the house-mouse probably is the most known rodent of our native fauna. Originally, it was a pure steppe-animal, that populated Asia's extended steppes and semi-steppe-area and lived mainly from grass-seeds.
The house-mouse joined the human being presumably already very early so that it was its steady companion approximately since beginning of the Getreideanbaues and spread with it about the whole old world. Through the merchandise-traffic from ships, the house-mouse is world-wide carried off today.
Subtypes From the house-mouse, a series of subtypes, that differ in shape and coloring, exists. In Central Europe, we find two forms, whose spread-areas are separated of each other approximately through the Elbe. West from the Elbe, the western house-mouse (Mus musculus domesticus), who is very strongly tied at the people, is alive. it is found only extremely rare once outside from buildings. This east from the Elbe living form, the northern house-mouse (Mus musculus musculus), is much more independent from the human being on the other hand, it lives in also field and hall. These two subtypes form there where its spread-area, Mischpopulationen, overlaps.
Further in the south and in the east, in the Balkans-area and in the Ukraine, Mus musculus spicilegus, that lives normally completely outside and only seeks shelter at the human being as an exception, lives.
From inner-Asia, Mus musculus bactrianus comes, that as exit-form of our M. m. domesticus-Hausmaus is valid. The M. m. musculus-Hausmaus leads however presumably from the M. m. spicilegus-Unterart from.
Interesting is that more the east European ones still and the Asian game-forms still the best the character of the steppe-animal protected. The farther however, the house-mouse advanced westward, the more narrowly it joined the human being and the race-name finds out "domesticus" its (= become to the pet) entitlement with what is finally fully dependent on it!
Shape and coloring The house-mouse is the mouse quintessential, can therefore be abstained confidently on the description of its shape. Also the people, that never have seen a "wild-colored" house-mouse maybe, certainly deprive it in shape of its white Mutante, the white mouse. White color-games of the house-mouse are finished game and laboratory-bull held as whites mice.
The individual house-mouse-subtypes differ one little in the size. In general, the body of the house-mouse becomes 7-11 cm and the tail 6-9 cm long. The weight amounts between 10 and 28 g.
The fur of the domesticus-Hausmaus usually is from "mouse-grayer" to brown-gray color. The somewhat lighter underside is only unclear or hardly put. The musculus-Form carries a yellow-gray one on the other hand until dun fur, whose underside usually gray-knows and is more brightly than with the domesticus-Hausmaus. The underside is moreover taken off the upper side through a clear dividing line. Furthermore, we frequently find a sallow-brown breast-drawing with this house-mouse. Gestaltlich let themselves distinguish these two subtypes through it that the domesticus-Form becomes somewhat bigger and possesses also a longer tail.
Gradual, sharp-edged sales are characteristic for all house-mice on the back of the upper Nagezähne. This characteristic is to be seen well also with bare eye of the side and allowed a sure type-regulation. The typical "mouse-smell", that only the house-mouse possesses, is characteristic furthermore.
Habitat The domesticus-Hausmaus lives in houses, stalls, reserve-buildings and grain-rents. The musculus-Form populates the same habitats, is to be found in the warm season also outside human buildings in gardens and fields, however. The wild subtypes live in, as mentions, culture-steppes, steppes and quilt-similar areas.
Way of life The house-mouse is mainly nightly active. it can climb very well, jumps and runs. Into the water, it only goes if one cannot avoid. it nevertheless is a persevering swimmer, however. The free-living forms enter into its Erdnester supplies, whereas the subtypes bound at the human being in immediate proximity its nest or even in the food-reserves of the human being aims. Even in cold stores with a duration-temperature from minus 10 °C (!) walks and nest-holes gnaw house-mice into the deep-frozen meat for itself and rear its boys there! With food-abundance, Z. B. in the middle of grain-reserves, several females often suckle its boys in a community-nest.
Social behavior House-mice live in all the rule in larger herds. Eibl-Eibesfeldt, that occupied itself intensively with the behaviors of this rodent, calls these communities big-families. Each big-family possesses a territory marked through scent-brands. Member others big-parentage is not tolerated in this area. Among the males of the big-family, a ranking prevails, that gets again and again in movement, however, through continuous position-fights. All members of the mouse-family take part in the mutual fur-care.
Reproduction The main-reproductive-activity of the house-mice is in the summer. Within human buildings, however, they plant themselves over away the whole year so that the number of these undesirable co-inhabitants can increase very quickly. The females toss after 20-23tägiger Tragzeit 4-8 kids, they have on average 4-8 throws while one year. The newborns are bare and blind and weigh hardly more than 1 g. Only after 13 days, the eyes open, and after 20 days, the nestlings are hairy round. From the 30. Days are on independently the young house-mouse.
Birth control With too strong increase of the house-mice, an interesting form of biological birth-regulation becomes effective. The young females then remain reproductive-incapable, its vagina doesn't open, and the ovaries don't produce any eggs. This development-inhibition is caused by the rising stress presumably hormonal with too high population-density.
Food House-mice attack everything, which the human being stores to its nutrition. Thanks to theirs of very well developed sense of smell, they track down also the most hidden supplies, to which it itself, if it, also durchnagen, must be. As original seed-gluttons, they prefer grains and cereals.
Enemies Many are the mice, but also the flock of the mouse-hunters is big. Gripping-birds and owls, fox, polecat, mouse-weasels, shrews and hedgehogs follow above all the free-living house-mice. However, the house-mice are pursued by its virtually traditional enemy, the house-cat, the worst.
Harms and benefits Without doubts, the house-mouse is a bad reserve-pest. Through the close contact with the human being also as carriers, it becomes dangerous, albeit not in the size like house and traveling-rat. On the other hand, the mankind's house-mouse does incalculable services as experimental animal in the medical research, and here particularly in the tumor-research.
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