Saw this little rodent last night in an area of our front yard devoid of vegetation I’d expect a mouse/rat to feed on. After doing some research, I’m confident that this is a Northern Grasshopper Mouse, a ferocious predator. While they’ll eat seeds, grasses, and grain, “90%” of their diet is LIVE PREY such as spiders (including tarantulas), scorpions, centipedes, and even other mice. A few weeks ago I posted a pic of a tarantula that had predated a small Kangaroo mouse. Well, I guess turnabout is "fair play"! They’re known to hunt like cats and defend their territory by howling. To facilitate digestion, I learned they ingest gravel and I believe that’s what it was doing when I found it!
I've never seen this guy, but I'm sure it's around, as I never wander around much at night. Wikipedia says they can harbor 57 species of fleas! So far, in 18 years here in AZ, and always with 2 or 3 dogs, we've never had any flea problem with the dogs, and we don't treat them for fleas either. As 6guns says, it sounds like a good critter to have around. Anything that will eat scorpions is good in my book.
When in doubt, mumble
Posts: 10887 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006
I'd have to disagree with keeping any rodent around, except in a snap trap. I'd rather deal with bugs than a mouse that can reproduce like a mouse does. I used to raise mice and rats for labs. The gestation period is about 3 weeks, and their litters are 3–14 young (average six to eight). One female mouse can have up to 10 litters per year, so the mouse population can increase very quickly.
But maybe if you like cute rattlesnakes...
Posts: 11205 | Location: Somewhere north of a hot humid hell in the summer | Registered: January 09, 2009
Originally posted by az4783054: I'd have to disagree with keeping any rodent around, except in a snap trap. I'd rather deal with bugs than a mouse that can reproduce like a mouse does. I used to raise mice and rats for labs. The gestation period is about 3 weeks, and their litters are 3–14 young (average six to eight). One female mouse can have up to 10 litters per year, so the mouse population can increase very quickly.
But maybe if you like cute rattlesnakes...
I don't think many of the litter, or adults, survive in great numbers, what with coyotes, raptors and especially the GHOs, roadrunners, snakes, etc. They got to eat, too, and rodents are on a lot of other species' diets.
When in doubt, mumble
Posts: 10887 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006
