All shrews are small, with dense, velvety fur, long tails, and tiny eyes and ears.
Their skulls are narrow, and the long, pointed snout overhangs the lower lip. These tiny creatures are extremely nervous and sensitive. Their hearts may beat 1,200 times per minute, and a shrew may die from the shock of a rough touch or a loud noise. Consequently they rarely survive capture. Shrews have been called bloodthirsty, though the label is not entirely accurate because they must eat almost constantly to stay alive.