Cheek pouch capacities and loading rates of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus)

Eight deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) were attracted to bait stations in the field and filled their cheek pouches with seeds. Pouch capacity of the deer mice, which have small, internal cheek pouches, was 0.45 +/- 0.11 mL, about 12-27% of that carried by similar-sized heteromyid rodents. Cheek po uches of deer mice, although small, give them the capacity to carry 3-5 tim es more food than unspecialized mice. This presumably increases efficiency of deer mice in exploiting small, particulate food items that are patchily distributed.