Mice are Nice

Without Texas mice, the circle of life doesn’t quite connect. 

by Louie Bond

We seem to have a love/hate relationship with mice. As children, we grow up with the idea (from fairy tales and literature) that mice are little friends who love to help us. Then we get older and become annoyed when we find they’ve invaded the pantry and are reluctant to leave.

But there’s a lot more to the world of mice, particularly those “country” mice that prefer the wild world to our homes. In fact, these small creatures play an important role in the food chain, and it’s not tearing into the cornmeal. 

Name an animal predator — it probably eats mice.

Mice are keystone species in almost every ecosystem. In forests, fields and deserts, mice represent food to predators of all sizes. Seventy-one species of rodents occur in Texas in almost every habitat, making this the most diverse group of mammals in our state. 

What would happen if mice became extinct? It would cause a domino effect. Without mice eating insects, there would be a lot more insects. Without mice eating seeds and fruits, there would be less pollination. For predators like hawks, owls, small carnivores and snakes, the loss of such a food source could drive them out of a habitat area. 

Let’s take a closer look at a few of Texas’ 17 native mice. They are all very similar, varying only in minor details like tail length or preferred habitat. 

White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) White-footed mice are secretive, which helps them avoid predators. They eat mostly seeds, berries, nuts, insects, grains, fruits and fungi and store food every fall to survive the winter. No one knows why, but white-footed mice like to drum on a hollow reed or a dry leaf with their front paws, producing a buzzing sound. White-footed mice climb and swim well. They have a good sense of direction and can return to a particular location from up to two miles away. 

Texas mouse (Peromyscus attwateri) The Texas mouse eats a wide variety of plant and animal matter: grasshoppers, crickets, juniper berries, green vegetation, acorns and plant bulbs. This tree-lover has a long, tufted tail to use as a prop when climbing and balancing; the mouse also has relatively long hind feet. Texas mice breed less frequently than their other Peromyscus cousins. 

Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) It gets a little confusing with the deer mouse, since that’s also a generic term used for all these species. Deer mice have smaller feet than the Texas mouse and are more richly colored. One of the most abundant species, deer mice breed every three to four weeks during the warmer months. Night-hunting predators (including snakes, owls and various carnivorous mammals) are their biggest threat.