Mice gnaw on just about anything, they can even chew through metal, concrete, and wall boards. Mice have been known to cause electrical fires from their gnawing on wires and damaging the internal parts of appliances. The shrew often invades homes in Alaska when temperatures plummet in the fall and early winter. Shrews are tiny, the arctic shrew is less than 2 inches long. They are slender rodents, with soft grey fur and long pointed snouts.
Shrews have the highest metabolism of any mammal.
They need to eat almost constantly to maintain their body weight. Many of the short lived shrews die of starvation quickly during the winter months. They do not usually eat the same things as we do, so they do not get into the cupboards and stored food like mice. Shrews eat insectsand other protein sources. The inquisitive shrew will often wonder into homes and are often seen zipping around the walls and baseboards.