Sunday, February 5, 2012

Nature Journaling about House Mice

As part of Sophia and Olivia's ongoing nature journaling, they learn about different animals each week. The most recent animal they studied was the house mouse.

Although we're not a huge fan of mice, we did learn a lot about them and have a greater appreciation for them after reading the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

- The tail is covered with transverse ridges and is bare save for sparse hairs, except toward the tip.
- Mice use their tails when they climb.
- The hind legs are much longer and stronger than the front legs.
- The hind feet also are much longer and larger than the front feet.

Sophia's notes and images about house mice.

- When eating, a house mouse frequently holds its food in its front paws like a squirrel.
- The whiskers are sensitive.
- There are two long, curved gnawing teeth at the front of each jaw, then a bare space, and then four grinding teeth on each side, above and below, like the teeth of woodchucks and other rodents.

Olivia's page about house mice in her nature journal.

- Young mice are small, downy, pink, and blind when born.
- They like to make their nests within easy reach of water.
- House mice came from ancestors which lived in Asia originally....They came to America on ships with the first exploreres and the Pilgrim fathers.

The penny on each of the nature journal pages represent how small of a space a mouse can get through.

1 comment:

Rita said...

I love mice! Had some when I was a kid and also saved wild mice in a race with my dad when we got them in the house once. He had regular mouse traps and I had live traps. I caught more than he did. I'd let them got down by the lake. They are just the cutest little things!! Love that picture Sophia got where the mouse is peeking out!! Melts my heart. :)

I also had rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, parakeets, chameleons, frogs, turtles, toads, skinks, an iguana, a skunk, cats and dogs. Probably missed some, too. Rescued and released bats and rabbits. Love critters!! :)