Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• Edible dormouse
• Squirrel-tailed dormouse
• Seven-sleeper
• Loir gris (French)
• Loir (French)
• Siebenschläfer (German)
• Sciurus glis Linnaeus, 1766; Germany (B142)
• Glis glis (B147)

Alternative species names (the second part of the binomial species names): [Genus] abruttii; [Genus] argenteus; [Genus] avellanus; [Genus] caspicus; [Genus] caspius; [Genus] esculentus; [Genus] giglis; [Genus] insularis; [Genus] intermedius; [Genus] italicus; [Genus] martinoi; [Genus] melonii; [Genus] minutus; [Genus] orientalis; [Genus] persicus; [Genus] petruccii; [Genus] pindicus; [Genus] postus; [Genus] pyrenaicus; [Genus] spoliatus; [Genus] subalpinus; [Genus] tschetshenicus; [Genus] vagneri; [Genus] vulgaris (B141).

Names for new-borns / juveniles

General Appearance

Similar Species

• Much larger than Muscardinus avellanarius - Common Dormouse, with much bushier tail and without any orange colour to coat.
• Much smaller than squirrels Sciurus vulgaris - Red squirrel and Sciurus carolinensis - Grey squirrel.

(B142, B154, D30)

References

Species Author

Major References

• B51, B141, B142, B143, B144, B147, B154, B221
• D30

Husbandry references:
B151

• Wildlife and Countryside Directorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
• The Mammal Society
• Mammals Trust

• --

TAXA Group (where information has been collated for an entire group on a modular basis)

Parent Group

• Dormice (Rodents)

Specific Needs Group referenced in Management Techniques

• Dormice (Rodents)

Husbandry Information

Notes

• Accommodation of Casualty Dormice
• Hand-rearing Dormice
• Catching and Handling of Dormice
• Feeding of Casualty Dormice
• Release of Casualty Dormice

Measurement & Weight

Head

Skull:

Nose: Muzzle short, vibrissae long (B142, D30).

Ears: Reasonably large, rounded, (B142, B147, D30)

• I 1/1 C 0/0, P 1/1 M 3/3.
• Transverse ridges on cheek teeth (premolars and molars); less ridges than in Muscardinus avellanarius - Hazel Dormouse.

(B142)

Legs and Tracks

• Hands and feet have rough pads. Adapted for climbing (B142, B147).
• Hind feet length: 24-34mm (B142).

Tail

• Long (nearly as long as body, although sometimes shorter).
• Uniform grey to grey-brown and bushy. Dorso-ventrally flattened, with median parting on ventral surface.

(B142, B144, B147, D30).

• Length: mean 125mm, maximum 150mm B142; 110-150mm (B147); 4.4-7.6in, 11-19cm (B144); 120-150mm (B154).

Coat / Pelage

• Dorsal: silvery grey to grey-brown, shading from spine (darkest) to flanks (paler).
• Head: dark ring around eyes, dark patch at base of vibrissae.
• Legs: along outer surface, slightly darker stripes.
• Ventral: white or yellowish.
• Tail: Uniform grey-brown.

(B142, B144, B147, D30)

• Individual and seasonal variation.
• Bluish-grey when just moulted.

(B142)

Neonate (New-born) Characteristics

Detailed Anatomy Notes
(Summary information provided for pertinent species-specific data cross-referenced in Wildpro)

Natural Diet

• Fruit, nuts, acorns, seeds, berries and other soft fruit, leaves, buds, bark of fruit and willow trees in particular.
• Insects, carrion, fungi.
• Eggs and nestling birds taken occasionally.
• Drink large quantities of water.

(B142, B144, B147, B154)

Detailed Physiology Notes
(Summary information provided for pertinent species-specific data cross-referenced in Wildpro)

Feeding Behaviour

Parental Behaviour

• Juveniles lick saliva from mouth of mother both before and after leaving nest.
• Family group may include male: in captivity allowed back onto nest when juveniles about 16 days old, assist in cleaning and protecting juveniles.
• Family group begins to break up when juveniles about 6 weeks old.
• Family may remain together through hibernation and even through following year (i.e. non-breeding sub-adults remain with parents).

(B142, B147, B154)

Social Behaviour / Territoriality

• Sociable, in loose groups without a strong hierachy.
• Territorial; marks range with glandular secretions (B147).
• Males aggressive during mating season.
• Home range small, about 100m diameter (B142, B144)
• May move if local food shortage.
• Population density may reach 30 per hectare, more usually 1 per hectare.
• 1-8 animals per nest during hibernation.

(B142, B144, B147, B154)

Sexual Behaviour

• Courtship, with male following female closely while squeaking. Initially driven off, later circular dance, prior to male mounting and biting shoulders of female (B142).

Predation in Wild

• Tawny owl, also stoat, weasel, cats (B142).
• Tawny owl, cat (B154).

Activity Patterns

• Highly arboreal, agile climbers.
• Leaps of 7-10m recorded (B147).

Bibernation:

• Hibernate October to April in Britain, with short spells of activity during winter. Time of emergence weather-dependant (B142).
• Hibernation may start September-November, end May or early June.
• Rewarming takes at least 30 minutes and uses a significant amount of energy.

(B142, B144, B147, B154)

• Nocturnal and crepuscular.
• Daytime usually spent in treehole or nest near trunk.
• Occasionally active in daytime

(B142, B144, B147, B154)

General Habitat Type

• Forest.
• Mixed and deciduous woodland (beech, oak and chestnut), also orchards, gardens.
• Mature high beech forest preferred, also plantations (B154).
• Maquis and scrubland utilised on Mediterranean coast.
• Often enter buildings.

(B51, B142, B144, B147, D30)

Nests / Burrows / Shelters

• Use tree-holes, lined with vegetation such as grass.
• Build nests near tree trunk: enclosed, contructed with leaves.
• May utilise old birds' nests.

Hibernation:

• In nest above or below ground (may be 50-100cm below ground).
• Lined with vegetation.
• In rabbit warrens, fox earths, self-made deep burrows, tree-holes, root cavities, thatch or roof-space of buildings and below floorboards.

(B142, B144, B147, B154)

Distribution and Movement (Migration etc.)

• Europe, northern Asia minor, Caucasus and north-western Iran.
• Europe: Southern and central, from France and northern Spain to River Volga. North as far as Baltic State, south to Crete. Found on many Mediterranean islands (present on Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Crete, Corfu).
• Rarely above 1000m in central Europe, but up to 2000m further south.

(B51, B143, B147)

Britain: Chilterns. Range expanding (B142, B143, B147, D30).

Intraspecific variation

Conservation Status

• Common in southern Europe, but rare in central Europe and probably threatened in northern portion of range. (B143).

• In Britain: locally common introduced population with increasing range and numbers. Pre-breeding population estimate of about 10,000, with 10,000 in England, 0 in Scotland, 0 in Wales. Population estimate of this widely-distributed species was based on a limited amount of data and considered likely to be inaccurate by up to 50% in either direction (B221).

• Berne Convention protection; Appendix III (B142, B143).
• Protection under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: may not be trapped without a licence (B142).
• Illegal to release into the wild under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (B142).
• All dormice are listed on Schedule 6 (Animals which may not be killed or taken by certain methods) of the LUK2 - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of the United Kingdom. (W5.Oct01)
• This species is listed on Schedule 9 - Part 1 (Animals and plants to which Section 14 applies (ie. may not be released into or grown in the wild)) of the LUK2 - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of the United Kingdom. (W5.Oct01)

• Lower Risk - near threatened (B143, B147).

• Habitat destruction. 
• Hunted in some regions for food and fur.

(B147).