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.
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
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
Young garden dormice are born naked and blind (Burton, 1969). The altricial young open their eyes at three weeks of age (Nowak, 1991).
Eliomys quercinus is a pest in fruit orchards in Europe.
Negative Impacts: crop pest
Eliomys quercinus were used for food in Britain during the Roman Empire, as indicated by archeological evidence.
Positive Impacts: food
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
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 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 )
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
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 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
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:
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)
