What are small house mice called? - briefly
Young house mice are called pups or pinkies. They are juvenile Mus musculus before reaching adult size.
What are small house mice called? - in detail
The diminutive form of the common house mouse (Mus musculus) is typically referred to as the dwarf house mouse. In scientific literature the subspecies Mus musculus domesticus includes individuals that are noticeably smaller than the average adult, and the informal label “dwarf” distinguishes them from standard-sized specimens.
When the animals are newborn, the appropriate term is pup (plural: pups). Pups are altricial, hairless, and weigh only a few grams. As they mature but remain under the average adult size, they are often called juvenile mice or simply small house mice in field reports.
Key distinctions:
- Dwarf house mouse – adult mouse markedly smaller than typical house mice; used in breeding and research contexts.
- Pup – newborn offspring, hairless, blind, dependent on the mother.
- Juvenile mouse – post‑natal stage before reaching full adult size; still smaller than mature individuals.
These terms appear in taxonomic keys, pest‑control manuals, and laboratory protocols to differentiate size classes and developmental stages within the species.