European Edible Dormouse: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Small Mammals · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. An edible dormouse normally weighs 120 to 150 g, but just before hibernation it can almost double its weight.
2. Edible dormice gobble lots of beech seeds. One big tree full of seeds near home can give a female enough energy to raise a family.
3. In 1902, some edible dormice escaped from a zoologist's private collection in Tring, England. Today about 10,000 live wild in Britain.
4. For an animal their size, edible dormice live a very long time: some have been reported to reach 12 years in the wild.
5. If a predator grabs its tail, the skin slips off so the dormouse can escape. The wound heals over and grows a fresh tuft of hair.

The quiz

1. What can the dormouse do right before hibernation?

• Lose half its weight
• Change colour
• Nearly double its weight (correct)
• Dig a tunnel

It normally weighs 120 to 150 g, but can almost double that before hibernating.

2. Which tree's seeds can give a female enough energy to raise a family?

• A big beech full of seeds (correct)
• A small pine
• An old willow
• A palm

One big seeding beech near home can provide enough energy for a female to breed.

3. How did edible dormice end up living wild in Britain?

• They swam across
• They escaped from a private collection in 1902 (correct)
• Birds carried them
• They have always lived there

In 1902 some escaped from a private collection in Tring; today about 10,000 live wild in Britain.

4. How long have edible dormice been reported to live in the wild?

• Up to 2 years
• Up to 5 years
• Up to 50 years
• Up to 12 years (correct)

Some have been reported to reach 12 years in the wild, very long for their size.

5. What happens to a lost dormouse tail?

• The wound heals with new hair (correct)
• A new tail grows back
• It is sewn back on
• It turns white

The skin slips off the tail, and the wound heals over with a fresh tuft of hair.

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