Southern Grasshopper Mouse Trivia

As with many rodents, southern grasshopper mice are extremely fertile.

Standing on their hind legs with their noses pointed upwards, they give this call when faced with an adversary, including other grasshopper mice, or prior to making a kill.

Standing on their hind legs with their noses pointed upwards, they give this call when faced with an adversary, including other grasshopper mice, or prior to making a kill.

The southern grasshopper mouse has no specialized physiological adaptations to arid conditions.

The southern grasshopper mouse is usually known to be a monogamous species.

The southern grasshopper mouse is an extremely aggressive predator and hunts its prey like most sophisticated predators.

Adult males tend to be highly territorial and guard their large territories fiercely against all intruders.

Southern grasshopper mice are omnivorous.

Southern grasshopper mice are solitary animals. They may, however, live in male-female pairs year-round, although this seems to shorten the lifespan, as one of the two partners inevitably kills the other.

The southern grasshopper mouse is terrestrial.

The southern grasshopper mouse is fairly common throughout its range.

The southern grasshopper mouse’s scientific name is Onychomys torridus.

The southern grasshopper mouse is found in North America.

The southern grasshopper mouse is listed as Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

The short, broad tail is club-shaped and longer than half the length of its head and body at 31-57%. The tail length of southern grasshopper mice museum specimens made up an average of 33.9% of their body length. Their tail length measured an average of 4.58 ± 0.36 centimeters in females, and 4.50 ± 0.39 centimeters in males.

The southern grasshopper mouse routinely kills and eats Arizona bark scorpions (Centruroides sculpturatus), a species with a highly venomous sting.

10-25% of the southern grasshopper mouse’s diet consists of seeds, plants, and vegetables. The remaining 75-90% includes mainly scorpions, but also grasshoppers, beetles, and small vertebrates, including salamanders, lizards, frogs, small mammals, and other rodents.

10-25% of the southern grasshopper mouse’s diet consists of seeds, plants, and vegetables. The remaining 75-90% includes mainly scorpions, but also grasshoppers, beetles, and small vertebrates, including salamanders, lizards, frogs, small mammals, and other rodents.

10-25% of the southern grasshopper mouse’s diet consists of seeds, plants, and vegetables. The remaining 75-90% includes mainly scorpions, but also grasshoppers, beetles, and small vertebrates, including salamanders, lizards, frogs, small mammals, and other rodents.

Female southern grasshopper mice become receptive at 6 weeks of age and give birth to their first litter when four or five months old.

Southern grasshopper mice are capable of breeding year-round, but peak reproductive activity occurs during the late spring and summer from May to July. Breeding may start in January under ideal conditions.

The southern grasshopper mouse is covered with fine, dense fur.

The species has no known major threats.

Largely due to their ferocity and appetite, southern grasshopper mice are considered beneficial by farmers and others because they eat potentially harmful insects. They help farmers by eating a large number of insects and rodents that would otherwise destroy crops.

Southern grasshopper mice often commit acts of cannibalism, killing and eating other members of their species if they are threatened or in need of food.

The southern grasshopper mouse is not migratory and does not have seasonal movements.

There are no known conservation measures specific to the southern grasshopper mouse.

Young southern grasshopper mice are born naked with pink translucent skin and weigh approximately 2.6 grams, or 0.09 ounces. One day later, the pigment develops on the dorsal surface and by day 10, hairs of 3 millimeters or 0.12 inches long are present on the back.

The southern grasshopper mouse is also known as the scorpion mouse. Both names are derived from its carnivorous diet consisting mostly of arthropods, especially scorpions and orthopteran insects, such as grasshoppers.

The southern grasshopper mouse inhabits temperate shrubland and desert habitats. It is found in shortgrass prairies; desert scrub; rocky soils; creosote, hot, arid valleys; and semi-desert areas.

The southern grasshopper mouse inhabits temperate shrubland and desert habitats. It is found in shortgrass prairies; desert scrub; rocky soils; creosote, hot, arid valleys; and semi-desert areas.

Southern grasshopper mice are largely nocturnal.

Relative brain size in southern grasshopper mice tends to vary with food preferences. Brain size is usually larger in both granivores and insectivores, and largest in generalists.

The southern grasshopper mouse is unique among other North American rodents in the family Cricetidae in that its diet consists mostly of arthropods. The southern grasshopper mouse overlaps greatly in niche characteristics with the northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), though it seems to prey more heavily on arthropods. In potential areas of overlap with the northern grasshopper mouse in southern Mono County, California, the southern grasshopper mouse may occupy areas of lower elevation.

The southern grasshopper mouse is unique among other North American rodents in the family Cricetidae in that its diet consists mostly of arthropods. The southern grasshopper mouse overlaps greatly in niche characteristics with the northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), though it seems to prey more heavily on arthropods. In potential areas of overlap with the northern grasshopper mouse in southern Mono County, California, the southern grasshopper mouse may occupy areas of lower elevation.

The southern grasshopper mouse nests in small burrows dug into the ground.

As with many rodents, southern grasshopper mice are difficult to wipe out, even by humans.

The mouse can produce a loud, piercing, pure tone, which lasts between 0.7 and 1.2 seconds and is audible to the human ear up to 100 meters away.

The southern grasshopper mouse drinks water in captivity, but probably obtains moisture from food under natural conditions.

Both males and females care for the young.

After stalking its potential kill, the grasshopper mouse will seize the animal with a rush, killing with a bite to the head.

On average, males have a home range of 7.8 acres, while females occupy an area of 5.9 acres.

Southern grasshopper mice are omnivorous, but have a mainly carnivorous diet.

Adult males guard their large territories fiercely against all intruders. Their efficient spacing is facilitated by high-pitched calls and vocalizations made at night to serve as territorial advertisement.

Adult males guard their large territories fiercely against all intruders. Their efficient spacing is facilitated by high-pitched calls and vocalizations made at night to serve as territorial advertisement.

The southern grasshopper mouse is a good climber.

The southern grasshopper mouse is usually found in areas with low population densities.

Seven subspecies are currently recognized by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): O. t. canus, O. t. clarus, O. t. perpallidus, O. t. ramona, O. t. surrufus, O. t. tularensis, and O. t. yakiensis.

The southern grasshopper mouse is found mainly in the Western and Southwestern United States and in Northern Mexico.

The southern grasshopper mouse is found mainly in the Western and Southwestern United States and in Northern Mexico.

The southern grasshopper mouse has a currently stable population trend.

Average tail length does not vary greatly between the sexes.

Researchers have found that a neural mechanism is involved that blocks the sending of pain messages to the brain. This mouse can normally feel pain from other sources, but can be temporarily insensitive to these stimuli after a dose of venom from a bark scorpion. This pain modulation is activated soon after the scorpion sting. For a moment, the mouse feels pain, but then the scorpion venom binds to the transmembrane channel otNav1.8. Specifically, the venom binds to a glutamic acid residue located within the channel protein. This prevents neuron action potentials from firing, and acts as a type of temporary anesthetic and pain reliever for the mouse. When this glutamic acid was replaced with hydrophilic glutamine residue, the venom did not bind with the protein, and the pain modulation ability was lost.

There is sexual dimorphism displayed in the physiology of the southern grasshopper mouse as females are heavier and longer than males.

Southern grasshopper mouse gestation lasts 26-35 days, with an average of 29 days.

Young females apparently have significantly greater reproductive potential than old females. They are able to produce as many as six litters in a year in the wild, but their reproductive life is short, few breeding successfully in their second year.

The upper body is a grayish or pinkish-cinnamon color. The basal two-thirds of the tail are colored like the upper body, but the terminal tip is white like the underside of the body. The two colors are distinctly separated.

Predators of the southern grasshopper mouse include raptors, snakes, and predatory mammals.

Predators of the southern grasshopper mouse include raptors, snakes, and predatory mammals.

Although southern grasshopper mice are mainly carnivorous, they do eat the same crops they normally help defend if their usual prey, insects and small vertebrates, become scarce.

A group of southern grasshopper mice is called a nest.

The southern grasshopper mouse’s generation length is 1-2 years.

There are several protected areas within its range. Conservation sites have been identified over the species’ entire range.

The young mice immediately begin nursing from their mother and open their eyes on day 15, at two weeks of age.

Low to moderate shrub cover is preferred.

Southern grasshopper mice are active year-round.

Relative brain size in southern grasshopper mice tends to vary with food preferences. Brain size is usually smallest in folivores.

The southern grasshopper mouse has an average lifespan of 4.6 years.

Often, these burrows have been deserted by other rodents or were taken by the grasshopper mouse through force. They may also be excavated.

Often, these burrows have been deserted by other rodents or were taken by the grasshopper mouse through force. They may also be excavated.

Often, these burrows have been deserted by other rodents or were taken by the grasshopper mouse through force. They may also be excavated.

The southern grasshopper mouse’s population is not severely fragmented.

Litter size ranges from one to six young with an average litter size of 2.6-4.

They are weaned at three weeks of age and begin consuming solid food by day 19. Weaning in the laboratory may occur in 20 days.

The most preferred xeric areas are at low elevations.