Dendromus melanotis
gray climbing mouse

Dendromus melanotis is found in sub-Saharan Africa, having the most extensive range of any of the four species in the Genus Dendromus (Kingdon 1989). Specifically grey climbing mice are found in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Southern Zimbabwe, Western Mozambique, and the North Eastern corner of Nambia (Stuart 1999). It is believed that D. melanotis is expanding its range (Kingdon 1989).

Dendromus melanotis lives in grasses and shrubs which characterizes the savanna composing the majority of its range (Kingdon 1990). Grey climbing mice are mostly found in grass-brush biotypes (Dieterlen 1990). A study of small mammals in South Africa demonstrated that D. melanotis can be found in coastal lowlands, lowveld, moist upland, highland, and montane areas (Avery 1997). In a 1971 study Dieterlen found that, of the 87 grey climbing mice trapped, 14 were found in dry-grass savanna, 34 in mixed biotypes, and 39 in moist habitats.

Dendromus melanotis has a body length ranging from 6-9 cm and a tail length of 7.5-13 cm. The pelage is ash-grey with a dark dorsal stripe, and white or off-white underparts. Grey climbing mice have a long, prehensile tail, three digits per hand, unusually large eyes, and females have eight mammae. (Stuart 1999; Dieterlen 1990; Kingdon 1989).

The gestation period for D. melanotis is 23-27 days. Litters of five to eight young are born in the summer (Stuart 1999). Grey climbing mice are born without hair and undeveloped, weighing about 1 gram. The eyes open 20-24 days after parturition. It then takes another 4-5 weeks for the young to be weaned. It is unknown at what age grey climbing mice reach sexual maturity. Dendromus melanotis has a life span of 3-4 years in captivity, but it is not presently known if this is representative of its life span in the wild (Dieterlen 1990).

Grey climbing mice are nocturnal and good climbers. Their prehensile tails and specially adapted toes make them well adapted to climbing slender grass stalks. Grey climbing mice build small ball-shaped nests of grass no more than one meter above the ground (Stuart 1999). These nests are unlined and approximately three inches in diameter. A single individual occupies each nest and enters through a hole in the side (Roosevelt 1915). Grey climbing mice have also been found in abandoned weaver-bird and sunbird nests (Nowak 1999). If frightened while in their nests grey climbing mice leave, only to return shortly after the disturbance ends (Roosevelt 1915). Dendromus melanotis is also known to dig burrows, which are about 30-60 mm deep. These burrows have an open entrance tunnel and an exit hole opposite the entrance tunnel (Nowak 1999). It is believed that grey climbing mice dig burrows to avoid annual fires that occur in the habitat they reside in (Kingdon 1990).

Grey climbing mice are granivorous and insectivorous. Of seven stomachs examined by Dieterlen (1971), three contained a mixture of starchy and fatty seeds, one contained a mixture of seeds and insects, and two contained small beetles. In another study it was found that 100% of the stomachs examined contained seeds and 24% contained Arthropods (Rowe-Rowe 1986).

No documented examples.

No documented examples.