Artificial Nest Cavities Designed for use by Small Mammals

Abstract

Abstract Forty artificial nest cavities, composed of 7.6-cm plastic tubing (20 PVC white and 20 ABS black), were established in a riparian hardwood forest habitat located in the Georgia Piedmont. Nest cavities situated on wooden L-shaped platforms were secured on Quercus nigra (Water Oak) and Q. alba (White Oak) tree trunks 1.5 m from the ground. Peromyscus leucopus (White-footed Mouse) and Ochrotomys nuttalli (Golden Mouse) used these artificial nest cavities during autumn, winter, and spring. White-footed Mice (36 M, 38 F, 7 J) used the black tubes to a significantly greater extent than the white tubes 02 M, 10 F, 0 J) (χ2= 33.8, df = 1, P ≤ 0.01). In contrast, Golden Mice inhabited the black tubes (3 M, 5 F, 6 J) to the same extent as the white tubes (6 M, 7 F, 0 J) (χ2 = 0.04, df = 1, P > 0.25). Black tube cavities were warmer (2.5 °C) than white tubes during the winter breeding season, which may partially explain why White-footed Mice, a less social species than Golden Mice, used these artificial nes...