How many mice does one female produce? - briefly
A typical house mouse (Mus musculus) produces 5–10 litters per year, each with 5–8 pups, resulting in roughly 30–80 offspring annually. Variation occurs with strain, nutrition, and environmental conditions.
How many mice does one female produce? - in detail
A female house mouse typically yields a litter of 5 – 8 pups, although extremes of 12 have been recorded in certain strains. Gestation lasts 19–21 days, after which the dam can become pregnant again within 24 hours. Because the estrous cycle is 4–5 days, a mature adult can theoretically produce a new litter every 30 days under optimal conditions.
The annual reproductive output depends on several factors:
- Age: Peak productivity occurs between 8 and 12 weeks; younger or older females produce smaller litters.
- Strain: Laboratory inbred lines (e.g., C57BL/6) average 6–7 pups per litter, while wild‑derived populations may reach 9–10.
- Nutrition: Adequate protein and caloric intake increase litter size by up to 20 %.
- Housing density: Overcrowding reduces both litter size and frequency.
Assuming a healthy, well‑fed adult begins breeding at 8 weeks and continues until 12 months of age, the cumulative number of offspring can be estimated as follows:
- Litter frequency: Approximately 10 litters per year (one per month).
- Average litter size: 6.5 pups.
- Total offspring: 10 × 6.5 ≈ 65 pups over the first year.
If breeding extends to 18 months, the total can approach 90–100 pups, provided mortality is low and environmental conditions remain favorable. These figures represent maximum potential output; real‑world values are often lower due to disease, predation, or suboptimal husbandry.