Wildlifeof Sulawesi
Asian House Shrew
Verified iNaturalist Mammals
Photo: (c) Wang.QG, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY (May be cropped or resized)
Suncus murinus
Basic stats
Diet
Mostly insects and other invertebrates such as cockroaches; occasionally small mammals and plants
Habitat
Almost all habitats, including houses
Range
South and Southeast Asia; introduced in West Asia and East Africa
Litter size
1–8, usually 3
Gestation period
About one month
Size
About 15cm
Weight
50–100g
The Asian house shrew, also called the house shrew, grey musk shrew or Indian musk shrew, weighs 50 to 100 g and is about 15 cm long. It has short, dense, mid-grey to brownish-grey fur, small ears and an elongated snout. It is a voracious insect eater, taking cockroaches and other invertebrates and sometimes small mammals such as house mice, and is found in almost every habitat, including houses (Wikipedia, general species account).
Females have two litters a year of one to eight young, usually three, after about a month's gestation. Indoors it makes a chattering sound like jingling money, and when alarmed it gives a piercing shriek. It has been introduced in several West Asian and East African countries, is considered invasive, and has been implicated in the decline of several island lizard species (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Asian House Shrew eat?
- Mostly insects and other invertebrates such as cockroaches; occasionally small mammals and plants
- What habitat does the Asian House Shrew live in?
- Almost all habitats, including houses
- Where is the Asian House Shrew found?
- South and Southeast Asia; introduced in West Asia and East Africa
- What is the litter size of the Asian House Shrew?
- 1–8, usually 3
- How long is the gestation period of the Asian House Shrew?
- About one month
- How big is the Asian House Shrew?
- About 15cm
- How much does the Asian House Shrew weigh?
- 50–100g