laws in most Australian states needed to change for this to happen.
By late 2013, you could keep Mitchell's hopping mice as pets in Victoria (Australia) without needing a special licence. But if someone wants to breed them to sell, they still need a licence. This rule helps make sure that mice are not taken from the wild.
The Victorian Wildlife Regulations 2013 - Schedule 4B states:
- These species are often kept by many people.
- It is easy to care for them, and their care methods are well known.
- A licence is needed to buy and sell these animals for business. This helps protect them from being taken from the wild.
- You do not need a licence to keep them for your own personal enjoyment.
