Kangaroo Rats Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Mice: Heteromyidae

Pocket mice, kangaroo rats, and kangaroo mice, sometimes called heteromyids (members of the family Heteromyidae), are small- to medium-sized rodents with external, fur-lined cheek pouches. The pouches open in front of the mouth and go back along the shoulders. They have fairly large eyes and short, rounded ears. Pocket mice use all four feet while walking, while kangaroo rats and mice use only their rear two feet for walking. Kangaroo rats and mice have long tails with white tips or tufts on the end, along with relatively short front limbs. Pocket mice have shorter, less noticeable tails. Kangaroo rats and mice have good hearing. Kangaroo rats and mice have soft and silky fur, while pocket mice have coats that range from silky to spiny. The coat color varies from light to dark, depending on species and habitat, often matching the soil color on which they live.

Adults are 1.7 to 14.6 inches (4.3 to 37 centimeters) long and weigh between 0.2 and 6.9 ounces (5 and 195 grams). Kangaroo rats weigh between 1.2 and 6.9 ounces (33 and 195 grams); kangaroo mice weigh between 0.4 and 0.6 ounces (10 and 17 grams); and pocket mice weigh between 0.2 and 3.0 ounces (5 and 85 grams).