How many centimeters long is an adult mouse? - briefly
An adult house mouse measures roughly 7–10 centimeters from snout to the base of the tail. The tail itself adds another 5–10 centimeters, but the body length alone falls within that 7–10 cm range.
How many centimeters long is an adult mouse? - in detail
Adult mice typically measure between 7 cm and 10 cm from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. The tail adds an additional 7 cm to 10 cm, so the total length from nose to tail tip ranges from roughly 14 cm to 20 cm.
- Common laboratory strains (e.g., C57BL/6, BALB/c): 7.5 cm–9.5 cm body; 7 cm–9 cm tail; total 14.5 cm–18.5 cm.
- Wild house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus): 8 cm–10 cm body; 8 cm–10 cm tail; total 16 cm–20 cm.
- Sex differences: Males are on average 1 mm–2 mm longer than females within the same strain.
Measurements are taken with digital calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm, positioning the animal in a straight, relaxed posture. Body length excludes the tail; total length includes it. Seasonal and nutritional factors can shift the range by up to 0.5 cm, but the values above represent the standard adult size under controlled conditions.