Edible Dormouse - Behaviour

Behaviour

Edible dormice are nocturnal, spending the day in nests taken from birds, or located in hollow trees or similar shelter. They are good climbers, and spend most of their time in the trees, although they are relatively poor jumpers. They are not generally social animals, although small groups of closely related adults have occasionally been reported.

Communication is partly by sound, with the animals making various squeaks or snuffling sounds, and partly by scent. Scent glands are present on the feet and at the base of the tail, and are used to mark the ground, especially during periods of sexual activity.

Edible dormice hibernate from roughly October to May, depending on local climatic conditions. They prepare a den in soft soil or hidden in a cave, and rely on fat reserves to survive through the winter. During hibernation, metabolic rate and body temperature fall dramatically, and the animal may cease breathing altogether for periods of up to an hour.

They have adapted well to the presence of man and will now frequently hibernate in insulated attics and even dark shelves in cupboards, particularly if there are soft materials on the shelf to make a nest. They can be regarded as a pest in this situation due to the fire risk from gnawed electrical cables and fouling from their faeces. In recent years they have become resistant to many rodicides.