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Long-tailed field mouse
Apodemus sylvaticus is found throughout Europe, except northern
Scandinavia and Finland, east to the Altai and Himalayan mountains.
It is also found in parts of central and southwestern Asia,
Himalayas, northwestern Africa, British Isles and nearby islands.
These mice like grassy fields, cultivated areas, woodlands and
forests, although they will live anywhere they can find adequate
shelter. They may move into human habitations in the fall and winter
but usually dig deep burrows and build a nest of shredded grass and
leaves at the end of a tunnel.
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Long-tailed field mouse
Head and body length of Apodemus sylvaticus is 60-150mm, tail length
is 70-145 mm. The fur is soft, and the tail is only moderately
hairy. Coloration on the dorsal area is grayish buff, grayish brown,
brown with yellow or red mixed in, or pale sand color. The
underparts are white or light gray, often with yellow tinges and an
oblong yellow spot on the throat. The feet are white. The tail is
not prehensile. Females have six or eight nipples. The eyes and ears
are large, allowing good vision at night and predator avoidance. The
sense of smell is highly developed, and these rodents can detect the
exact location of buried seeds without having to dig at random in a
general area.
Like other members of the subfamily Murinae, these mice have
moderately low crowned cheek teeth, with an arrangement of cusps
which results in the formation of three longitudinal rows on the
biting surface. The incisors are ever-growing self sharpening. There
is a layer of enamel on only the front and sides of the teeth,
resulting in the back part of the tooth wearing away during normal
gnawing behavior so as to form a chisel-like edge.
Reproduction
The breeding season of Apodemys sylvaticus is from March through
early winter. Females produce up to four litters annually, with four
to seven young each litter after a gestation period of 21-26 days.
The young are altricial, weighing a mere 2.5g. They are born with a
thin coat of dark fur and open their eyes after 13 days. They are
weaned at three weeks and reach sexual maturity at two months.
Females of this age usually weigh around 14 grams, while males weigh
approximately 25 g.
Behavior
Wood mice are very good climbers, jumpers, and swimmers. They are
nocturnal or crepuscular. Males normally live in an area of
approximately 109 m in diameter, while females inhabit an area of 64
m in diameter.
When not cohabiting with humans, they build burrows and tunnel
systems below ground. These burrows are typically about 3 cm wide
and 8-18 cm below the surface, sometimes incorporating tunnels of
other animals. Burrow systems consist of a circular tunnel around
the roots of a tree, another tunnel leading below the tree to a
nesting chamber, and other tunnels serving as a passage to the
entrances, of which there are usually two. This mouse also uses its
burrow system to store food, and cooperative burrowing has been
documented, with several adults living in the same nest. Females
prevent males from entering when young are present.
Food Habits
The diet of the Wood Mouse consists of roots, grains, seeds,
berries, nuts, grasses, grain kernels, fruits and insects.
In captivity they should be offered a complete diet of rodent lab blocks, and rat or mouse
mix, with bits of fruit or veggies regularly. Cheerios or wheat
bread are great treats, in small quantities. Do NOT feed chocolate,
fried foods, salted foods, candy or junk food! They may enjoy
crickets and mealworms if they are captive bred, never feed wild
insects as they may carry parasites. Vitamins, like Nutri-Cal are a good addition to their diet, and added calcium
during nursing and growth due to demands on their systems at those
times, but take care not to overdo it. Water bottles should be used
to proved constant, clean water. Ceramic or stoneware food dishes
work well for keeping seeds or fresh foods off the floor, and a wire
mesh hopper that allows them to eat the lab blocks through without
extra waste.
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