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Deer Mouse
 
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COMMON NAME: Deer Mouse
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner)
CLASSlORDERIFAMILY: Mammalia / Rodentia / Muridae
METAMORPHOSIS: Simple
INTRODUCTION: Deer mice are structural pests in rural, summer/vacation, outbuilding, barns and shed-type structures, as well as suburban homes located in or near wooded areas. They are of medical concern because they are the primary carriers of Hantavirus that causes hantvirus. The deer mouse is found in the West from Mexico to the southern Yukon and Northwest territories of Canada, and in the East from Hudson Bay south to Pennsylvania, the southern Appalachian Mountains, central Arkansas, and central Texas.
RECOGNITION: Adults with head and body length about 2 3/4-4", tail length about 2-5", and hind foot 5/8-1" long; weight about 3/8-11/4 oz; woodland forms (northern) are usually larger, with longer tail and larger feet than prairie/field form bicolored, pale grayish buff to deep reddish brown above and white below. Tail always sharply bicolored, longer than half-length of head and body combined, and covered with short hairs. The hind feet have 6 pads each. Young similar but the top/upper side is gray.
BIOLOGY: Females usually have 3-5 young per litter. The gestation period lasts for 21-24 days. There are 2-4 litters per year with a large increase of reproduction occurring in the spring. They begin to breed at 5-6 weeks of age. The life span is 2-24 months because of high predation, but live longer (5-8) years in captivity.
Deer mice are of medical concern because they are the primary source of hantavirus. This virus is transmitted primarily by the inhalation of dust particles contaminated with the urine and/or feces from infected deer mice. The incubation period of this disease is up to 30 days. If death is to occur, it will happen within about 12-35 days after contracting the disease and it will be the result of the lungs filling with fluid and/or a heart attack. As of 10/96, there have been over 150-recorded cases of hantavirus in the United States with a fatality rate of 40%.
HABITS: Deer mice are nocturnal. Their runways are poorly defined and they often use the runways of other small mammals. They are excellent climbers and can utilize the upper areas of buildings, etc.
Outside, they nest in old fence posts, tree hollows/cavities, log piles, abandoned bird/squirrel nests and animal burrows, beneath decks, or dig small burrows. Inside, they nest in storage boxes, stuffed furniture, wall voids, on sill plates, in structural corners, and tight places in basements and attics.
They feed on insects, seeds, nuts, berries, small fruits, a subterranean fungus (Endogone), and other small animals such as centipedes. Food is stored for the winter in hollow logs and other protected places.
Deer mice have a home range of 1/2-3 acres. A summer population of 10-15 per acre. Are high and a few tending to congregate in winter.
During the colder months, they frequently enter homes, garages, sheds, and occasionally stored RVs and other infrequently used vehicles. They may damage foodstuffs and furnishings. In unoccupied summer and vacation homes, the damage to upholstered furniture, which they use for nests or nesting materials can be extensive.
Deer mice are rarely a problem in urban or residential areas unless the homes border on wooded areas, such as parks. They are common in farming/rural areas and rustic suburban areas.
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