Mice+Block+Three

INGA RODNESS ............... Sigmodontinae (Mouse)

**//__KINGDOM__: Animalia __PHYLUM__: Chordata __CLASS__: Mammalia __ORDER__: Rodentia __SUBORDER__: Myomorpha __FAMILY__: Muridae //** **//__GENUS__: Mus//**
 * //__SUBFAMILY__: Sigmodontinae //**

**//__SPECIES__: Western Harvest Mouse White-Footed Mouse Northern Grasshopper Mouse//**

__**The suborder Myomorpha also includes:**__ //** Meadow Jumping Mouse Woodland Jumping Mouse Plains Pocket Gopher Northern Pocket Gopher Southern Red-Backed Vole Meadow Vole Prairie Vole Northern Bog Lemming Southern Bog Lemming Muskrat House Mouse Norway Rat **//

Characteristics of the Muridae Family: -small -brown or gray -prominent rounded ears -long whiskers -long tail -4 small feet

Western Harvest Mouse ** __//Size//__: 1 to 5 inches including tail. **
 * __//Habitat//__: dry, grassy, fields, roadsides, and prairies. **
 * __//Food//__: Herbivore & Insectivore. Eat seeds, vegetation, insects, and fruit. **
 * __//Identification//__: brown back, light brown sides, white/gray belly, prominent ears, large eyes. **
 * __//Tracks//__: Hind paw(2 centimeters)=5 toes, forepaw(.6 centimeter)=4 toes, sometimes tail drag marks. **
 * __//Lifespan//__: 1 to 2 years **

__ **<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">FUN FACTS! ** __ **<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">- By their 11th or 12th day of life they are eating solid food! ** <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">**<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">- The longest reported lifespan of a western harvest mouse is 18 months! **
 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">- It is active year-round! **

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 140%; text-decoration: line-through;">**

White Footed Mouse **

**SIZE: 5 to 7 ¾ inches including tail. ** ** HABITAT: woodlands and fields.

FOOD: Omnivore. Eats seeds, vegetation, nuts, fruit, insects, carrion, and baby birds.

IDENTIFICATION: red and brown back and sides, white belly, top of tail is brown, bottom of tail is white, large eyes, and large naked ears.

TRACKS: hind paw(2 centimeters)= 5 toes, forepaw(.6 centimeters)= 4 toes, sometimes tail drag mark.

LIFESPAN: 1 to 2 years

__ fun facts! __ **
 * - They will bite you if you try to hold it! (Ouch!) [[image:wfm2.jpg width="349" height="341" align="left"]] **
 * - Is an excellent climber! **
 * - In winter their breathing slows down from 700 breaths per minute to as few as 60 breaths per minute ! **

<span style="color: #3ce01f; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 150%;">
 * __[__****NORTHERN GRASSHOPPER MOUSE****__]__ [[image:ngm2.jpg width="441" height="284" align="right"]]**

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">SIZE: 4 to 7 ¼ inches including tail. HABITAT: grasslands, prairies, and fields.

FOOD: Omnivore. Eats grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, seeds, nuts, green plants, and other small mammals.

IDENTIFICATION: stout and thick body, brown/gray back, white belly, large ears, short tail, dark top, light bottom.

TRACKS: hind paw(1 inch)= 5 toes, forepaw(1 centimeter)= 4 toes.

LIFESPAN: 1 to 2 years

<span style="color: #3ce01f; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 182%;">__* Fun Facts*__ <span style="color: #3ce01f; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">*Fathers play a major role in raising the pups! This is not seen in other mice species!
 * They have a high-pitched call that can be heard up to 50 feet away!
 * They plug their tunnels every morning to retain the moisture and seal out predators!



__Sources:__

@http://images.enature.com/mammals/mammals_m/ma0098_1m.jpg

@http://www.nps.gov/prsf/naturescience/images/harvestmouse.jpg

@http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/art/white_footed_mouse_JW.jpg

@http://www.digitaljournal.com/img/4/2/9/0/i/5/1/3/o/White-footed_mouse.jpg

@http://www.gpnc.org/images/jpegs/animals/mouseng.jpg

@http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/images/Photos/onycleuc.jpg

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Mammals of Minnesota Field Guide