Muridae - Old World mice and rats, gerbils
 With 730 species, this is the largest family of rodents and mammals. There natural range is
Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, but they have been introduced around the world and today are found in all parts of the world, except for Antarctica. They are found in all types of habitats including swamps, grasslands, tundra, deciduous forests, coniferous forests, rainforests, deserts, wetlands, mountains, and suburban, and urban areas. Many species in this family have small bodies, long tails, round ears, round eyes, and pointed noses with whiskers. In most species in this family females give birth to large litters of between 6-13 young. Females usually have more than one litter a year and the young are ready to mate when they are a month or two old. Most species in this family only live for a year or two in the wild. They are prey for other animals. Some species are nocturnal, some are active in the day. Some species live in trees while other are ground dwellers and other live in underground burrows. Some species are herbivores, other are carnivores, and some are omnivores.
 Endangered in N.H.
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 Threatened in N.H.
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 Introduced
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 Endangered in U.S.
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 Threatened in U.S.
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 Breeds in N.H.
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| New Hampshire Species |
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Other North American Species |
| Norway Rat |
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