- Lifespan
- 18 months to 2.5 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 4.3–6.3 cm body length, 2–6 g (Britain's smallest mammal)
- Habitat
- Grasslands, moorlands, woodlands, and hedgerows with dense ground vegetation and leaf litter.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout mainland Great Britain and Ireland, from sea level to mountain regions; resident year-round with populations subject to significant fluctuations.
- Diet
- Insectivorous, consuming small invertebrates including spiders, insects, larvae, and earthworms; must eat almost continuously due to high metabolic rate.
- Prey
- Spiders, beetles, fly larvae, woodlice, centipedes, and small earthworms
- Predators
- Owls (particularly Tawny owls), kestrels, weasels, stoats, and domestic cats
- Mating Season
- April to September
- Breeding
- 2–3 litters per year with 5–8 young per litter; gestation period approximately 21–22 days; young weaned at 3–4 weeks
- Behaviour
- Solitary and highly active both day and night, with rapid movement through vegetation and leaf litter. Creates and maintains small runway systems. Has an extremely high metabolism requiring feeding every 2–3 hours to survive.