African Pygmy Dormice Diet
African Pygmy Dormice have a very varied diet and they need a range of foods available to them all the time. They cannot digest vegetable matter as they lack a cecum. Remember to place food somewhere high up where it less likely to be fouled and change the dishes frequently. Although they get a lot of moisture from their fresh fruit you must supply a source of water which will need changing twice a day if in a dish or bowl.
Water
Although African Pygmy Dormice get plenty from their fruit, water should always be available. A small ceramic dish can be used although some keepers report that dormice are happy using bottles. Check with your breeder what your animals are used to before supplying.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit should be supplied most days. Citrus fruits are not approved of, but the following are: apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, mango, melon, papaya, pear, persimmon, physalis, sharon fruit, tomato. Dried fruit is often ignored so is fresh fruit is best.
Nectar
I use Maple Syrup which is a vital nectar substitute, supplying plenty of amino acids and proteins. A wild African Pygmy Dormouse diet would not only include nectar and pollen but also saps and other sweet gums so Maple Syrup provides a cheap easy available alternative to keep a Dormouse diet as natural as possible. Maple Syrup can be provided in a shallow dish or lid ideally placed high and be warned if this spills on wood it is tricky to clean. You can offer this diluted through your water bottle or poured across their normal food. Another option is Red Nectar or bee pollen.
Protein
Again this must be constantly available, especially if you have a breeding pair or colony. Examples from the fridge include items such as Cheese, boiled or scrambled eggs, small amounts of boiled chicken, salmon, tuna (in spring water preferred), crayfish or prawns. You can also try a high protein dry cat food.
Insect Food
Insect Food should be a staple part of an African Pygmy Dormouse diet. Bogena Universal insect food/insectivore mix is a good base mix as this provides natural proteins and fats from insect sources these animals would eat in the wild.
Live insects are a good source of natural enrichment. You can buy cricket feeders and deep dishes for providing live mealworms. Crickets in particular provide good enrichment and exercise for African Pygmy Dormice as well as being very entertaining to watch. Locusts, waxworms and woodlice can also be given.
Egg Food
Egg food is particularly important for the girls if you are breeding. I've also found my alpha male enjoys this. It is a source of calcium and is purchasable at most bird specialists or your local pet shop.
Seed mix
Your Dormice need a basic seed mix that can comprise of items such as hemp, millet, linseed, macademias, maize, nygerseed, pinhead oatmeal, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, rolled oats, safflower, sunflower seeds together with a basic finch/parrot seed base. Fennel seed can be added to reduce the smell of urine and Millet sprays can be hung from your enclosure and bought in most pet shops. Since African Pygmy Dormouse cannot digest plant cellulose, the material of plant cell walls, fibre such as wood, plant leaves and stalks they will ignore the majority of a hamster or mouse mix.
Treats
Such as mealworms, monkey nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are always popular. Honey soaked seed bars suitable for parakeets and parrots and cuttle bones are also a good idea.
Overview of African Pygmy Dormice
African Pygmy Dormice or Graphiurus Murinus measure around 15cm including tail and as their large eyes suggest are nocturnal. An African Pygmy Dormouse is most active at dusk and dawn which can mean their owners see them only rarely. They are only semi-sociable; although there are beginning to be some hand-tame pet African Pygmy Dormice, this should not be considered a guarantee. Most African Pygmy Dormice will remain wild and due to their speed and agility, handling an African Pygmy Dormouse can only be done with great care.
African Pygmy Dormice as pets have complicated care needs, they need large enclosures, a varied diet and are very fast and agile. and are not recommended for beginners.
African Pygmy Dormice are also known as Microsquirrels, African Dwarf Dormice, Woodland Dormouse, and sometimes Egyptian dormouse. African Pygmy Dormice belong to the family Gliridae and are closely related to rats and mice. Unlike true mice, an African Pygmy Dormouse has fur on the insides of their ears and on their bushy tails which may be due to the need to conserve heat during hibernation.
African Pygmy Dormice have a body length of roughly 9cm and another 7cm for their tail and are incredibly quick and agile. An African Pygmy Dormouse has an average lifespan of 4-6 years. They are very active animals that you will see mostly later at night. They make a variety of twittering and bird-like sounds, examples of which can be found on our behaviour page.
An African Pygmy Dormouse shouldn't be be kept alone as they are colony animals, although like many rodents territory disputes can happen. African Pygmy Dormice kept alone, or only in pairs, may be shyer and less active than a larger colony.
Your African Pygmy Dormouse vivarium must be arboreal and very large. It needs to be kept at a minimum of 21°C to prevent them entering a state of torpor. They are extremely active and need plenty of climbing material, natural enrichment such as branches and logs should be provided. An African Pygmy Dormouse vivarium should have as many nests as there are animals in the habitat, see our section on environment for more details.
African Pygmy Dormice are exotic rodents that are relatively new to the pet trade so can have a high price tag. The best place to start is to ask on exotics forums as a good private breeder is likely to have more knowledge than your average pet shop, and you do not run the risk of supporting rodent farms.
African Pygmy Dormice need a varied diet including the provision made for nectar since a wild African Pygmy Dormouse diet would not only include nectar and pollen but also saps and other sweet gums. Live food such as cricket can also be introduced and provide vital natural enrichment.