White-Footed and Deer Mice

Fifteen species of native mice of the genus Peromyscus may be found in the United States. The two most common and widely distributed species are the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus, Fig. 1) and the white-footed mouse (P. leucopus). This chapter will deal primarily with these species. Collectively, all species of Peromyscus are often referred to as “white-footed mice” or “deer mice.” Other species include the brush mouse (P. boylei), cactus mouse (P. eremicus), canyon mouse (P. crinitus), cotton mouse (P. gossypinus), golden mouse (P. nuttalli), piñon mouse (P. truei), rock mouse (P. difficilis), white-ankled mouse (P. pectoralis), Merriam mouse (P. merriami), California mouse (P. californicus), Sitka mouse (P. sitkensis), oldfield mouse (P. polionotus), and the Florida mouse (P. floridanus). Exclusion: Rodent-proof construction will exclude mice from buildings and other structures. Use hardware cloth (1/4-inch [0.6 cm] mesh) or similar materials to exclude mice from garden seed beds. Habitat Modification: Store food items left in cabins or other infrequently used buildings in rodent-proof containers. Store furniture cushions, drawers, and other items in infrequently used buildings in ways that reduce nesting sites. Frightening: Not effective. Repellents: Naphthalene (moth balls or flakes) may be effective in confined spaces. Toxicants: Anticoagulants. Zinc phosphide. Fumigants: None are registered. Trapping: Snap traps. Box- (Sherman) type traps. Automatic multiple-catch traps. Other Methods--Alternative feeding: Experiments suggest that application of sunflower seed may significantly reduce consumption of conifer seed in forest reseeding operations, although the tests have not been followed to regeneration