The 15 species of coarse-haired pocket mice (genus Chaetodipus) are larger on average, weighing 15 to 47 grams and having a body length of 8 to 13 cm and hairy, tufted tails as long as or much longer than the body (up to 15 cm). Silky pocket mice have soft fur ranging from yellowish to gray on the upperparts and white to buff on the underparts soles of the hind feet are furry, but in all other pocket mice the soles are hairless.
The nine species of silky pocket mice (genus Perognathus) are very small, weighing from 5 to 30 grams (0.2 to 1.1 ounces) and having a body length of 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 inches) and hairy tails 5 to 10 cm long. There are 35 species in North America according to Encyclopedia Britannica, which they describe as follows: (Is this classification taxonomic nitpicking?) ASDM says “Despite their names, they are neither rats nor mice and in spite of their mouse-like appearance, they are not closely related to any other species of North American rodent.” But pocket mice are in the same family as Kangaroo rats which are also able to live on moisture derived from dry seeds. Pocket mice are in the family Heteromyidae. They carry the seeds in cheek pouches and cache them in their dens. During the night, they forage for seeds, eating mainly mesquite beans and the seeds of grass, creosote bushes, and other plants. Pocket mice are almost entirely nocturnal. These animals are solitary and defend small territories, often fighting when they encounter each other.” When temperatures become extreme, some pocket mice go into a torpor, or estivate. The kidneys of these rodents concentrate the urine to a viscous consistency, reducing water loss. The entrance hole is usually plugged to keep the moisture from escaping to the dry air above. They are able to live on the small amount of water produced from metabolizing carbohydrates.Īccording to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM): “They spend the days underground in the burrow, where in summer the humidity is higher and the temperature lower than above ground.
They seldom drink water and can exist entirely on a diet of dry seeds. Pocket mice are well-adapted to desert living.
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