What is the length of a mouse? - briefly
A typical house mouse has a body length of roughly 6–10 cm (2.5–4 in). The tail usually adds another 5–10 cm, making the total length about 11–20 cm (4.5–8 in).
What is the length of a mouse? - in detail
The body length of a common house mouse (Mus musculus) typically ranges from 7 cm to 10 cm, measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Including the tail adds an additional 5 cm to 10 cm, resulting in a total length of 12 cm to 20 cm. Wild field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) are slightly larger, with body lengths of 8 cm to 12 cm and tails extending 9 cm to 13 cm, giving an overall size of 17 cm to 25 cm.
Factors influencing size:
- Species: Different genera exhibit distinct average measurements.
- Age: Juveniles are markedly shorter; adult size is reached around six weeks.
- Sex: Males often exceed females by 0.5 cm to 1 cm in body length.
- Nutrition and habitat: Abundant food sources and colder climates can produce larger individuals.
Measurement methods:
- Caliper or ruler placed on a flat surface, aligning with the animal’s snout and the anterior edge of the pelvis.
- Live‑capture studies use anesthesia to reduce stress while obtaining accurate dimensions.
- Museum specimens are measured post‑mortem, providing reference data for historical size ranges.
Data sources such as the Mammal Species of the World database and peer‑reviewed morphometric surveys report average body lengths of 8.5 cm for Mus musculus and 10 cm for Apodemus sylvaticus, with standard deviations of 0.7 cm and 0.9 cm respectively. These figures establish the typical size envelope for small rodents in temperate regions.