A woodland mouse with large feet
Cotton mice have brown backs, white bellies, and noticeably large hind feet. Their ears are prominent and their tails are usually two-toned. These traits overlap with other deer mice, so location alone isn’t enough for a firm identification. Young animals can appear grayer than adults.
Shelter from ground to tree
They occupy forests, hammocks, swamps, brush, and overgrown edges. Hollow logs and old burrows provide cover, but cotton mice also climb into trees and buildings. They eat seeds, nuts, berries, insects, and other small prey. Flexible feeding helps them use habitats that change through the year.
What records can show
Owls, snakes, and small carnivores hunt these mice, making dense cover valuable. Females can raise several litters when food and weather allow. Observation records cluster where trapping and survey work occur. They show confirmed presence and timing, but they don’t directly measure how many mice live across the broader landscape.
