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There are many different types of mice present in China.
The top 3 species considered to be a major pest in this country are the House Mouse, Field Mouse and the Yellow Necked Field Mouse.
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Field mice
(Apodemus sylvaticus)
Field mice rarely venture into inhabited buildings but in the winter months, they will go into outhouses and sheds where fruit and vegetables are stored.
Field mice are a big threat to businesses operating in farming and agriculture.
Appearance
- Size: adult head and body 80 – 100mm in length; Tail 70 – 90mm.
- Weight: Male can weigh 25g, and the female 20g.
- Sandy / orange brown fur on the head and back.
- Yellowish fur on the flanks and white on the belly.
- There is usually a small streak of yellow on the chest.
- 4 – 16 young per litter; 7 – 8 litters a year.
- Gestation period of about 3 weeks.
- 8 – 12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.
- Usually ground living and burrowing, but often climbs.
- Preferred food is cereals.
- Will eat around 3g of food a day and can survive without any additional water. They will drink up to 3ml a day if their diet is particularly dry.
House mice
(Mus domesticus)
House mice are active all year round, which means you could find them invading your home or business at any time.
Appearance
- Size: 70 – 95mm in length, with a tail around the same length.
- Weight: 12 – 30g.
- Their relatively small feet & head and large eyes & ears distinguish them from a young brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).
- Each litter contains 4-16 pups; 7-8 litters per year.
- The gestation period is approximately 3 weeks.
- It takes about 8-12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.
- They engage in a lot of ground activities and digging, but they also climb frequently.
- My favorite food is grains.
- They can survive without water if they consume 3g of food daily. If their diet is particularly dry, they should drink 3ml of water daily.