Mitchell's hopping mouse (''Notomys mitchellii'') also known as the pankot, is the largest extant member of the genus ''

Notomys A hopping mouse is any of about ten different Australian native mice in the genus ''Notomys''. They are rodents, not marsupials, and their ancestors are thought to have arrived from Asia about 5 million years ago. All are brown or fawn, fading ...

'', weighing between . ''N. mitchellii'' is a

bipedal Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning 'two feet' (from Latin ''bis'' 'double' ...

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

with large back legs, similar to a

jerboa Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts. When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on b ...

kangaroo rat Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus ''Dipodomys'', are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed t ...

. The species occurs throughout much of semi-arid Southern Australia, and appears to be particularly common on the

Eyre Peninsula The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded by the Spencer Gulf on the east, the Great Australian Bight on the west, and the Gawler Ranges to the north. Originally called Eyre’s Peninsula, it was named af ...

, South Australia. Typical habitat for ''N. mitchellii'' appears to be mallee shrublands on sandy dune systems. The species is currently considered to be unthreatened, but its range has been reduced through habitat disturbance and destruction associated with European settlement in Australia. Individuals are a sandy grey colour, with white chest hairs and a paler underbelly. The tail of the species is long and has the characteristic hopping mouse brush at the tip. This tail morphology is thought to aid balance when travelling at speed. Being nocturnal, ''Notomys mitchellii'' shelters during the day in typical hopping mouse burrows; a small number of interconnected, vertical shafts, burrowing deep into the dune. Up to eight animals, different ages and sex, have been found in a single burrow. ''N. mitchellii'' is known to have a lifespan of up to five years in the laboratory and this is thought to be a strategy evolved to combat the breeding-constraints of lengthy periods of drought. It has also been found that this species is less able to cope with water deprivation than other species of the genus. ''Notomys mitchellii'' produces concentrated urine to conserve water, but in a different way to more arid-dwelling rodents. The diet of ''N. mitchellii'' is also thought to consist of more roots and green matter than that of other species of the genus: animals captured in drought conditions had stomach contents consisting of some 85% roots, 11% green leaf and 4% seed.

As a pet

A 2010 report by the Australian Government

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Agrifutures Australia, formerly the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), is an Australian statutory corporation set up by the Australian Government in 1990 to help fund research and development in Australian rural ind ...

into the feasibility of keeping Australian native mammals as pets concluded that "Mitchell's hopping mouse is a suitable species for widespread keeping as a pet." , this would require changes to legislation or policy in most Australian states and territories. As of late 2013, Mitchell's hopping mice can be kept as pets without a licence in

Victoria (Australia) Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...

, however commercial breeding still requires a licence to prevent removal of mice from the wild. Victorian Wildlife Regulations 2013 - Schedule 4B Species are commonly kept by large numbers of the general public. Husbandry techniques are simple and well established. A license is required to obtain and, sell these species for commercial purposes as a safe guard against take from the wild. A license is not required for private purposes.

As a pet

References

Further reading