Shrews

Shrews are not mice, not rats, not even rodents. They are mole-like furry mammals that belong to the family Soricidae, a family of insectivores. Shrews are one of the smallest mammals with a high heart rate and short lifespan. They are very active animals moving throughout the day and night. They are diverse mammals with various sizes, colours, and habitats.

Scientific Classification of Shrews

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Eulipotyphla
Family	Soricidae

Species of Shrews

There are 385 species of shrews known in the Soricidae family, which makes it the fourth most species-diverse family. They are placed in 26 genera. Six famous species are discussed below:

Names	Description
Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)	It is the largest species of shrew widely distributed in the North American woodlands. They immobilize prey with their venomous saliva.
Water Shrew (Neomys)	There are 12 species under this name. It is a large type of shrew with a long tail found in the waters of Asia and Europe. Their belly is white, and their fur is dark.
Asian House Shrew (Sunucus murinus)	It is the largest Asian species of shrew with 100 g weight and 6 inches long.
Etruscan Shrew (Suncus etruscus)	They are the smallest mammals by mass, also known as white-toothed pygmy shrews. Their length is 2 inches, excluding tail.
Pygmy Shrew (Sorex minutus)	One of the smallest mammals with only 4 g of weight. They are known for their high metabolic rate and are present in the various habitats of Eurasia.
Common Shrew (Sorex araneus)	It is a common species of shrew widely distributed in Europe and Asia. They are known for their habitat versatility.

Physical Characteristics

Size and Weight: Shrews are very small mammals with a length of 3.5 to 4.5 inches. Their weight varies with species. On average, they weigh around 20 to 40 grams.

Speed: They are very agile animals and move with a speed of five to six km per hour. Their running speed is 13 km per hour.

Body and Tail: The body of shrews is cylindrical instead of being rounded like mice. They have pointed faces, small eyes, rounded ears, and slender limbs with clawed digits. Their tail is three-quarters of their body, except for short-tailed shrews.

Snout and Teeth: The nose of a shrew is long with a round tip. Unlike rodent incisors, shrews have small and peg-like teeth hidden behind lips.

Fur Colouration: Shrews are furry creatures with a dark brown upperside, grey or silver downside, and chestnut-coloured sides.

Distribution and Habitat

Geographically, shrews are found almost worldwide except Antarctica. They exist throughout North America, South America, Africa, Eurasia, island groups of mainland Asia, and Aru islands of the Australian Continental shelf. They are inhabited by underground burrows and rainforests where soils are soft, open areas like upland prairies, fields, meadows, and grassy and brushy roadsides.

These tiny creatures are often found inside homes. They prefer to hide in dark places, and their movement seems like a hide-and-seek. Some common nesting spots of shrews within homes are gaps between walls and floors, roof spaces, underfloors, behind furniture, and storage boxes.

Fact: In the wild, shrews do not dig their burrows and live in the abandoned burrows of moles and other burrowing species.

Diet and Digestion

Shrews are insectivorous animals. They would love to eat insects, ants, bedbugs, moths, earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, snails, molluscs, frogs, and carrion. They are also called omnivores, as they eat animals as well as plants. Shrews also eat nuts, seedlings, and fungi.

The digestive tract of shrews is short, but the digestion process is very rapid. Much of the food is not fully digested; that’s why shrews eat their feces to extract nutrients from it. Their metabolism rate is very high and they eat all day and night. They eat twice their body weight daily and sleep only when their stomach is full.

Behavioral Adaptations

These miniatures acquire the following adaptations to survive in their surroundings.

Social Interaction

These quirk animals are solitary. They come close only during the breeding season. They live and forage alone. However, they show territorial and aggressive behaviour towards other shrews, animals, and even humans.

Preyed Behaviour

Shrews may be agile predators, but they become prey due to their small size. The owls, snakes, hawks, foxes, raccoons, and cats are the natural predators of shrews. The interesting thing is that they kill the shrews but not eat them. Because at the last moment, shrews produce a foul odour from their scent glands that make the predator leave them uneaten.

As foxes hate shrews, trouts love to eat them. Shrews are the lovely food of shrew-eating trout. In Alaska’s Wildlife Refuge, 19 shrews are caught from the stomach of rainbow trout. These are not only water species, but also the common shrews fall into the water.

Winter Activity

These furry mammals do not hibernate in the winter; rather shorten their bodies to save energy. The 40% percent of their body shrank including spines and large organs such as lungs, spleen, and heart, even skeleton. Their fur turns darker than usual in the cold.

Venomous Behaviour

Two of the shrew species are venomous: Short-tailed and Eurasian water shrews. Although shrews don’t have flanks like snakes but they release venom from their grooves to paralyze small prey. The prey becomes paralyzed but remains alive. They caught and killed them.

Other species of shrews produce poisonous saliva that is infectious to humans. It causes allergy, and the affected spot becomes swollen, and pain starts. It fades up in a few days with proper medication. Thanks to god, these animals are not larger.

Echolocation

Shrews are very vocal animals. They communicate with repertoire sounds. They produce high-frequency calls for Echolocation. These are called ultrasonic waves to navigate and communicate their surroundings. The reason behind this adaptation is that their vision is poor, so they use sonics to locate things.

Reproduction and Parenting

Shrews breed all the year around, and a female produce 10 litters per year. The litter contains 2 to 10 young. The gestation period lasts for 17 to 32 days. They can concieve again within the day of giving birth. The blindless babies mature quickly. A female lactates her young during the pregnancy, nursing one litter and the next is born. They only stop breeding in the winter.

Mortality Rate and Lifespan

The mortality rate of shrews is high as 80%. In comparison, short-tailed shrews have low a mortality rate of 13%. Adults breed and die before seeing their second winter. The shrews are short-lived mammals with a lifespan of 12 to 30 months.

Ecological Importance

Instead of their fouling smell and evil nature, shrews are the top predators in the soil food web within temperate forests. Shrews intensely and constantly consume insects and may have a positive effect on the farming industry as they eat insect larvae that become pests in the future.

Conservation Status and Efforts

According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), almost all species of shrews are least concerned or not extinct. They are not endangered species but are protected under the Wildlife Act in Great Britain.

Shrew Fun Facts

More than 40 percent of species of shrews (145 of 385) are inhabited in Africa.
The pygmy shrew is the second smallest mammal in the world.
Shrews are good swimmers.
The spines and large organs of shrews shrank in the winter.
Shrews are not found in Ireland.

Cultural Value

The cultural value of shrews is not much more but somewhat used in English literature. In Western Culture, the term “Shrew” is generally used for uncivilized men or women. “The Taming of Shrew” by William Shakespeare revolves around an ill-tempered woman. It is also used as a comedic and folklore character.

After reading this blog, you are able to differentiate between a mouse and a shrew. Whenever you get a pungent smell in your house, you must check whether it is a shrew or mice.

FAQs- Frequently Asked Questions

Q- What makes shrews unique?
Shrews are one of the smallest mammals with a high metabolism, and some species are venomous. They also use echolocation to navigate due to poor vision.

Q- What do shrews mainly eat?
Shrews are primarily insectivores, eating insects, earthworms, mollusks, and occasionally plants like fungi and seeds.

Q- What is the behavior of a shrew?
Shrews are solitary, territorial, and aggressive. They are highly active, moving day and night, and are known to release a foul smell when threatened.

Q- Is shrew harmful to humans?
Shrews are generally not harmful to humans. However, their venomous saliva can cause irritation and swelling if bitten.

Q- Are shrews friendly?
No, shrews are solitary and aggressive towards other animals and even humans. They are not considered friendly creatures.

Q- What smell do shrews hate?
Shrews are known to dislike the scent of their own foul odor, which they release to deter predators.

Q- What are shrews good for?
Shrews help control insect populations, especially pests that can harm crops, making them beneficial for agriculture.

Q- Do shrews make noise?
Yes, shrews are vocal animals that use high-frequency sounds for echolocation and communication.

Q- Are shrews intelligent?
Shrews are not particularly known for their intelligence but are resourceful in navigating their environment and hunting prey.

Q- Do shrews lay eggs?
No, shrews are mammals and give birth to live young.

Q- Where do shrews live?
Shrews live in a variety of habitats, including underground burrows, rainforests, prairies, meadows, and even homes.

Q- What attracts shrews?
Shrews are attracted to dark, secluded areas, especially those with an abundance of insects or small animals to eat.

Q- What can I feed a shrew?
Shrews primarily eat insects, but you can also feed them small pieces of meat, earthworms, and mealworms.

Q- Do shrews multiply?
Yes, shrews breed rapidly, with females producing up to 10 litters per year.

Q- Do shrews carry diseases?
Shrews can carry parasites and their bites may cause irritation, but they are not known to spread major diseases to humans.

Q- Do shrews ever sleep?
Shrews sleep intermittently throughout the day and night, usually after feeding.

Q- Do shrews go in water?
Yes, certain species, like the water shrew, are excellent swimmers and live near aquatic environments.

Q- Is it safe to touch a shrew?
It’s best to avoid handling shrews, as their bites can be irritating due to their venomous saliva.

Q- Do shrews have eyesight?
Shrews have poor eyesight and rely on their sense of smell, touch, and echolocation to navigate.

Q- What happens if a shrew bites you?
A shrew bite can cause swelling and irritation but usually heals with proper care.

Q- What poison kills shrews?
There are no specific poisons for shrews; typical rodent control methods like traps are more effective.

Q- Why do shrews scream?
Shrews produce high-pitched screams as part of their communication, especially during territorial disputes or mating.

Q- Can I pet a shrew?
Shrews are wild animals and not suitable as pets due to their solitary and aggressive nature.

Q- Are shrews useful?
Yes, shrews are useful in controlling insect populations, benefiting ecosystems and agriculture.

Q- Are shrews male or female?
Shrews can be male or female; both sexes exhibit similar behaviors.

Q- What eats shrews?
Predators of shrews include owls, snakes, foxes, hawks, and raccoons, though some avoid eating them due to their foul odor.

Q- Do shrews run fast?
Yes, shrews are quick and agile, running at speeds of up to 13 km/h.

Q- Do shrews eat eggs?
Shrews may eat small eggs, though their primary diet consists of insects and small animals.

Q- How many babies do shrews have?
A female shrew can have 2 to 10 babies per litter, with up to 10 litters per year.

Q- What is the lifespan of a shrew?
Shrews typically live for 12 to 30 months.

Q- How fast do shrews multiply?
Shrews breed rapidly, with frequent litters, leading to quick population growth.

Q- Do shrews breed quickly?
Yes, shrews have short gestation periods and breed all year round, except in winter.

Learn More About Squirrels

On this page, you are invited to browse our articles about the fascinating lives of shrews.

These articles answer common questions about shrews, including what they eat, their unique behaviors, their breeding cycle, and how they interact with their environment and humans.

Scroll down to learn more about the quirky habits of shrews and discover what makes these small mammals so intriguing.