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Deer Mouse
Category Rodents
Actual Size: 5 to 8” long including the tail
Characteristics: Gray to reddish-brown with white feet and underbelly.
Habitat: Build nests in trees or beneath logs outdoors; inside, often found in basements or attics.
Habits:
- Usually nest in dark areas outside.
- Referred to as field mice or white-footed mice.
- Transmits the potentially fatal Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
Deer Mice in Florida
Deer mice go by many names, including the field mouse or white-footed mouse. They can be found throughout North America and gravitate towards woodland areas. They occasionally will establish in a desert area but prefer to live outdoors in rural areas. Invading a residential property is rare, but will most likely occur in agricultural areas during the winter. Their biggest danger is their tendency to carry and spread hantavirus. They will feed at dusk and dawn and consume nuts, seeds, berries, and insects.
Deer Mouse Habitat
Deer mice will hide out during the day in the cup-shaped nests that are composed of leaves, stems, and fibrous materials. They are often lined with shredded cloth of feathers and are found in fence posts, tree hollows, old bird and squirrel nests, and underneath rocks and logs. Should they enter a home, they will create nests in areas with low activity, including attics, garages, basements, and crawl spaces. Since deer mice do not hibernate, they may invade a home during winter to find warm shelter. They gravitate towards storage boxes, wall voids, and upholstered furniture.
Deer Mouse Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
Besides the colder months, deer mice reliably nest in quiet, dark, and undisturbed outdoor areas. When the weather gets too cold, they will move to warmer shelters, including homes, garages, sheds, and vehicles. Indoors, they are found in attics or basements. They are known to carry and transmit hantavirus, which is dangerous and potentially fatal. Transmission of this disease usually occurs through contact with a mouse carcass or breathing in air-borne urine droplets.
Contact a licensed rodent control company if you have a deer mouse infestation on your property in Florida.