[14] Females lactate for 27 to 34 days after giving birth; most young are weaned at about 18 to 24 days. Deer Mouse Life Cycle. Deer Mouse Behavior (Part 2) Deer mice live between two months & two years, their short lifespan largely due to predators. The tail may be shorter than the head and body or strikingly longer, depending on the species. 434 Sample size Medium Data quality Acceptable Observations. Mice that are kept as pets tend to live much longer than wild mice. [7] The majority of deer mice nest high up, in large hollow trees. Western Exterminator mouse specialist are ready to help answer your questions. [7] Because the two species are extremely similar in appearance, they are best distinguished through red blood cell agglutination tests or karyotype techniques. In: King, John Arthur, ed. Nowak, Ronald M.; Paradiso, John L. (1983). The deer mouse nests alone for the most part but during the winter will nest in groups of 10 or more. If you spot an adult deer mouse, its body will likely be anywhere from 3 to 4 inches long, with its tail adding an additional 2 to 5 inches. Mortality of young is high, and even adults seldom live more that 1-21/2 years, although the potential life span is 8 years. [24] One captive male deer mouse lived 32 months,[14] and there is a report of a forest deer mouse that lived 8 years in captivity (another mouse was fertile until almost 6 years of age). These include spiders, caterpillars, and heteropterans. Of those most common in North America, the woodland form has longer hind legs, a longer tail, and larger ears than the prairie form. Rep. PNW-133. Mutated mice bred in captivity have lived beyond four years with the longest life of a mouse being record at just short of 5 years. A single female mouse can give birth to 25-60 mice in a year. [11], Deer mice can reproduce throughout the year, though in most parts of their range, they breed from March to October. Usually, gestation lasts 22 - 25 days in non-lactating females and 24 - 30 days in lactating ones. 1069. Peromyscus maniculatus has soft fur which varies in color, from gray to brown, but all deer mice have a distinguishable white underside and white feet. Lack of food or water, illness, and injury also limit colonies in the wild. Large nest building is considered to be a maladaptation as these mice are unnecessarily investing extra energy and effort in building larger nests in a laboratory where conditions are stable. [7] The pups within litters of deer mice are kept by the mother within an individual home range. Stickel, Lucille F. (1968). Neither mouse nor deer With a rodent-like face and a rabbit's body perched precariously atop the pencil-thin feet of a piglet, the mousedeer looks like an odd mix of different animals. [8] Deer mice are very often used for laboratory experimentation due to their self cleanliness and easy care. NOTES: Their lifespan is usually about 1 year in … Raphael, Martin G. (1987). Scientific Name: Peromyscus Lifespan: 1 to 5 years Problem: Property damage, disease, causing people to scream and jump on tables. born blind, naked and helpless; development is rapid. Their backs are typically brown in color, but can also be black or grey. A female deer mouse can have up to eleven litters, with 1-9 baby mice per litter, in her approximately one year life span. The species has 61 subspecies. HABITAT: They are most commonly found in mountains and woodlands, as they nest in large, hollow trees. [12] Deer mouse breeding tends to be determined more by food availability rather than by season. [27] In a survey of small mammals on 29 sites in subalpine forests in Colorado and Wyoming, the deer mouse had the highest frequency of occurrence; however, it was not always the most abundant small mammal. In many areas deer mice live less than 1 year. What is the lifespan of a white footed mouse? Below are a few of lifespan averages for some of the most common mouse species in the wild. But, this is a creature that prefers to live off the generosity of humans, and this brings them into man-made structures. Occasionally juveniles remain in the natal area, particularly when breeding space is limited. Most deer mice travel less than 152 m (499 ft) from the natal area to establish their own home range. [29] In northern New England deer mice are present in both coniferous and deciduous forests. Additional file 2: Table S1. [5], Peromyscus manicuatus are polygynous, meaning one male will mate with multiple females. While both species are used for medical research, the longer lifespan of deer mice makes them more us… A single litter may consist of up to 11 young with an average of 4 - 6. Contain up to 8.3 years in all throughout North America that were previously wooded the single female! Young, but a single female produces between five and 10 litters annually Rick bowers ; Kenn... 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