In the wild, deer mice rarely survive for more than two years.
Female deer mice can be reproductively active as early as six weeks of age. Litter size is typically between three and six young. In warm regions, reproduction may occur year-round. In the presence of abundant food supplies, reproduction can be prolonged and mice can breed over winter. However, the chronology and duration of breeding varies within and between populations. Deer mice are often known to cache their food and store some of their food near their nests, especially in autumn when foods such as tree seeds and nuts are most plentiful.ĭeer mice don’t usually breed during winter.
However, they will also consume fruits, invertebrates, fungi, and to a lesser extent green vegetation. They nest in family groups throughout the winter.ĭeer mice are predominantly granivorous, feeding on a range of seeds. Deer mice don’t hibernate, but they may become dormant (torpid) when the weather is especially severe.
Deer mice also nest above ground and have been known to utilize abandoned squirrel and bird nests or nest inside buildings. Nest sites include tree hollows, stumps, and roots as well as the underside of rocks and logs. Nests consist of stems, twigs, leaves, and roots of grasses and other fibrous materials and may be lined with fur, feathers, or shredded cloth. Other species of Peromyscus are more restricted and are found in chaparral, pinyon-juniper, rocky canyons, and other similar environments.ĭeer mice are nocturnal and spend the day in refuges or nests. The deer mouse is found in all types of habitats throughout California including forests, grasslands, scrublands, and agricultural lands. Although white-footed mice typically exhibit larger eyes, ears, and overall body size, their bicolored tail is the easiest feature to use to distinguish them from house mice, Mus musculus house mice also have almost furless tails and an overall gray-brown coat. Their tail is bicolored, with white on the bottom and the darker color on top. These species are difficult to distinguish from one another, as almost all of them have characteristic white undersides, legs, and feet and dark to light brown backs. eremicus), the northern Baja deer mouse ( P. The other species are the brush mouse ( P.
The deer mouse is the most widespread and common of these species. There are seven species of mice belonging to the genus Peromyscus in California. Because deer mice prefer forests, grasslands, and agricultural crops, they aren’t normally found within urban and residential areas unless fields, forests, or other suitable habitats surround those areas. A member of a large group of species and subspecies of the genus Peromyscus, deer mice are very proficient jumpers and runners that received their name due to their agility.ĭeer mice are a particular concern because they spread hantavirus, which can be deadly to people. The deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, often referred to as a white-footed mouse, is the most abundant and widely distributed mammal in North America. A deer mouse has chewed open this almond and removed its nut meat.
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