Cotton Mouse

About the Cotton Mouse

The cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is a species of the genus Peromyscus, a closely related group of New World mice often called "deermice". It is endemic to the woodlands of the Southern United States.

Adults are about 180 mm (7.1 in) long, with a tail around 78 mm (3.1 in), and weigh 34-51 g. Its general appearance is very similar to the white-footed mouse, but the cotton mouse is larger in size and has a longer skull and hind feet. They have dark brown bodies and white feet and bellies.

The common name derives from the observed habit of using raw cotton in building nests. One subspecies, the Chadwick Beach cotton mouse (P. g. restrictus) was last seen in 1938 and is now presumed extinct. Another subspecies, the Key Largo cotton mouse (P. g. allapaticola) is currently on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service list of endangered species.

The cotton mouse occurs in the Southeastern United States in an area roughly bordered by southeastern Virginia, Florida, Texas, and Kentucky. It makes use of a variety of habitats, including hardwood forests, swamps, the margins of cleared... Wikipedia →