How Long Do Mice Live (And Why)?

How Long Do Mice Live (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 12-18 Months

Mice is a small rodent. Their characteristics are that they have a pointed snout, small rounded eyes, a body-length scaly tail, and have a high breeding rate. The most common species is found in the house mouse. Mice are also popular pets in many places. They are known to invade homes for food and shelter. They vary in size like a group of small rats or large rats which are commonly found in houses. The breeding conditions are different for domestic and wild rates. The best-known strain of the mouse is the white lab mouse.

How Long Do Mice Live

How Long Do Mice Live?

The mouse is the most successful mammalian genera living on the earth due to its fast adaptivity and can live in almost every environmental condition. The mouse is also considered a vermin that destroy the crop and causes several diseases. Mice spread disease from the feces and are potential carriers of parasites They have a really good sense of hearing but poor eyesight. Their senses are strong as they help them to find the location of food and avoid predators through their strong sense of smell. Mice have a lifespan of about 12-18 Months.

The mice and humans share a high degree of homology. They are experimental animals in laboratory research of biology and psychology fields because they are mammals. The mice are widely selected due to several reasons like they are small, inexpensive, have a widely varied diet, and reproduce quickly. The several generations can be observed very quickly in a short time. If the mouse is kept as a pet then they are very docile if it is raised from birth and given sufficient human contact. Many strains of mice are quite temperamental.

The researchers have confirmed that the mice have a various range of facial expressions. They can spot certain human emotions like pleasure, disgust, nausea, pain, and fear which are very common. Many people keep mice as their companions as they can be playful and loved as they will grow used to be handled by humans. If you have pet mice they should not be left outside because they don’t have any natural exposure from their predators like snakes, birds, cats, and dogs who might eat them. The male mice have more odor than the female mice.

ConditionDuration
Wild Mouse12-18 Months
Pet Mouse2-3 Years

Why Do Mice Live That Long?

Generally, these mice are unwanted guests in tour homes. They destroy wooden doors, clothes and can make chaos in your home. These mice build their nest in places like corners, cluttered garages, beneath cabinets, and even under your kitchen appliances. They do not just destroy things but they spread diseases too by contaminating food.

When the female mouse is pregnant it takes about 21 days to give birth. When the mice pups are born they lack eyesight, ears, and fur on their bodies which eventually grows around two weeks. They completely get matured and are ready to reproduce in six weeks and they start their next generation. The lifespan of the mice depends on several factors but one of the important factors is their dwelling place. The mice which live indoor love longer than the mice which live outdoor.

The life expectancy of mice tends to vary from one species to another. They may suffer from some diseases like cancer, heart failure, and kidney failure which is one of the reasons for their death. The wild mice have a short lifespan due to the presence of harsh environments and natural predators like cats, dogs, snakes, and birds. There are only 50% of wild mice who live longer than 5 months.

Conclusion

The mice are largely herbivores. They can eat any type of grain, fruit, and plants, as there is not any special diet for them. The mice adapt to their environment better in urban areas as they eat all the scraps as food. The mouse which is kept as a pet is fed with a special mouse diet which increases their life span, for sure they get more care than the wild ones. The white-colored mouse is most commonly kept as a pet in homes.

References

  1. https://www.nature.com/articles/ng1988
  2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2046-2395-2-14
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