Texas mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Texas mouse |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Peromyscus
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| Species: |
attwateri
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The Texas mouse (Peromyscus attwateri) is a type of rodent that belongs to the Cricetidae family. You can find these mice in the United States, specifically in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. This mouse was named to honor Henry Philemon Attwater.
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About the Texas Mouse
The Texas mouse is a medium-sized mouse for its group. It has a long tail that is two colors and covered with brownish fur. The tail is also a bit bushy at the end. This mouse has large back feet and usually dark ankles. Its ears are a medium size.
The fur on its back is a mix of dark brown and black hairs. The sides of its body are a pinkish-cinnamon color, and its belly and feet are pure white. The Texas mouse has a long tail to help it balance when climbing. It also has large eyes that help it see well in the dark, which is useful because it is active at night.
Adult Texas mice are usually about 18 to 22 centimeters (about 7 to 8.5 inches) long, including their tail. They weigh about 25 to 35 grams, which is about the weight of a few quarters. Their tail is usually 8 to 10 centimeters long. Their ears are about 1.8 to 2 centimeters long, and their back feet are about 2.4 to 2.7 centimeters long. The size of Texas mice can change a bit depending on where they live and what their environment is like.
Where They Live and What They Eat
Range and Habitat
The Texas mouse lives in western Arkansas, southeastern Kansas, southern Missouri, and parts of Oklahoma and Texas. They often live in forests.
These mice like to live in rocky areas, especially where there are high cliffs and slopes with juniper trees. They also live in areas with limestone and trees like oak and black hickory. They choose these places to hide from predators. Their main homes are in cedar glades and hardwood forests.
The number of Texas mice in an area can vary. On average, a Texas mouse will use an area of about 0.2 hectares (about half an acre) as its home. Male mice usually have a home range that is twice as big as female mice.
Diet
The Texas mouse is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and animals. In winter and spring, they often eat acorns. Their diet changes depending on what food is available. They eat a variety of things, including berries, seeds, flowers, nuts, fruits, and insects.
Behavior
Texas mice are mostly active at night, which means they are nocturnal. They also spend a lot of their time in trees, so they are called arboreal. They do not hibernate, which means they stay active all year round.
Their long tails and large back feet are perfect for climbing trees. In fact, they spend about 70% of their time climbing!
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Texas mice usually breed in the autumn and spring. They might also breed a little bit during the winter. However, there is no sign that they breed in late spring or summer. A female mouse can have several litters (groups of babies) during the breeding seasons.
It takes about 23 days for the babies to develop inside the mother before they are born. The mother then nurses her babies for about 8 days. A typical litter has three or four young mice. The number of babies can change with the seasons; for example, females collected in winter often have fewer embryos than those in spring.
When they are born, baby Texas mice weigh about 1.5 grams. They are born without hair, their eyes are closed, and their skin is pink. After about two days, their hair starts to grow. Their eyes open when they are about two weeks old. About a month after they are born, the young mice are ready to stop drinking their mother's milk and leave the nest to live on their own. However, some young mice might stay with their mother for a longer time.
