Zacatecan deer mouse facts for kids

The Zacatecan deer mouse or southern rock mouse (Peromyscus difficilis) is a small rodent that looks a lot like a mouse. It belongs to the family Cricetidae. You can only find this special mouse in Mexico. Good news! It is not considered an endangered animal, which means there are plenty of them around.

Quick facts for kids Zacatecan deer mouse
A trio of taxidermied Peromyscus difficilis at the Natural History Museum at Tring
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Neotominae
Genus:	Peromyscus
Species:	P. difficilis
Binomial name
Peromyscus difficilis (J.A. Allen, 1891)
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What Does It Look Like?

Zacatecan deer mice are medium-sized, weighing about 28 to 43 grams (1 to 1.5 ounces). They have long tails, big ears, and a snout that is a bit longer than usual. Their head and body together are about 9 to 12.5 centimeters (3.5 to 5 inches) long. But their tail is always longer than their body, measuring 9 to 14.5 centimeters (3.5 to 5.7 inches). Female mice have six teats, which they use to feed their babies.

The fur on their back and sides is usually a yellowish-brown color. However, some mice might have reddish-brown fur or a lot of darker hairs, making them look almost black. You can often see a clear line along their sides. Their belly is usually lighter, either white or light gray. The fur around their shoulders sometimes has a slightly orange or salmon color. They also have a thin ring of darker fur around their eyes, which makes their eyes stand out. Their tail is similar in color to their body, being yellowish-brown on top and lighter underneath.

Where Do They Live?

The Zacatecan deer mouse lives only in Mexico. It prefers the mountains in the middle of the country, especially around the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges. In the north, you can find them as far as southern Chihuahua and Coahuila. In the south, they live as far as northern Oaxaca.

These mice like to live in hilly areas, from about 2,100 to 3,100 meters (6,900 to 10,200 feet) high. They usually prefer places that are semi-dry, like chaparral (a type of shrubland) or dry brush. Their other name, "southern rock mouse," tells you that they are often found in rocky places. In these areas, you'll typically find grasses, acacia trees, and shrubs like acahual. But Zacatecan deer mice are also common in mountain forests with juniper, oak, or pine trees. They can even live in rocky deserts where there are many cacti.

How Do They Live?

Zacatecan deer mice are good at climbing, even though they don't live in trees all the time. Each mouse usually has its own space, especially when they are having babies. Many of these mice can live in one area, sometimes about 13 mice in a space the size of a small park. However, there might be fewer mice when the weather is drier.

These mice are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They munch on small insects and the seeds from grasses and other plants in their area. Some animals that hunt and eat Zacatecan deer mice include skunks, snakes, owls, and ring-tailed cats.

Reproduction

Zacatecan deer mice have their babies during the wetter parts of the year, usually from June to December. A female mouse can have up to three groups of babies in one season. Each group, called a litter, usually has about three pups. Female mice can become old enough to have their own babies within six months. This means that some mice born early in the breeding season might even have their own young before the year ends!

Classification

The Zacatecan deer mouse belongs to a group of mice called the truei species group within the Peromyscus genus. Scientists have studied their genes and found that their closest relative is the northern rock mouse. These two types of mice are so similar that, until 1978, people thought they were the same species!