|
Deer Mice
(peromyscus)
The genus Peromyscus contains species commonly referred to as deer
mice. This is a genus of New World mouse only distantly related to
the common house mouse, Mus musculus. The most common species of
deer mouse in the continental United States are two closely related
species, P. maniculatus, and P. leucopus. In the USA, Peromyscus is
also the most populous mammalian species overall.
The genus Peromyscus has been an important model in the studies of
phylogeography, speciation, chromosomes, genetics, and evolution in
general. In recent years, it has become notorious in the western
United States as a carrier of the hantavirus.
There is a different mammal by the name of "Mouse Deer," a
relatively primitive ungulate of minuscule size.
There are two Subgenera and 55 species in Peromyscus. This page will
refer to Peromyscus manrculatus which inhabits all most all of North
America and several Islands from Alaska to Mexico.
CARE AND FEEDING
The basic care and feeding of deer mice is the same as for the more
common pet mouse. So I will not discuss it here at this time. But
will update it later.
Deer mice are energetic little animals and therefore I find it best
to supply them with larger cages. I like to use twenty-gallon long
aquariums to house up to 12 animals, I supply several wheels,
branches for climbing and several nesting hide boxes. One of which
is almost always used to store food.
I use hard wire mesh covers with cage clamps as Deer mice are
excellent little escape artists and once out they may not be
recaptured. Although smart animals I tend to find them a bit slow to
learn as I caught the same animal 10 times in the same live trap in
one night.
BREEDING
Deer mice kept in captivity have the ability to reproduce all year
long. Gestation is 20 to 23 days, with a litter of 2 to 10, usually
6 or 7 average. the babies are born blind, hairless and helpless. at
a week old they have a coat of fur. The eyes open at 14 days and at
21 days they are weaned and mom may have a new litter. They are
sexually mature at 60 days. Deer may live up to 7 years in
captivity. There are a number of mutations in deer mice. These are
as follows.
MUTATIONS
Albino
A recessive mutation: Albino animals are pure white with pink eyes
and flesh colored ears. Albino deer mice look very much like albino
house mice commonly seen as pets.
Ashy
A recessive mutation: Ashy animals start out appearing normal but
slowly turn almost pure white retaining the black eyes.
Black
A dominant gene: These animals are mostly black with black bellies.
The toes and feet may be white - this may be bred out with selective
breeding as well there may be a white chest spot. This is an allele
of Non agouti and non agouti white bellied.
Blonde
A recessive gene: The Blond gene reduces the pigmentation on the
hairs end this giving the animals a lighter tan cast. The ears lack
pigment and the eye coloration is also reduced.
Brown
A recessive gene: The coat of Brown mice is actually a more
yellowish orange, with the ears, tail and soles of the feet being
brown.
California Blonde
A recessive gene: These mice have a lighter tan coat then the Blonde
deer mice, the ears have no pigment nor does the skin. The eyes are
a dark brown ruby.
Chocolate
This color appeared in my colony recently and as to date I have been
unable to find any references to it. The sole female has had several
litters with the babies all failing to survive past 3 days. It could
be that this is a combination of genes or a new dilution gene. The
sole female is a light milk chocolate color with dark ruby eyes. The
coat color reminds me of a chocolate lab.
Dominant Spot
A dominant gene with a variable expression trait: These animals have
radium patches of white on the body and no two animals are exactly
alike. This gene can be combined with any of the other color
mutations.
Golden Nugget
I am still looking for a description of these.
Gray
A recessive mutation: The gray gene produces animals with a grayish
peppery coat. This effect is not achieved until after the first
adult molt and the effect increases with age. This gene can be found
in isolated wild populations.
Ivory
A recessive gene: As the name would apply these animals are of a
very light grayish white color, with animals becoming lighter with
age. The eyes are ruby, ears are flashed colored.
Pink-Eyed Dilution
A recessive gene: The effects of this gene are to lighten the coat
color to a pale yellowy buff color, the eyes are pink to ruby, ears
are flash colored.
Silver
A recessive mutation: The under coat of these animals is greatly
diluted, this the animals have an almost white appearance.
Tan Streak
A recessive gene: As the name implies animals with this gene have a
tan streak running down the back with the rest of the coat being
white much like the hooded rats.
Variable White
A simi-domimant lethal gene with a variable expression trait:
Animals with this trait can be anywhere from almost normal to pure
white with black eyes, with animals halfway being seen most often.
Resembling the Platinum gene in Campbells Dwarf hamster.
White-Belly Non Agouti
A dominant gene: Mice with this coat are predominantly black in
color with a white belly. This is an allele of Wide band agouti and
Black or non-agouti
Wide band Agouti
Dominant gene: Mice with this gene have a yellower coat color than
wild type. This gene is an allele of the White-bellies non agouti
and black or non-agouti, and resembles the yellowish in color.
Yellowish
A recessive gene: The coat color of yellowing Mice ranges in color
from a clay to a bright orange. Eyes and ears remain the normal dark
color.
Hairless
There are two reported Hairless mutations in Deer Mice, Both are
recessive genes and both work in the same fashion. The hairless
mutation has occurred twice: once in 1924 and again in 1962 in two
different stock lines. Hairless animals are devoid of all hair on
the body, however one type has whiskers while the other type either
lacks the whiskers or has very short curly whiskers.
by Michael Emerson
|
