The cotton deermouse is one of the larger members of its genus in the United States. It is native to the southeastern region and forages at night on fruits, seeds, and insects.
Its back is dark brown, with longer, darker hairs down the middle. The feet and underside are white, and the tail has sparse hair.
It forages mainly at night and eats whatever food is available, including fruits, seeds, nuts, and insects. Studies summarized by ADW found that animal matter can make up as much as about half of the diet.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.