| California Mice are nocturnal, with peak activity periods near dusk and dawn. Adults are fairly sedentary, spending much of their time nesting under fallen logs or debris, in trees, or in the dens made by other rodents. The social organization is monogamous, with males and females forming long-term relationships—"long term" being a relative term, since this species has a life span of 9-18 months. Males help care for the young, and the male's presence increases their chance of survival. Females nurse their young for a prolonged period, compared to other Peromyscus; the young are not weaned until they are about five weeks of age. Female offspring disperse farther than males to establish their adult territories, another unusual characteristic.
Sexual Dimorphism:
None
Length:
Range:
220-285 mm
Weight:
Range:
33.2-54.4 g
References:
Gambel, W., 1848. Descriptions of two new Californian quadrupeds, p. 78. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 4:77-78.
Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account
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