[4] The Latin word glis, which is the origin of the scientific name, is from the Proto-Indo-European root *gl̥h₁éys 'weasel, mouse', related to Sanskrit गिरि girí 'mouse' and Ancient Greek γαλέη galéē 'weasel'.

Its fur is grey to greyish-brown in colour over most of the body, while the underparts and the inner surface of legs are white to pale buff; the line of demarcation is rather well defined.

[6] It is rather more sparsely distributed through central and southeastern Europe, but can be found as far northeast as the upper Volga River, i.e. in the Zhiguli Mountains of western Russia.

[13] A distinct group of dormice ranging from along the coastline of the Caspian Sea from southernmost Azerbaijan east through Iran to Turkmenistan, was formerly classified in G. glis.

Significant divergence has also been noted among other populations of G. glis, probably as a consequence of the Messinian salinity crisis, and more species will probably be split in the future.

They prefer dense forests with rocky cliffs and caves, but may be found in maquis vegetation, orchards, and urban margins.

[5] Beech mast, which is rich in energy and protein, is an excellent source of food for young and lactating females.

A single, large, seeding tree within the home range of a dormouse can produce enough resources to support the energy requirements of reproduction.

[19] Edible dormice are nocturnal, spending the day in nests taken from birds, or located in hollow trees or similar shelter.

They rub their anal region on the ground and places they walk, so traces of the secretion will be left for other dormice,[5] especially during periods of sexual activity.

Edible dormice are active during a six-month period and go into hibernation[15] from roughly October to May, depending on local climatic conditions.

[7] They prepare a den in soft soil or hidden in a cave, and rely on fat reserves to survive through the winter.

During hibernation, metabolic rate and body temperature fall dramatically, and the animal may cease breathing altogether for periods up to an hour.

[27][28] Females reach sexual maturity at 351–380 days old and males significantly lower their body mass during mating season.

[5] Compared with similarly sized mammals, they have an unusually long lifespan, and have been reported to live up to 12 years in the wild.

[30] The breeding habits of the edible dormouse have been cited as a possible cause of its unusual pattern of telomere lengthening with age.

In this situation, they are generally regarded as a pest due to the fire risk from gnawed electrical cables and fouling from their faeces.

This is because the Gliridae family of rodents is protected internationally under the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, to which the United Kingdom is a signatory.

Removing edible dormice from a property may only be carried out by a qualified pest controller licensed by Natural England using live traps.

[42] The dormice were kept and raised either in large pits or (in less spacious urban surroundings) in terra cotta containers, gliraria,[43] similar to contemporary hamster cages.

The dormice were served by either roasting them and dipping them in honey or stuffing them with a mixture of pork, pine nuts, and other flavorings.

The trappers used many different types of bait to entice the dormice, ranging from pieces of fruit to bacon soaked in brandy.