Pinyon mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pinyon mouse |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Peromyscus
|
| Species: |
truei
|
The pinyon mouse (Peromyscus truei) is a small rodent. It lives in the southwestern United States and Baja California in Mexico. These medium-sized mice are often known for their big ears.
Their home range stretches from southern Oregon and Wyoming in the north. It goes south to the U.S.-Mexico border. There is also a separate group called the Palo Duro mouse (Peromyscus truei comanche). This group lives near Palo Duro Canyon in Texas.
What Does a Pinyon Mouse Look Like?
The fur of pinyon mice can be different colors. It ranges from a light yellowish brown to a brownish black. Their feet are lighter, either dusky or white.
They look a lot like the white-footed mouse (P. leucopus). But there are some ways to tell them apart. Pinyon mice tend to have bigger ears. Their ears can be as big as or even larger than their back feet. They also have a longer tail with more fur at the tip. The skull of a pinyon mouse is larger. It has bigger ear bones and a less strong cheekbone structure.
Where Do Pinyon Mice Live?
Pinyon mice can be found in many different places. They really like rocky slopes and pinyon–juniper woodland areas. But you can also find them in deserts, forests, and grassy plains.
They tend to have a larger home area than other mice of their kind. A male's home area can be up to 2.9 hectares (7.2 acres). This might be because they need a big space to find food when it's dry. They can live in different habitats and at different heights. They can also adjust to changing weather conditions. If an area has burned, they usually stay at the edges. They do not move into the burned parts.
What Do Pinyon Mice Eat?
Pinyon mice mostly eat fruit, grains, and seeds. But they also like to eat insects, spiders, and other small creatures without backbones. Adult mice usually eat Juniper seeds and berries in the winter. In the summer, they eat acorns.
Pinyon mice are very good at storing their food. They can build large networks of food stashes near their homes. They can also survive with very little water. This is very important in the dry places where they live.
