African Pygmy Mice Environment

An African Pygmy Mouse cannot have a barred environment since they can easily escape most fine mesh. A good habitat would be a tank of 10-20 gallons since they need a lot of natural enrichment and climbing material to keep them occupied. Minimum tank size is 5.5 gallons for a pair and their environment is best maintained at room temperature and away from drafts or direct sunlight.

Bedding can be pine or aspen shavings, with an addition of a layer of hay for chewing and concealment. Carefresh can also be a good option, since the pieces are a suitable size for the Pygmy Mice to carry around.

They benefit from the addition of thin branches, rocks and pet-safe foilage to make their environment as natural as possible. Care must be taken with commercially bought rodent toys and structures due to their size. They are unable to turn even the smallest available wheel.

Pebbles are also a good addition to allow them to replicate the pebble-stacking behaviour exhibited in the wild.

An important thing to note with African Pygmy Mice is that they can drown in normal sized rodent water bowls. It is important to either purchase a smaller, more shallow dish or to provide a small stack of pebbles or similar to allow them to climb out. African Pygmy Mice do drink a lot of water for their size.

African Pygmy Mice do not have a noticeable odour and generally need cleaning out around once a month, depending on the number of mice you have.