European Garden Dormouse

Maximum longevity: 5.5 years (captivity) Observations: One captive animal lived to the age of 5.5 years (Richard Weigl 2005).

Young garden dormice are born naked and blind (Burton, 1969). The altricial young open their eyes at three weeks of age (Nowak, 1991).

A variety of animals prey upon dormice. Among these are mustelids, crows, magpies, and foxes. Peak mortality occurs during hibernation, when up to four out of five are captured by burrow predators.

Known Predators:

• magpies (Pica)
• crows (Corvus)
• red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
• rats (Myomorpha)
• stoats (Mustela erminea)
• Eurasian badgers (Melas melas)
• weasels (Mustela)

Eliomys quercinus has a body length of 100 to 175 mm. The tail length is 90 to 135 mm, and the body mass is from 45 to 120 g. Eliomys quercinus has a long, bushy tail. The tails of European dormice have brown, black and white coloration on them. Asian and African specimens have black and white tails. Garden dormice have short fur except for the tail. The fur on the upper surface of dormice may be any color of gray or brown. The underside may show white or cream coloration. There are black markings on the face of garden dormice. This characteristic is used to distinguish this species from other species such as hazel dormice. The black stripe goes from the nose to behind the ear. There are eight mammae on female E. quercinus.

Range mass: 45 to 120 g.

Range length: 190 to 310 mm.

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

The lifespan of E. quercinus can reach five and a half years in captivity. No information is available for species in the wild.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 5.5 years.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 5.5 years.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 5.5 years.

Eliomys quercinus lives in steepe deserts, hollow trees, rock crevices, and human dwellings. Although they are highly arboreal, they are occasionally found in swamplands. The common name "garden dormouse" is misleading because of the variety of habitats in which these rodents are found.

Garden dormice also live near human developments.

They may live in shelters made from birds' nests, rock, or trees.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; chaparral ; forest ; mountains

Wetlands: swamp

Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural

Eliomys quercinus is found throughout Europe to Asia to North Africa. It is also found in Finland. Garden dormice were introduced into Britian by the Romans in the first century, probably for culinary uses.

Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Introduced , Native ); oriental (Native ); ethiopian (Native )

Garden dormice are more carnivorous than any other dormice species, including other small mammals, insects, snails and baby birds. Other foods include fruit, hazel nuts, chestnuts, acorns, pine seeds, bark, and eggs.

Garden dormice have a simple digestive tract, suggesting they do not eat much cellulose.

Garden dormice cache food in burrows.

Animal Foods: birds; mammals; eggs; insects

Plant Foods: seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Foraging Behavior: stores or caches food

Primary Diet: omnivore

Eliomys quercinus may displace birds when they take over the nest site to use it. They may also affect bird populations by eating chicks.

These animals are likely to be important in local food webs, acting both as predators and prey to a variety of other animals, thereby affecting their populations.

Because E. quercinus caches food, it probably plays some role in dispersing seeds.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Eliomys quercinus were used for food in Britain during the Roman Empire, as indicated by archeological evidence.

Positive Impacts: food

Eliomys quercinus is a pest in fruit orchards in Europe.

Negative Impacts: crop pest

Garden dormice have an IUCN status of 'Vulnerable'. E. quercinus is endangered in parts of Europe and Finland due to deforestation in these areas.

US Federal List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened

Eliomys quercinus communicate using vocalizations, including whistles, growls, or snores. They are reported to be very noisy animals.

In addition to vocal communication, it is likely that there are some forms of tactile communication, between mothers and their young, between mates, and possibly within social groups.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Eliomys quercinus is able to regenerate its tail if it is somehow removed. Family Myoxidae, of which E. quercinus is a member, used to be classified as Family Gliridae.

Information on the mating system of these animals is not available.

The polyestrus E. quercinus has a breeding season from May to October in areas of Europe and Morocco. In other parts of Europe the breeding season has peaks in March to May, and in August to October. The first breeding episode of the season begins shortly after emergence from hibernation. Females enter heat every 10 days during the breeding season.

A litter consists of two to eight offspring, which are born after a gestation period of 22 to 28 days. Young E. quercinus are born in a nest which is larger than the sleeping nests typical of this species. There is usually only one litter born to a female each year.

Eliomys quercinus form a vaginal plug after mating.

Breeding interval: A female may breed once or twice annually.

Breeding season: Copulations can occur from May to October, with heats every 10 days.

Range number of offspring: 2 to 8.

Average number of offspring: 4.50.

Range gestation period: 22 to 28 days.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous

Average number of offspring: 5.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 365 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 365 days.

As in all mammals, females care for the young, providing them with milk and shelter until they are independent. Specifics on the parental behavior of this species are lacking, so it is not know whether males interact with their offspring.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)

The garden dormouse, which is thought to be most active at night, is reported to move with agility in trees, but can also often be found on the ground (2). It shelters and sleeps in a wide variety of places, from hollow trees and branches (2), to cracks in stones walls and houses (4). Large numbers of this dormouse may be found living close to each other, sharing both sleeping and feeding sites, and except during the mating season, there is no fighting (2). One of the most carnivorous of dormice, this species feeds on insects, small rodents and young birds, as well as nuts and fruit (2). The proportions of these foods in the diet vary depending on the season; for example, in summer, the garden dormouse eats mainly insects and fruit, while in autumn, the diet consists primarily of fruit. This reduction in protein in the diet helps induce sleep in preparation for hibernation, which, in Europe, usually takes place between October and April (3). Following the dormouse's emergence from hibernation, it will begin to look for a mate. Female garden dormice are known to use whistles to attract a male (3). Shortly before giving birth, the female will build a nest, usually a globular structure made of grass, leaves and moss, and lined with hairs and feathers, situated in a hole in a tree or a crook of a branch (3). The female will mark the area with her scent and defend the nest (3), and after a gestation period of 22 to 28 days, a litter of two to eight young are born (2). The tiny young open their eyes only after 21 days, but are weaned by the age of four weeks (2).

The garden dormouse is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention, meaning that this species is protected, but may be subject to some exploitation if in accordance with certain regulations (5). The garden dormouse is also offered some protection by its occurrence in a number of protected areas (4). However, if this species' future is to be ensured, the reasons why populations in eastern Europe are in decline must be determined, and appropriate conservation measures implemented (4).

Like other dormice, the garden dormouse is an agile rodent, known for its ability to accumulate fat and hibernate for long periods (3). The short fur is shades of grey and brown on the upperparts and creamy or white on the underparts, and the face usually bears black markings. The tail is cinnamon-brown near the body, black towards the end, and has a white, tufty tip (2). The garden dormouse has the remarkable ability to detach its tail from its body, if seized by a predator (3). The short, curved claws and cushion-like covering of each foot makes this species, like other dormice, an adept climber (3), and its relatively large ears and eyes hint at its well-developed sense of hearing and ability to vocalise (3).

The misleadingly-named garden dormouse actually primarily inhabits woodland, from sea level up to an altitude of 2,000 metres (4). Occasionally it can be found in gardens and orchards (4), as well as swamps, cultivated fields and rocky areas (2).

The range of this European dormouse used to extend from Portugal, east to the Ural Mountains in Russia (4). Today, it is found primarily in western Europe, including many islands in the Mediterranean, and only a few scattered populations remain in the east (4).

Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1).

Populations of garden dormice in eastern Europe have declined significantly over the last 30 years, and may now inhabit less than 50 percent of its former range (4). The cause of these declines are not fully understood, but is believed to be due to changes in, and destruction of, suitable habitat (2) (4). Luckily, populations in western Europe appear to be stable, although it has been suggested that competition with the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) threatens populations in some areas, such as Corsica (4). In addition, in some areas of orchards, this fruit-eating rodent is considered a pest (4).

The garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) is a species of dormouse native to Europe.