Activity of breeding Peromyscus leucopus

Abstract

Activity of lactating and nonbreeding Peromyscus leucopus was examined under seminatural conditions. Lactating females spent significantly more time away from the nest (307 min/night) than nonbreeding females (173 min/night). Increased time away from the nest was related to an increased duration of each activity bout rather than the number of bouts. Lactating and non-breeding females also showed different responses to meteorological conditions. Time away from the nest by lactating females was not significantly related to litter size or age of litter. The significance of these trends to breeding females and their offspring is discussed.