Myths and legends surround dormouse. We invite you to explore its various meanings, from a liturgical commemoration day to the old peasant rule to a droll rodent with impressive talents. Read here what the term dormouse is all about.

Edible dormouse do indeed sleep a lot

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. detect presence in the house
  3. Get rid of dormouse
  4. What are dormouse?
  5. popular beliefs and misconceptions
  6. Dormouse Wanted Poster
  7. Dormouse Day worth knowing
  8. Nocturnal lifestyle
  9. reproduction
  10. long hibernation
  11. Species worth protecting
  12. Keep as a pet?
  13. frequently asked Questions

    14. the essentials in brief

    • Edible dormouse can often be heard at night; they also leave traces of excrement and nibble on cables and insulation
    • A live trap is the best way to dispose of a dormouse in an animal-friendly manner
    • Dormouse Day is June 27th, an important date for farmers, because the weather on that day is decisive for the next seven weeks according to the farmer's rule

    detect presence in the house

    As nocturnal, shy flight animals, dormouse are almost invisible to humans. Nevertheless, the droll fur wearers can become annoying roommates if they make themselves comfortable as uninvited guests in the attic. Along with martens and raccoons, dormouse are among the usual suspects when nocturnal poltergeists rob you of your sleep. You can recognize the presence of edible dormouse in the house by these indicators:

    • loud voice: cackling, whistling, squeaking sounds at night
    • traces of feces: bean-shaped, 1-2 cm long
    • damage: nibbled thermal insulation and cables

    If you want to be sure that there are dormouse and no other animals in your attic, sprinkle some flour on the floor. The footprint reliably reveals the Bilch. The forefootprint is 10-15mm long and 10mm wide. The rear foot leaves tracks 20-35 mm long and 10 mm wide. Forefoot and hindfoot are close together with all toes pointing forward. Circular soles are characteristic, the pads of which produce a drop-shaped imprint.

    Getting rid of furry poltergeists - tips & tricks

    Have you unmasked dormouse as nocturnal troublemakers based on the evidence explained? Then there is the question of how to get rid of the rowdy brothers without harming them. Deadly substances such as rat poison are taboo, because no dormouse should be sentenced to death for making noise at night. The following two methods have proven themselves in practice to remove uninvited dormouse from the house:

    catch and release

    With the help of a live trap, dormouse can be caught alive, admired in the cage and released again far away

    Best time is in April and May. From the beginning of June there is a risk that you will rob young animals from their suckling mother and hand them over to an agonizing starvation. Please use a sufficiently large live trap with minimum dimensions of 10 cm x 10 cm x 25 cm. So that a dormouse doesn't get its long tail caught in the snapping door, make sure there is a small gap of about 6 mm. Fruit, hazelnuts, beechnuts, dried meat or hamster food serve as bait. The tip to use peanut butter as an attractant is circulating as an insider tip.

    Check the trap hourly to minimize the stress of a trapped animal. Transport trap and dormouse to release site at least 10 kilometers away. Choose a region that offers the Bilch good chances of survival, such as the edge of a forest. Nevertheless, the dormice will have a hard time in the new habitat. By nature, dormouse are extremely sedentary and defend their territory with vehemence. If there are already other trees at the location, they will drive the newcomer away again.

    Scare away with home remedies

    Instead of catching unwanted dormouse in the house and handing them over to an uncertain fate far away, responsible animal lovers decide to chase the poltergeists away. The following household remedies have proven themselves to be powerful deterrents because they treat the fine Bilch noses with strong smells:

    • sprinkle pepper
    • Rub the floor with vinegar
    • Set out bowls of essential oils, such as eucalyptus or tea tree oil
    • Soak cloths with carbolineum and distribute (caution: risk of fire)

    Frankincense is traded as a miracle cure for the plague. The premises are smoked with incense for several days in order to unequivocally suggest a move for the dormouse living there. In contrast, all methods that produce noise, music or ultrasonic sounds have proven to be ineffective.

    What are dormouse?

    The meaning of the term dormouse goes well beyond liturgical commemoration and traditional peasant rule. In fact, the term hides a rodent that few people get to see. Edible dormouse is a nocturnal rodent that prefers to live deep in the forest. The furry animal is tiny, with a silhouette reminiscent of squirrels and gray squirrels. The cute goblin from the Bilche family owes its second name 'Sleep Mouse' to a hibernation of more than seven months.

    popular beliefs and misconceptions

    In fact, there is no meaningful connection between dormouse day (memorial day and peasant rule) and dormouse (rodent). However, popular belief cares little that there is no rational correlation between the two terms. The similarity in names was enough to create a bridge between date and animal species, paved with superstitious pseudo-wisdom. Depending on the condition and mood of the residents, the presence of dormouse was interpreted as a good or bad omen.

    Dormouse in the profile

    Once all the myths, legends and misconceptions about the dormouse have been dispelled, a colorful array of exciting facts remains. The following profile summarizes what makes the cute rodents valuable and unique treasures of nature:

    • family: Bilche (Gliridae)
    • kind: dormouse (Glis glis)
    • distribution area: Continental Europe, mainly deciduous forests, parks and gardens
    • coloring: gray above, white below
    • head to tail length: 25 to 30 cm
    • Weight: 80 to 120 g in summer, 100 to 160 g in winter
    • Life expectancy: up to 9 years
    • activity: nocturnal and far from the ground
    • hibernation: mid-September to mid/late May
    • communication: extensive repertoire
    • special feature: skilful climber thanks to secreted soles

    The adaptability of dormouse finds particular expression in the diet. The motto applies: everything that makes you fat also tastes good. This principle makes dormice veritable omnivores with a special soft spot for nuts. As long as acorns, beechnuts and hazelnuts are not available as favorite foods, fruit, carrots, hamster food, dog biscuits, biscuits, sausage, bacon, insects, mealworms and hard-boiled eggs are devoured.

    Edible dormouse live according to the motto 'Try coziness'

    Distinguish between dormice and squirrels

    Like squirrels, dormouse are very good climbers

    At first glance, they look confusingly similar. Only on closer inspection do the differences between dormouse and squirrels become apparent. So that you know in future who you meet in the forest, garden or house, the following table compares important attributes of the two rodents:

    differences dormouse squirrel
    coat color grey-brown, white belly fox red to dark brown, white to cream belly
    size (including tail) 20-30cm 35-45cm
    body length 13-18cm 20-25cm
    tail length 11-15cm 15-20cm
    Weight 80-160g 200-400g
    eyes big, black ball eyes dark brown, light rimmed, slightly oval eyes
    ears plump, almost naked 2-3 cm long brush ears

    The most striking difference between the cute rodents is their rhythm of life. Edible dormouse are nocturnal. The particularly large eyes are not the only way to find your way around in the dark. Whiskers six centimeters long and several hairy bumps on the face, chin and forearms are also helpful. Squirrels, on the other hand, are diurnal all year round. They also have whiskers, but they are less pronounced. These so-called vibrissae are located on the snout, above the eyes, on the legs, belly and at the base of the tail.

    digression

    Great defense strategy

    If a dormouse is in danger, it throws off its tail without further ado. Its enemies seek to grab the animal by the tail when chasing it. As a result, the tail skin is lost. The tail tears off along with the hair at a predetermined breaking point and is pulled off the tail skeleton at lightning speed. Skinless caudal vertebrae remain, which either fall off or are eaten by the affected animal itself. Within a short time, the dormouse grows a new tail.

    Worth knowing about the Seven Dormouse Day

    The term dormouse is known to many people in connection with an old farmer's rule. Accordingly, the weather on Dormouse Day, June 27th, is decisive for the following seven weeks. The date is therefore one of the so-called lost days in the traditional farmer's calendar, which serve as a guide for carrying out important work in agriculture, which also includes St. John's Day on June 24 or the Ice Saints in mid-May. The dormouse day acts primarily as a weather forecast, accompanied by well-known sayings such as "If the sun shines on the dormouse, there will be seven weeks of bliss".

    From a calendar point of view, June 27 is a liturgical day of remembrance for the “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus”. According to legend, seven young Christians took refuge in a mountain cave from the captors of Emperor Decius (249-251). There they were discovered by their pursuers and walled up alive. Protected by God, the Christians did not die, but slept until June 27, 446, when they were accidentally discovered and woke up. The cave of the seven sleepers can still be visited in Ephesus in the Turkish province of Izmir.

    The legend of the saint can be read in a modified version in the Koran. Furthermore, Syriac and Greek versions tell of a similar course of the myth surrounding the Seven Sleepers. An informative article on Wikipedia is dedicated to the cross-religious legend in a clear and detailed way.

    Nocturnal lifestyle

    Edible dormouse are true night owls. The animals sleep through the day in tree cavities, burrows and similar hiding places, such as uninhabited bird nesting boxes or bat houses. When it gets dark, the rodents wake up and go in search of food. As excellent climbers, Bilche prefer to live on trees in large deciduous and mixed forests. Shrinking habitats are forcing the shy fur-bearers to seek human contact more and more frequently. The following places act as dormouse quarters:

    • in the forest: uninhabited woodpecker holes, empty tree holes, preferably in oaks and beeches
    • in the garden: tree hollows in meadow orchards, abandoned birdhouses, quiet niches in garden sheds
    • in the house: in the attic, in the roof, in the roller shutter box

    If the sleeping quarters are near people, dormouse make themselves unpopular as nocturnal poltergeists. Police stations can tell a tale of the number of times terrified residents have called 911 because of suspicious noises. On closer inspection, the supposed burglars turn out to be lively dormouse running around loudly squeaking and rumbling. The following video, which shows a species of English dormouse snoring, gives an idea of the noise level the droll rowdy brothers are capable of:

    youtube

    Reproduction primarily after fattening years

    A month after the end of hibernation, the mating season begins for dormice. Whether it actually reproduces obviously depends on the previous year's food supply of tree fruits. Scientists found that after a lean autumn with few beechnuts, most male dormouse develop little or no reproductive organs. If, on the other hand, hibernation was preceded by a so-called fattening year with plenty of beechnuts, family planning is tackled.

    For a short time, dormouse give up their hermit life and build a nest together as future parents. The preferred nursery is a hollow in a tree that is lovingly lined with feathers, moss, soft leaves and animal hair. After a gestation period of four weeks, four to six young, naked dormouse see the light of day. After just six weeks, the young animals are weaned from mother's milk and eat solid food. Young dormouse achieve their independence after about two months.

    Epic long hibernation

    The dormouse lives up to its name

    In autumn, dormouse tirelessly strive to build up a thick pad of fat. With good reason, because a long hibernation of up to nine months consumes 35 to 50 percent of the fat reserves again. That is more than twice as long as the hibernation of hedgehogs. By mid-September at the latest, bilche burrow 50 to 100 centimeters deep into the ground and adopt a spherical posture. The cave itself is hardly larger than the tired sleeping mice, so that as little heat as possible is lost in winter. Of course, twice your body weight and perfectly fitting winter quarters are not enough to survive the cold season in good health. With this ingenious strategy, a dormouse rounds off the external framework:

    • decrease in body temperature: from about 35 degrees to 3 to 5 degrees Celsius
    • greatly reduced heart rate: from 300 to 5 beats per minute
    • immobility: rigid, motionless posture

    Edible dormouse do not remain in this death-like state continuously. There are brief waking and warming-up phases at irregular intervals so that the cells do not die off in the winter cold. Incidentally, the survivors also use this energy-saving mode in summer when food is scarce and family planning is postponed until next year. In field experiments, scientists observed that male edible dormouse went back to sleep immediately if they were unable to reproduce due to a lack of sex organs.

    tips

    A personal encounter with edible dormouse is a rarity. In order to take a closer look at the unique survival and climbing artists, the German Wildlife Foundation has dedicated an website to the dormouse with pictures worth seeing. You can see all the details of the small rodent in numerous larger-than-life photos.

    Edible dormouse is worth protecting

    Shrinking habitats, extremely long winters, diverse predators, and ruthless superstitious people have caused worrying population declines. In order to draw attention to the many threats, the edible dormouse was named Animal of the Year in Germany in 2004. The Bern Convention takes this fact into account by listing dormouse at least in Appendix III. As a result, capturing, killing, buying or selling bilche, as well as keeping them in cages, is prohibited.

    The Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (NABU) never tires of drawing attention to the risk situation and assigns dormouse to the animal species worthy of protection. In Austria, nature conservation organizations are also aware of the increasing threat situation and advocate placing Bilche under strict protection. In Switzerland, the cute goblins have been subject to nature conservation in most cantons since 2010.

    Edible dormouse are not yet threatened with extinction, so the World Conservation Organization (IUCN) has declared the animal species as not endangered. It is due to the prudent handling of nature in general and dormouse in particular that it stays that way.

    Keeping dormouse as a pet - is that possible?

    Their cute appearance is tempting to keep dormouse as pets. Of course, this is a difficult undertaking that often ends in bitter disappointment for both humans and animals. Individually kept dormouse suffer extremely from loneliness and develop stereotypes, such as licking wounds or desperately tearing out their fur.Edible dormouse living in the house and apartment usually do not hibernate, which shortens their life expectancy considerably.

    Raising baby dormouse to keep them as pets is a particular challenge. Feeding them is just as delicate and risky as it is with babies. If just one drop of rearing milk gets into the mouth, it can lead to pneumonia or even death by suffocation. If the food is not massaged into the abdomen, the animal cannot defecate or urinate and dies in agony.

    Once young dormouse have survived the baby phase healthy and eat solid food, the magic in the booth begins. Already at the age of a few weeks, the tots are very active climbers and ingenious escapers. The bullies easily find an escape route from every dwelling and scurry through the apartment at night. When their proud owner wants to enjoy the lively hustle and bustle during the day, the night owls sleep soundly. This excludes the development of an intimate relationship, as is common practice with dogs, cats or budgies as pets.

    Temporary keeping as a pet - this is how it works

    Keeping a dormouse as a pet for a short time can be life-saving. This applies to weakened, homeless animals that are found in the garden or forest and can eat independently. The needy dormice is cared for in the house with the aim of releasing it back into the wild as soon as possible. How to do it:

    • abode: a spacious cage or large terrarium
    • Hide and play opportunities: pipe, hamster wheel, hanging rope, ladder
    • food: Fruit, nuts, muesli, hamster food, beechnuts and a bowl of water
    • dental care: small branches, twigs or nag sticks

    Edible dormouse found in late summer should not be released before winter. The experts at NABU recommend keeping affected bilchees indoors until spring and only then releasing them into the wild. An unheated, quiet stairwell, a cool basement or simply the space between double windows are suitable as winter quarters. The sleeping place should be dry with temperatures between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius. Provide a small supply of food with a water point, which you check and fill up regularly.

    tips

    Many lost baby dormouse are retrieved from their mother. If you have found a young dormouse in the forest or garden, a possible return to the family is the top priority. Only injured, severely weakened or cold young animals are abandoned by the mother. Feel free to hold the foundling in your gloved hand, warm it up and check for injuries. For further action, get advice by phone from the wildlife emergency call center or veterinarian.

    background

    Bobo dormouse - ambassador for a better world

    The legendary children's book author Markus Osterwalder created a title character that is popular all over the world with 'Bobo Sieben Dormouse'. Bobo lets his little, two to four-year-old readers participate in many small adventures that he experiences in his everyday life. Wikipedia clearly lists the picture books that have been published since 1984. With the latest collection of stories from spring 2022 entitled 'Off outside', Bodo lures little couch potatoes into the fresh air. The little ones can experience successful WDR book film adaptations on YouTube and immerse themselves in an ideal, secure world.

    frequently asked Questions

    How old do dormouse get?

    Edible dormouse can live up to 9 years. This is astounding given their small size and diverse threats. The ingenious survival strategy in the form of hibernation lasting up to nine months undoubtedly has a significant influence on the biblical age for small animals. Safe in their cave, which is up to 1 meter deep, predators such as martens, cats, weasels and owls are left behind.

    How long do dormouse really sleep?

    The length of hibernation is flexible and depends on the external conditions. As a rule, bilche sleep through the cold season from mid-September to mid/end of May. After a particularly harsh winter, sleep mice sometimes don't wake up until June. If their winter quarters are in a house or apartment, the higher temperatures shorten their hibernation by several weeks.

    What do dormouse eat?

    Edible dormouse adapt their diet flexibly to the season. In spring and summer, the diet consists mainly of plant-based food such as mushrooms, buds, seeds or fruits. Occasionally bring protein-rich morsels for variety, such as insects or bird eggs. In autumn, dormouse eat up the vital fat reserves for the long hibernation with their favorite food in the form of acorns, hazelnuts and beechnuts.

    How do you catch dormouse?

    The live trap is the best way to catch a dormouse. Various wire trap models are available in specialist shops, which you only need to equip with a suitable bait. Pieces of apple have proven themselves in practice, as the experts at NABU reveal. It is important to note that the trapping flap will not close fully and will injure the sensitive tail.

    Are bilches dangerous?

    Dormice do not pose any serious threat to humans or pets, either in the form of communicable diseases, rabies, or parasites. Nevertheless, the defensive rodents can cause painful bite injuries with their razor-sharp teeth. In order to pick up an injured or distressed bird, please put on gloves or cover the sleeping mouse with a towel.

    tips

    A colorful array of other, surprising meanings is closely related to the term dormouse. You can purchase a modern bed as a brand name Moormann-Siebenschlafer. In Braunschweig, the brasserie and cocktail bar Siebenschlafer invites you to refreshing drinks. If the term dormouse with 5 letters gives you a headache in the next crossword, try Bilch.

Category:

Animals in the garden