Contrary to popular belief, there are multiple species of mice that live in a wide variety of environments and habitats, from urban areas to grasslands, and even beaches and deserts.
Here are some of the most distinguishable types of mice, with a variety that makes each of these unique.
1. Deer Mouse
This is a prevalent mouse found over most of North America, and they can be spotted by their brown back and white belly.
They can also be characterized by having large eyes that many will find cute, and a large pair of ears.
They will typically eat berries, nuts, and seeds, but also many insects and spiders, and have a big appetite for a small rodent.
2. Woodland Jumping Mouse
This species lives around the northeastern parts of North America and is one of the most unique-looking breeds of mice on this list and can be spotted with multi-colored fur that has elements of yellow, black, and orange hair.
With their interesting look, be wary as they are known to enter homes more often than other types of mice species.
3. House Mouse
One common type of mouse you can find is the house mouse, which, as its name suggests, likes to nestle into a cozy home and live on a diet of human leftover food.
So be careful if you leave cookies out on the kitchen top, so make sure you clean up after yourself!
It can be spotted by the dark gray fur, and house varieties are typically smaller.
4. California Mouse
Any guesses where you can find this breed of mice?
They are native to the Golden State, and are typically larger than other species of mice, getting up to sizes of around 8 to 11 inches.
Similar to the Woodland Jumping Mouse, you can spot them from a colorful coat of gray, yellow, and brown, with a white belly and feet.
5. Western Harvest Mouse
You’ll find these on the west coast of the United States, but also down in central Mexico.
They tend to stick away from urban areas and can be found in grasslands, meadows, and marshes.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one in the wild, you know it’s a Western Harvest Mouse by its brown fur, white belly, and long tail.
6. Cactus Mouse
So far you’re probably already knowing well these mice live, and you’ll gain extra points if you figured that the Cactus Mouse lives in desert environments, typically close to cliffs and foothills.
This mouse is the camel of the rodent world and can survive long periods without a lot of water when the temperatures get high.
7. Cotton Mouse
These mice are common in the southeastern parts of North America, and will generally stick to green areas such as forests, grasslands, and wetter spots like swamplands.
They are of average size, and have a brown coat with a short tail, which makes them unique in comparison to other species of mice, and tend to stick to eating insects, seeds, and fruit.
8. White-Footed Mouse
Along the east coast of the United States, you will find the White-Footed Mouse, especially around the areas of Nova Scotia, Canada, and Eastern Mexico.
They have brown and reddish fur, with a white stomach and white feet, which was probably a giveaway from the name.
They are an average-sized species of mice and can grow up to 8 inches long.
9. African Pygmy Mouse
Here’s one of the smallest rodents that are widespread in the sub-Saharan African area, but also kept as a pet in other parts of the world.
It has several interesting traits, such as stacking pebbles in front of burrows and gathering the dew that builds up on them overnight.
They typically live in colonies or pairs near bodies of water.
10. Pilliga Mouse
You can find the Pilliga Mouse in the Pilliga forest located in New South Wales, Australia.
Currently labeled as data deficient in terms of conservation status; it has brown fur, white underparts, and a pale pink tail.
They can get up to 3 inches and for their small size have larger ears in comparison to other species.
11. Eurasian Harvest Mouse
You can find the Harvest Mouse in geographical locations in Europe and Asia, and can even be found in England, where they are common in the east coast counties.
They are found in cereal crops and have a distinctively small nose and short whiskers.
The upper part of the body is brown, and many of them have a reddish or yellow tinge.
12. Striped Field Mouse
Here’s another species that is found in Eastern Europe, as far as East Asia.
You can spot them from their distinctive stripes, hence the name, and have a grayish-brown rusty color to them, with small ears and small eyes.
They tend to stick with woodland areas, but can also venture into urban environments and pastures.
13. Northern Grasshopper Mouse
We head back to the United States with these carnivorous rodents that can be spotted over many parts of the Western parts of the continent.
They have the characteristics of a stereotypical mouse and are average in size, with a gray color and white belly.
14. Oldfield Mouse
Also commonly referred to as the beach Mouse, it would burrow into holes throughout the Southeastern States, and live on beaches and sandy fields.
It has a fawn-colored coat with a white underbelly and can be hard to spot amongst the golden sand.
15. Silky Pocket Mouse
This mouse is found in northern and central Mexico and some parts of the southwest United States.
With the cutest name of the Bunch, they are fairly common and like to live in low valleys amongst the weeds and the shrubs.
Expect to spot these from their dusky-colored coat and white underbelly.
Final Thoughts
There are more than just the common house mouse or field mouse, and as you can see, not every mouse looks the same and will live in dramatically different environments on different diets.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
