Thirty-nine litters of white-footed mice were followed from birth in nest boxes until establishment of home ranges in an isolated, 2-ha woodlot
2006
Scholarcy highlights
- Thirty-nine litters of white-footed mice were followed from birth in nest boxes until establishment of home ranges in an isolated, 2-ha woodlot
- The sex ratio at birth was significantly biased toward males in the spring and females in the fall
- Mothers were significantly heavier in spring than in fall
- 39 of 97 pups were weaned, while in the fall only 8 of 67 were weaned
- After three weeks of age the expectation of further life was more than 9 weeks for spring-born and less than 3 weeks for fall-born mice
- Young left the nest at an average age of 5.6 weeks
- These small dispersal distances, coupled with a near absence of immigration and low spring populations, suggest the possibility of inbreeding
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