Mammals of the WorldAsian House Shrew
Suncus murinus
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Soricidae
- Genus
- Suncus
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- Afghanistan|Pakistan|India|Sri Lanka|Nepal|Bhutan|Bangladesh|China|Myanmar|Thailand|Laos|Vietnam|Cambodia|Malaysia|Singapore|Indonesia|Brunei|East Timor
- Realm
- Palearctic|Indomalaya|Australasia
Other names: Asian Musk Shrew|Gray Musk Shrew|Indian Musk Shrew
About this species
- Size
- About 15cm, snout to tail tip
- Weight
- 50–100g
- Diet
- Insects and other invertebrates such as cockroaches; sometimes small mammals
- Habitat
- Almost every habitat, including houses
- Range
- South and Southeast Asia; introduced to eastern Africa, Arabia, Madagascar and islands
- Litter size
- 1–8 young, usually 3
- Gestation
- About one month
The Asian house shrew, also called the grey or Indian musk shrew, is the largest of the shrews in the region, weighing 50–100 g and about 15 cm long from snout to tail tip. It has short, dense mid-grey to brownish-grey fur, small ears and an elongated snout. It is a voracious eater of insects, including cockroaches, and sometimes takes small mammals such as house mice. Indoors it makes a chattering sound like jingling money, and a piercing shriek when alarmed (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is native to South and Southeast Asia and has been carried by people to eastern Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, the Philippines and other islands. It lives in almost every habitat, including houses. Females breed through the year, averaging two litters a year of one to eight young, usually three, after about a month's gestation. Both parents build the nest, and the young stay in it until nearly adult (Wikipedia, general species account).
Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)