Cactus Mouse

Cactus Mouse

The cactus mouse, known by its scientific name Peromyscus eremicus is a species of rodents in the family Cricetidae. They are one species of a closely related group of common mice often called deer mice.
Cactus mice are found in dry desert habitats such as the Mojave Desert and elsewhere in southwestern United States and northern Mexico, as well as islands off the coast of the Baja California peninsula and in the Gulf of Mexico. Low average temperatures and lack of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) might limit northern expansion. The cactus mouse occurs sympatrically with four other mice species, including the California mouse, canyon mouse, Eva’s desert mouse and the mesquite mouse.
Cactus mice are small, between 18 and 40 g in weight. Females weigh slightly more than males and are significantly larger in body length, ear length, length of mandible and bullar width of skull. An average cactus mice is 3 inches in length. Cactus mice can be identified by having naked soles on their hind feet, and almost naked tails which are usually the same length or longer than the animal’s body length. Its ears are nearly hairless, large, and membranous. Their fur is long and soft; coloration varies between subspecies, as well as between different populations. Color of fur varies from ochre to cinnamon, with a white stomach, and the sides and top of head slightly grayish. Females tend to be slightly paler in color than males, while juveniles appear more gray than their parents.
Cactus mice have adapted to the desert and have less need water compared to other non-desert mice. Among the cactus mouse’s adaptation to the desert is its lowered metabolism, which carries with it a lesser demand for both food and water. This characteristic, while serving to allow these creatures to live in a harsh climate, carries with it the consequence that females rarely if ever bear more than three offspring. Because of her lowered metabolism and water intake, the female is not able to produce milk very quickly or in great quantity.
In the event they cannot find sufficient water and food to stay active, cactus mice can enter into a state of torpor, sleeping or hibernating through a bout of scarcity.
Nocturnal creatures, cactus mice are opportunistic feeders, and will devour seeds, mesquite beans, hackberry nutlets, insects, green vegetation and leaves, grain, fuit or anything they can find.
Their predators include owls, snakes, foxes and other hungry carnivores in their area.
Species from Southern California have tested positive for hantavirus
Current population levels for the Cactus Mouse are stable in their range.

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