How much does a mouse weigh in grams? - briefly
A typical house mouse weighs roughly 15 – 25 g. Weight varies with species, age and sex, with many laboratory strains averaging about 20 g.
How much does a mouse weigh in grams? - in detail
The average adult laboratory mouse typically falls within the 20‑30 g range. Male specimens tend toward the upper end of this interval, while females are often slightly lighter. Specific strains exhibit distinct weights:
- C57BL/6: 22‑28 g
- BALB/c: 18‑25 g
- Swiss Webster: 20‑30 g
Wild house mice (Mus musculus) display broader variation due to diet and seasonal factors. In temperate regions, individuals measured in the summer months commonly weigh 15‑25 g, whereas winter specimens may drop to 10‑15 g as body fat reserves diminish. Juvenile mice increase rapidly, gaining roughly 1‑2 g per day during the first three weeks of life.
Weight determination relies on precision balances calibrated to 0.01 g. Prior to measurement, mice are gently handled to reduce stress, which can cause transient weight loss. Measurements are recorded after a brief acclimation period of 2‑3 minutes on the scale platform.
Factors influencing mass include genetics, age, sex, nutrition, health status, and environmental temperature. Overfeeding or obesity can push weights above 35 g, while disease or malnutrition may reduce them below 10 g.
For comparative purposes, a mouse’s mass in grams equals its mass in milliliters of water, given the near‑unity density of soft tissue. Consequently, a 25‑g mouse displaces approximately 25 ml of water, a useful reference for laboratory calculations involving dosing or metabolic studies.