White-footed Mouse

Description:

A dead mouse I found, looks like a cat or hawk might have gotten it, I felt bad. The White-footed Mouse grows up to eight inches long (with tail). Its fur can be brown, reddish, or grayish. It is white underneath, and sometimes has a dark stripe down its back. The tail is very long, about half the length of the body. These mice have large ears. White-footed Mice are good swimmers and excellent climbers. They often climb shrubs and trees looking for food. Their tails give them good balance. Mice build nests in burrows, stumps, brush piles, buildings, hollow trees, old birds' nests, old squirrels' nests and under logs. Nests are made with grasses, leaves, hair, feathers, milkweed silk, shredded bark, moss, and cloth. White-footed Mice eat a large variety of foods, including nuts, seeds, fruits, and small animals. Some of their diet includes: beetles, caterpillars, coccoons, centipedes, snails, moths, crane flies, grasshoppers, crickets, and other insects. They occasionally eat small mammals or birds.

Habitat:

White-footed mice live in wooded, brushy areas or open areas next to woods, such as marshes. They are active year-round, but mostly come out at night.