The Deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) by: A. Gangi

The deermouse is a quizzical looking small mouse with can raise it just a little bit they can often squeeze out! huge eyes. The common wild-type colouration is a rich Aspen bedding or walnut bedding is the bedding we feel red-brown with white belly. Even the tail is bicoloured- works best. They especially like burrowing in the dark on top and pale underneath. The feet are typically bedding. Like fancy mice, they enjoy having items to white, a distinguishing trait that gives the mice in this climb on so branches are good. They will use running genus the name Peromyscus... It comes from the Greek, wheels, enjoy tubes, things to chew on. A common “pero” meaning “boots”, and “mys” meaning “mouse”. hanging water bottle can be used. Thus, Peromyscus means “mouse with boots”. Deermice are sexually mature around 55 days of age; Deermice are not commonly seen in the pet fancy, but a females experience a heat cycle about every 5 days. few lines exist and are bred by fanciers, in zoos and in Gestation is 23 days, unless the female is raising a labs. Colour mutations do exist, such as “california litter already in which case it may be delayed up to a blond” (looks similar to “cinnamon”), yellow, white week. If kept in breeding pairs, litters will usually be spotted, silver, grey, platinum, ivory and albino. Most of back to back, though breeding may become irregular or these are kept in labs, but a few colours have been bred stop during winter, even in domestic colonies. by hobbiests. In nature, deermice rarely live more than 6 months. In Care of the deermouse is similar to that of the fancy pet captivity, with appropriate care, the deermouse can live mouse. They can be kept on rat and mouse lab blocks 4 to 5 years. Some of the closely related species such if you want. In nature they eat mostly seeds, berries, as the white footed mouse can live as long as 8 years! occasional grains and vegetables. Most deermice will sometimes eat insects.

Ideal cages are aquaria, as these tiny critters can easily escape from most wire cages. Be certain the lid is weighed down or clamped down; if they

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This is a photo of an adult female deermouse, “Da Nose”, named for her distinctive feature! 10. Printed in RMFE’s Rat & Mouse Fancy Report, Volume 2 Issue 4, 2001. Text & Art (c) by the author(s)/artist(s) Deermice Continued...

(The white footed mouse is sometimes commonly called a deermouse and viceversa, but it is a seperate species, Peromyscus leucopus).

The photos on this page show an adult deermouse (dark brown) compared to a fancy mouse (black eyed white American type). Most striking is the difference of the shape of the head, eye size, and the seemingly largish head on a small body proportions of the deermouse compared to that of the fancy mouse.

Deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and Fancy mice (Mus musculus domesticus) can not interbreed; in fact, the fancy mouse is much more closely related to the fancy rat (Rattus norvegicus)! Both are of the family Muridea and subfamily, Murine. The Deermouse, while in the same family, is in a different subfamily, Sigmodontinae. Nonetheless, I have found that my fancy mice and deermice readily accept each other as cage mates, even as adults. My fancy mice have even on occasion foster raised orphaned deermice with success. A Word of Caution:

Deermice can carry Hantavirus, which can affect humans; infection with Hanta requires hospitalization and ventilation within 24 hours and can be deadly. The disease is most common A deermouse (brown) is shown with an in the 4-corners region of the USA (Colorado, New “American” type fancy pet mouse (white) Mexico, Arizona and Utah), but forms exist in other parts of the world as well. ~~~~~

No matter how adorable an orphaned mouse looks, and some other species belong. The common, it is best to avoid handling the animal if you live in domesticated fancy rat and mouse are Murine an area where Hanta is known to occur. Check rodents and are not carriers of Hanta. with the Centers for Disease Control for current information on Hanta, prevention: http:// Wild mice can carry other illnesses which may not www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/index.htm affect humans but could affect domestic pet rodents, such as parasites, forms of Myco, Sendai, Tyzzers, If you do find an orphan, you should contact local and other bacterial or viral illnesses. If taking in wildlife rescue groups. Although they often will an orphan mouse, even if Hanta is not a concern in not accept orphaned mice to raise, they usually your area, it is best to find a place to keep them can inform you if there are known diseases to watch quarantined from your other pets, for at least 30 for in the area, and provide you with tips on how to days. care for the orphans if it is determined safe for you to care for them. If you really want pet deermice, the safest source Note that Hanta is a disease of Sigmodontinae is a hobby breeder (you may need to consider those rodents, the family to which deermice, cottonrats who breed for snake food) or a lab. 11. Printed in RMFE’s Rat & Mouse Fancy Report, Volume 2 Issue 4, 2001. Text & Art (c) by the author(s)/artist(s)