Photo. http://www.thesuffolkpestcontrolcompany.co.uk/common_pests_info/mice/MICE
Mus (musculus) domesticus
Originating from Asia the common house mouse now lives in every corner of the globe, their close association to humans have led them to be one of the most numerous mammals on the planet.
Life cycle
Weighing between 10 and 25 grams and only eating around 3 grams of food per day you wouldn’t think that they could cause much damage – but they do! Like all rodents they need to gnaw to keep their teeth down, they produce an amazing 80 droppings per day and are incontinent leaving little black grains of rice and urine where ever they travel.
They are superb climbers able to run up brick walls, and they can squeeze through the smallest of gaps, as small as a bic-biro.
A mouse trap from a supermarket might be sufficient to remove a lone mouse in your home, however once a breeding population is established you won’t be able to set the trap quick enough.
Mice breed at an astonishing rate;
Gestation is 19-21 days,
After birth the female come back into esterus (season) ready to breed again,
Litter sizes range from 3 to 14,
Up to 10 litters per year,
Young can reach sexual maturity in little as five weeks
They can breed all year round