Growing by the minute

Yes, this photo was taken 3 or 4 days after the first posted photo of this tiny Deer Mouse. This little family has filled a bird nesting box with the fluffy seedheads of the Goldenrod plant, so they should have a warm and cosy nest. This baby was removed briefly by a Naturalist for us to see.

"Breeding starts very late in the winter and young are then born in April. They have many litters each from 2 to 9. On average, the deer mouse has about four litters each year. The gestation period varies from 22 to 27 days, averaging about 24 days. Litter size ranges from one to nine, averaging about four. At birth the young are blind, pink, and hairless and weigh from 1.1 to 2.3 g. The male, while not present at birth, does return to assist in the care of the young. Sexual maturity is reached before the young lose their "blue" juvenile pelage, and females born early in the year may themselves produce young by late summer or early fall.

The deer mouse is omnivorous, and feeds on seeds, plant greens, berries, nuts, mushrooms, insects, and carrion. They will also gnaw on bones or antlers for the calcium.

Deer mice in turn are an important food source for many carnivores, like weasels, foxes, skunks, minks, raccoons, bears, coyotes, and wolves. Owls and snakes are also important predators." From www2.biology.ualberta.ca.