Stats

Lifespan

1-3 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

North America

Movement

Running

Breeding

Live Birth

Defense

Speed

Status

Uncommon

About

A common North American mouse with white feet and belly, sharp contrast against its reddish-brown back, and a tail that's dark on top and pale below. It's a key reservoir host for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, making it one of the most-studied wild rodents in the US.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   newborn pup

   A blind, hairless pup nurses in the nest and is unable to regulate its own warmth.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A weaned juvenile is fully furred, leaves the nest, and begins foraging on solid food.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown and self-sufficient.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Cricetidae

Genus

Peromyscus

Species

Peromyscus leucopus