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The African Pygmy Dormouse

Housing

I use both glass fish tanks and plastic containers, the most important factor is that the cage is escape proof as these mice are exceptional escape artists like pet mice but with the added advantage of being excellent climbers.

The top should be mesh to allow airflow, but again this needs to be fine mesh to avoid escapes.

A water bottle is best to avoid tipping of water bowls and the usual trick mice have of filling the water bowl with anything and everything they can find in their cage. 

Some form of hide should be provided and I usually put a toilet roll tube or kitchen roll tube as well as a small wood nest box or finch nest box. I have read that hides should have two holes to allow a persecuted animal an escape route but I have not had any losses with the above hides. 

As a base material I use soft wood shavings and hay purchased from a reputable source and sold as suitable for animals.

Room temperature is fine, if you are comfortable, they should be too. 

Hessian ropes, branches and other ‘toys’ for small mammals are fine and add to the overall environmental enrichment of your charges. 

Food

I feed a very varied mix of foodstuffs.

I always feed small seed, cockatiel mix in the main mixed in with a wild bird food mix and a small amount of good quality dried cat food such as science plan Iams or Eukanuba to name a few.

I also feed every day a selection of the following on a rotation basis:

Cooked chicken, even part of the carcass after a roast chicken meal, (as long as there are no onions or other additives), cooked mince, peas, sweetcorn, indeed most other vegetables, and any fruits especially grapes, but with the exception of citrus.

I occasionally feed cooked egg.

I also supply two or three times a week a nectar substitute such as a watered down mix of maple syrup. They also love the common insect live foods such as crickets, mealworms, wax moth larvae, and cockroaches. They seem to really enjoy chasing down a cricket.  

Handling

I have often seen that most people do not recommend handling APD’s, and whilst they are not as handleable as pet mice , I do hold and interact with my dormice.

They are very quick and not adverse to running up your arm rather than the expected escape route away from you, but if you do this from an early age I find they are inquisitive and quite happy to investigate you, but be warned as I have said, they are VERY FAST.

Breeding

APD’s are extremely difficult to sex and the best method is obtain a few animals and let them get on with it .I have not lost any males due to fighting, unlike pet mice that seem intent on mutual destruction if you house together more than one male, however a close watch should be kept and any animal being harassed should be housed separately.

If they are well cared for they will usually breed a couple of times a year producing two or three youngsters, though they seem to take a lot longer to develop and wean compared to pet mice.

Conclusion

Whilst not a typical pet in the way a common mouse is, they are extremely endearing little mammals that are quite long lived, at around 5 years, and can provide a great deal of enjoyment and a challenge in their care and breeding that would make an excellent addition for anyone who is interested in small mammals.