Peromyscus leucopus

ID

  • Tail is slightly less than half of the animal’s total length
  • Grayish-brown to dull orange-brown upper parts with darkish mid-dorsum
  • White underparts

Distribution

Credit: Smithsonian Institution

Reproduction

  • Breeding season lasts from spring (March through May) until fall (October or November)
  • Gestation is about 23 days, litters usually have 4 or 5 young
  • Females produce several litters over the summer and can start breeding at 2 months old
  • Males assist in taking care of the young, though the females play a much larger role in young-rearing (Whitaker)

Behavior

  • Nocturnal
  • Semi-arboreal
  • Explore home-range thoroughly and are quick to locate hiding spots
  • Make nests in a wide variety of locations
  • In colder weather, they may use communal nesting to keep warm
  • Most individuals remain active through the winter, though some enter torpor
  • Collect and cache food (Whitaker)

Food Habits

  • Nutlets, berries, seeds, caterpillars, ground beetles, centipedes, snails, small birds, and sometimes even their own kind (Whitaker)

Size/Life Cycle

  • Average measurements: 150-205 mm (total length), 15-25 g (total weight) (Smithsonian)

Predators

  • Owl, hawk, predatory mammals, snakes. Pretty much everything (Whitaker)

Habitat

  • Forest edges, brushy areas, hedgerows, houses (Whitaker)