We are now having an infestation of mice in South Australia and Western Australia. Even up at "The Camp" in western NSW we've been catching mice - I caught 7 mice and a grey rat in one night.
The recent rains and the subsequent boom in grain crops have proven ideal for mice to breed. Mice reach sexual maturity by 4-6 weeks. However, females should not be bred for the first time until they are 8 to 12 weeks old. Female mice come into estrus (heat) every 4-5 days (this is the time they will be fertile and receptive to a male). They will have a fertile estrus within 12-28 hours after giving birth, and within a couple of days of weaning a litter.
The gestation period of mice is usually 19-21 days. Mice can breed shortly after giving birth. If they breed while already nursing a litter, the gestation period can be longer (around 28 days).
The above video was made 2 months ago.
The following video is one from the 1993 mice plague!
I created this blog to talk about my home region. I've used many images, including archival images but mostly I've used my own images.
5 comments:
OMG ! the odd mouse the cat bring in I can handle but that ! think I`d end up having a nervous breakdown !
I've seen similar on TV here. It's terrible. And I have no idea what can help, simply because of what you said there - how often they are able to breed.
All I can say is good luck!
Good heavens!! I had to take my car into the shop because the windshield wipers wouldnt work. A mouse built a nest so tight in the motor house they had they had to rip the motor apart. Best of luck to you..
I am touching wood when I say this, but we haven't had a mouse in the house for a few months now thank goodness. It was like a mouse motel when we first moved in......good look with your mice issues...
Gill in Canada
OMG
even my albert would have raun a mile!!! bloody scary!
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