WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE

also called Deer Mouse (genus Peromyscus), any of about 60 species of small, delicately built rodents, belonging to the family Cricetidae (order Rodentia), found in a variety of habitats from Alaska to South America. Abundant animals, white-footed mice often outnumber any other mammals in an area. They are large-eyed mice, 8 to 17 cm (3 to 6.5 inches) long excluding the long tail, and they have soft fur and relatively large ears. Colour ranges from nearly white, through brown, to blackish; underparts and feet are usually white. White-footed mice are nocturnal animals; they spend the day in burrows or in trees, in nests they construct of plant material. They eat both plant and animal matter. White-footed mice can breed continually throughout the year, the females bearing litters of about four after 21 to 27 days' gestation. Because these mice are clean, easily cared for, and prolific, they are often used as laboratory animals.