Mice
There are 6 species of mice in the UK but the one that is most frequently found to be a problem to humans is the house mouse mus musculus.
The house mouse has a body length of 3-4 inches and additionally a tail that is almost the same length. Adults tend to weigh less than 35 grams and are very agile. These rodents are able to jump vertically 18 inches and climb up many surfaces whilst able to get through gaps as narrow as 6 mm wide.
The house mouse is capable of rapid population increases when conditions allow. Females tend to have 5-10 litters per year of up to 14 young, though litter sizes of 5-8 are most common. The female mice become sexually mature at around 6 weeks old, and mate around 8 weeks resulting in very large populations possible from 1 pair of mice in a very short time.
Mice are mostly a nuisance for the damage they do to the fabric of a building and its contents. They also eat food and spoil a great deal more. They can transmit salmonella and Listeria.