Spiny mice is a collective term used for mice within Acomys. Spiny mice in the pet trade include the Arabian Spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus dimediatus) and the more commonly available Egyptian spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus cahirinus) to which this page will refer to.
Spiny mice have a lifespan of 3-5 years. They are naturally omnivorous so need a combination of seeds, fruits, vegetables and insects. Protein is an important aspect for their diet and a lack of this can lead to tail-chewing.
Spiny mice would naturally live in the deserts of Africa, Asia and the southern parts of Europe. and so in captivity it is important to keep them at higher temperatures - around 27℃(81°F). They are excellent chewers so are best kept in a glass tank providing you have made a secure, well ventilated lid. Their environment should include nests, items to chew and tubes and tunnels.
Egyptian Spiny Mice
The Egyptian spiny mouse is light grey in coloration with light patches underneath their eyes and behind their ears, it is sometimes also referred to as the Cairo spiny mouse. They measure around 5-7 inches and can weigh between 30-70g.
Egyptian Spiny mice look similar to fancy mice with longer nose and bigger ears. Their coats that have very stiff guard hairs, similar to the spines of a hedgehog which is where the name comes Spiny mouse is derived from.
Spiny mice are very social, and should be kept with company of the same gender; introductions with unrelated animals can be difficult so this is best as littermates unless breeding. Introducing young animals who are both around 6 weeks is the easiest, and like mongolian gerbils a 6 week old male can be accepted by an adult. Adult females however may be more difficult to introduce new rodents to.
Spiny mice can be prone to obesity, which may incur diabetes, so it is vital to give plenty of exercise opportunities and ample room for running as well as maintaining a well banced diet.
Spiny mice become sexually mature at 3-4 months and can have 3-4 litters per year. Pups are well developed at birth with thin fur and open eyes within a few days of birth. This could be due to the long gestation period of 36-42 days; litter size are 1-5 young. The nipples on a female spiny mouse are quite prominent and can sometimes be seen as rows of dots from a few days old. They wean at 4 weeks and can go to new homes at around 6 weeks.