Fun Hispid Pocket Mouse Facts For Kids

The hispid pocket mouse (Scientific name: Chaetodipus hispidus) is one of the most divergent species because of its diverse morphology and genetics within the family heteromyidae and the genus Chaetodipus, order Rodentia. There are four recognized subspecies of the hispid pocket mouse which are, Chaetodipus hispidus zacatecae, Chaetodipus hispidus hispidus, Chaetodipus hispidus spilotus, and Chaetodipus hispidus paradoxus, and their natural habitat ranges from the south of North Dakota to the Great Plains and from Western Texas to Mexico.Shepherds are protective of these species in their natural habitats as they perform a great service by foraging on the seeds of weeds, which is beneficial as it prevents the harmful weeds to spring up and cause danger to the livestock.The hispid pocket mouse is nocturnal and spends most of the day in underground burrows in the grassland and during the night it moves out above the ground in search of food sources like insects and seeds.If you liked these true facts about hispid pocket mouse, then you’ll surely like these facts about gerbil facts and black rat facts too!

What do they prey on? Beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 6

How much do they weigh? 1.1-1.7 oz (30-47 g)

How long are they? 8-9.3 in (20.3-23.7 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Olive-buff

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Snakes, Owls, Skunks, Coyotes, Hawks

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grasslands, Short And Mixed Grasses Prairie

Locations Mexico, Western Texas, North Dakota

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Chaetodipus

Class Mammal

Family Heteromyidae

Hispid Pocket Mouse Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a hispid pocket mouse?The hispid pocket mouse is one of the largest pocket mice. These mammals go through the state of torpor during the winter season on a daily basis. To survive the cold these rodents enter the inactive state of torpor every hour as their body temperature falls below 51.8°F (11°C).The Hispid pocket mouse in the southernmost range of their natural habitat remains active as the weather is usually warm throughout the year.What class of animal does a hispid pocket mouse belong to?The hispid pocket mouse (chaetodipus hispidus) belongs to the mammal class of animals, and the order Rodentia.How many hispid pocket mice are there in the world?There is no accurate count on the national population of the hispid pocket mouse as it is locally abundant especially in the western region grassland, and occurs statewide.Where does a hispid pocket mouse live?The hispid pocket mouse distribution in the United States ranges from southeastern Arizona to western Great Plains and the eastern Rockies and from north of Mexico to North Dakota, Texas, Central Nebraska, and south of Kansas in its geographic range.What is a hispid pocket mouse’s habitat?Ideally, the best setting for the hispid pocket mouse (chaetodipus hispidus), order Rodentia, is the sandy soil, dry grassland interspersed with vegetation. These mammals range commonly in grasslands and short grasses prairie, which are the preferred habitat for their homes.These species start digging burrows underground, creating several external openings to the burrows in an effort to confuse predators, and use piled-up soil on one opening to hide from predators found in areas nearby.The hispid pocket mouse is nocturnal and plugs all burrow openings at dawn, these burrows are used as nesting sites and food storage such as seeds and insects.Who do hispid pocket mice live with?The hispid pocket mouse lives in solitary, except for females who live with their juvenile pups.How long does a hispid pocket mouse live?The average lifespan of a hispid pocket mouse is 5-6 years in the wild.How do they reproduce?The hispid pocket mouse builds burrows underground and uses weed or dry grasses to fill them for the purpose of breeding. Though very little is known about the reproduction of these species, the mating season occurs during the month of May to June.The common litter size of these mice is six young individuals which vary as a result of the presence of favorable reproduction facts like location and climate condition. The growth period and the development of these mammals are also unknown.What is their conservation status?The hispid pocket mouse is abundant in its natural habitat and is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is not endangered.Based on the hispid pocket mouse embryo, this mouse species has somehow been able to control the population as there are always variables in the litter size. These mammals of Texas are preyed upon by many predators such as hawks, snakes, owls, skunks, and coyotes.At present, the conservation status of these mammals is stable, but due to the rapid reduction and degradation of grassland habitats, the population might be in danger.Hispid Pocket Mouse Fun FactsWhat do hispid pocket mice look like?The hispid pocket mouse belongs to the Heteromyidae family, and the order Rodentia, and is one of the largest mice among other pocket mice. The hind foot of these mice are heavier than the forelimbs, and each hind feet is hairless with a tail that is half of the body’s total length.Hispid pocket mouse tail albanism is one of the unique features, which differentiates it from others. These species show bicoloration as the back has light olive buff shade hairs and white underpart with the white buffy lateral line.*We’ve been unable to source an image of hispid pocket mouse and have used an image of San Diego pocket mouse instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of hispid pocket mouse, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected]. How cute are they?The hispid pocket mouse is an adorable mammal thanks to its bicoloration and spiky fur with hairless feet and tail.How do they communicate?The hispid pocket mouse is solitary in nature and communicates with each other rarely. These mice have vibrissae around their nose which allow them to get proper knowledge of their environment while foraging for food during the night.How big is a hispid pocket mouse?The hispid pocket mouse is one of the largest pocket mouse species, and an adult mouse can grow up to 8-9.3 in (20.3-23.7 cm) in body length with an additional tail length of 3.6 in (9.1 cm) which is double the size of dormouse and wood mouse.How fast can a hispid pocket mouse move?As a direct result of a lack of data, the movement speed of these species cannot be stated. It is, however, known that the hispid pocket mouse normally runs around on all four limbs and uses big leaps to move around, just like its relative species known as the kangaroo rat.How much does a hispid pocket mouse weigh?Being one of the largest pocket mice, this species can grow and weigh up to 1.1-1.7 oz (30-47 g).What are the male and female names of the species?Females of this species are called ‘doe’ and males are called ‘buck’.What would you call a baby hispid pocket mouse?A young or baby hispid pocket mouse is called a pup.Only mothers look after the young pups by providing both shelter and food.What do they eat?The hispid pocket mouse is generally a seed eater but also eats small insects. The diet of these species includes seeds of winecup, primrose, cactus, and insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers.Are they dangerous?No, they are not dangerous at all. Though, they can resort to biting if threatened.Would they make a good pet?Yes, this mouse can be made into pets only if they are adopted at an early age because wild mice tend to bite if touched by humans. A newly born hispid pocket mouse can have a better chance to be domesticated and trained by humans.Did you know…The hispid pocket mouse is not really tolerated by the farmers and these rodents are considered pests as displace seeds and destroys the produce of the farmers and as a seed eater, this mouse uncovers seeds of watermelon and peas among other produce.Previously, these mice were classified under the genus Perognathus but in 1983 they were classified under the genus Chaetodipus order Rodentia.Along the ground, the hispid pocket mouse travels on all four limbs, unlike their relative the kangaroo mouse and pouched rat that hops around.In the year 2006, a survey was conducted by The University of North Dakota on small mammals and herptiles in Southwestern North Dakota to check the national population trend of these pocket mouse species.The Silky pocket mouse is more tolerant to the harsher habitats when compare to the hispid pocket mouse.How did the hispid pocket mouse get its name?Hispid pocket mouse received their name due to their bristly fur appearance.What is the difference between a silky pocket mouse and a hispid pocket mouse?The silky pocket mouse is the smallest pocket mouse species that are only 4 in (10.1 cm) in length and weigh only one-fifth of an ounce. Whereas, hispid pocket mouse is the largest pocket mouse in the Heteromyidae family. The silky pocket mouse eats grass and weeds, like the Apache pocket mouse.The silky pocket mouse range in the plains of the central Colorado Plateau and the San Luis Valley. The hispid pocket mouse is found in areas in a large distribution near the northwest foot of the natural geographic Front Range of North Dakota and Western Texas.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these hoary marmot facts and Nutria facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable mouse sleeping coloring pages.

What type of animal is a hispid pocket mouse?

The hispid pocket mouse is one of the largest pocket mice. These mammals go through the state of torpor during the winter season on a daily basis. To survive the cold these rodents enter the inactive state of torpor every hour as their body temperature falls below 51.8°F (11°C).

Fun Hispid Pocket Mouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 6

How much do they weigh? 1.1-1.7 oz (30-47 g)

How long are they? 8-9.3 in (20.3-23.7 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Olive-buff

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Snakes, Owls, Skunks, Coyotes, Hawks

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grasslands, Short And Mixed Grasses Prairie

Locations Mexico, Western Texas, North Dakota

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Chaetodipus

Class Mammal

Family Heteromyidae

Fun Hispid Pocket Mouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 6

How much do they weigh? 1.1-1.7 oz (30-47 g)

How long are they? 8-9.3 in (20.3-23.7 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Olive-buff

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Snakes, Owls, Skunks, Coyotes, Hawks

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grasslands, Short And Mixed Grasses Prairie

Locations Mexico, Western Texas, North Dakota

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Chaetodipus

Class Mammal

Family Heteromyidae

Fun Hispid Pocket Mouse Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 6

How much do they weigh? 1.1-1.7 oz (30-47 g)

How long are they? 8-9.3 in (20.3-23.7 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Olive-buff

Skin Type Fur

What were their main threats? Snakes, Owls, Skunks, Coyotes, Hawks

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Grasslands, Short And Mixed Grasses Prairie

Locations Mexico, Western Texas, North Dakota

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Chaetodipus

Class Mammal

Family Heteromyidae