The Palo Duro Mouse's closest relative is the Pinon Mouse, which is found in extreme western Texas and eastern New Mexico. Some Palo Duro Mice have been known to live up to two and a half years in the wild. The Palo Duro Mouse became isolated from the Pinon mouse about 10,000 years ago.
Adults are cinnamon brown on their upper body with white underparts and feet.
Behavior Palo Duro Mice are relatively secretive creatures, emerging from burrows underground or crevices in rocks primarily at night. They are known to eat mainly the seeds of juniper, mesquite and prickly pear cactus. The Palo Duro Mouse is found only in three counties in the world, Randall, Armstrong, and Briscoe Counties. The largest populations are known to exist in Palo Duro Canyon and Caprock Canyon State Parks. Probably of most interest about the Palo Duro Mouse is the habitat which it calls home.