What kind of animal is the dormouse? Sonya is an animal with an unusual way of life
The origin of the dormouse, known species and their characteristics, tips on keeping and feeding a rodent at home, the correct purchase of a dormouse and the price.
It is a pleasure to keep such a pet; it is easily tamed and even goes into your arms. Having brought such a pet into your home, you can be sure that it will never make you bored or sad. With her activity and perky disposition, Sonya is sometimes simply infectious, and looking at this little “engine” you want to live and work.
But before you run to a pet store in a neighboring area in search of such a furry friend, it’s better to get to know him better, because after all, he comes from the wild and is not very used to home conditions.
The origin of the dormouse and its native habitats
Dormouse is a cute, tiny living creature that is a representative of the large animal kingdom. In the process of studying these tailed animals, scientists classified them into the class mammals, the order rodents and the family dormouse.
The natural distribution area is quite wide and depends on the specific type of dormouse, but if you have such a desire to visit this rodent, then you won’t have to travel far; these animals are found almost throughout Europe and Asia.
Description of dormouse varieties and their characteristic features
According to some scientific sources, there are approximately 25–30 species of the most diverse representatives of the dormouse family in the world, including several varieties that, unfortunately, did not survive into our modern era. We present to your attention several species that live near us and that are best suited as pets.
Forest Dormouse
This native of the genus of forest dormouse of the same name lives in Europe and, as far as is known, settles near oak plantations. But in Transcaucasia and Asia, this animal is associated with a wide variety of trees and shrubs. It is possible to see the miniature rodent throughout the Balkan Peninsula, in Greece, on the lands of the Apennine Peninsula, where this animal lives mainly in the Calabrian Mountains. As for the Eastern part of the European continent, such a small animal is found almost everywhere there; it bypassed only the northern part of Poland and the Ukrainian lands, near the Black Sea. Large populations of dormouse inhabit the lands of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Turkmenistan and many other countries of Asia Minor.
On the territory of Russia, this forest rodent lives in the Tver region and in the western part of the Kirov region. In the lands of the Caucasus, these animals are distributed almost everywhere.
For their comfortable living, small mammals prefer deciduous forests with fairly dense undergrowth; occasionally they can settle in mixed forests, dense gardens and in areas rich in bushes. For her personal living space, forest dormouse choose hollows made in advance by other forest inhabitants, abandoned bird nests, and if she has time and inspiration, sometimes she can construct a nest for herself with her little paws.
These tiny animals almost never have problems with food; they can be content with both plant-based food and live food. The forest dormouse likes to eat fruits and seeds of plants, for example, acorns, various nuts, apple seeds and even juicy fruits, if they are lucky enough to get them. As for products of animal origin, they happily and with great pleasure eat various insects; in difficult times they can afford to eat bird eggs and even small chicks without remorse.
If we talk about the appearance of this animal, then it is a rather small animal. The length of its miniature body reaches approximately 10–12 cm, the tail process grows to 9–10 cm, and body weight varies from 30 to 45 grams.
The forest dormouse, of course, is not a chameleon at all, but its color tends to change, depending on the territories in which the animal lives. Most often, the coat of these mammals is presented in grayish tones. But in some areas, dormouse can be painted in slightly brownish colors; there are locations where animals of yellowish-gray shades live, and on their bodies you can easily notice the border between the color of the upper part of the body and the lower part. If this forest animal settles in mountainous areas, then usually their fur is decorated with a white-gray color scheme.
The tail process is usually very fluffy, its color is most often represented by dark shades of gray. The dormouse's tail has a very good blood supply, for this reason, if the animal gets into some kind of unpleasant situation, the hair on the tail rises strongly, and blood flows into the tail vascular network, then you can see how gradually this part of the dormouse's body changes and becomes reddish.
On the cute face of the animal there is a dark stripe, which is located from the nose to the auditory organs. These animals have very well developed whiskers and, moreover, they are quite long, their length is approximately equal to the total body length.
Sonya the Regiment
This representative of the world fauna differs from all its relatives in its dimensions - it is the largest dormouse. The body of an adult animal grows in length from 15 to 20 cm, their body weight ranges from 150 to 200 grams. The length of the tail is approximately 10–13 cm. If you do not look very closely at this fluffy one, you can suspect him of being closely related to squirrels and indeed they are somewhat similar to each other. Only the ears of the small regiments are devoid of peculiar tassels.
The body of this mammal is wrapped in a fairly thick, lush layer of fur, but the fur is relatively short. Compared to its forest relative, the color of this animal is always the same and is not affected by either geographical or climatic conditions. Usually the dormouse is painted in grayish-brown shades with a slight smoky tint. The abdominal area is usually lighter than the dorsal area and is traditionally colored in white-yellowish tones. On the cute face of this living creature, its “natural accessories” immediately catch the eye in the form of dark rings around the eyes, which are somewhat reminiscent of sunglasses, but in some representatives of their genus they are hardly noticeable.
This medium-sized rodent was first described in Great Britain, although its natural distribution area is quite extensive and extends far beyond Asia. These fluffy-tailed eccentrics can be seen while traveling in France, Italy, Spain and even in coastal Mediterranean areas.
Due to the fact that by nature these beautiful animals are strict vegetarians, they choose for their residence wooded areas where a large number of fruit trees grow, they cannot eat acorns and nuts all their lives, they do not mind eating some juicy fruit. Shelves can settle near agricultural properties, such as vineyards or orchards. The animal does not eat that much, so it will not cause significant damage to the harvest, and it will remain full and satisfied. He really loves apples, pears, dogwoods, plums, cherries and even raspberries and blackberries. Before eating, the animal must first make sure that its food is ripe; it will never eat if its dinner is not ripe enough.
The period of activity for these fluffies falls at night; with the onset of twilight, these nimble little animals come out of their small cozy houses and begin searching for a variety of goodies. They spend most of their time in trees; they rarely walk on land. But they are not active for long, since already from mid-September they begin to go into winter sleep. A very interesting fact is that mature males are the first to leave for winter rest, and then in order of seniority.
For wintering, pods usually dig deep holes, which reach approximately 180–200 cm in length. But if they have no desire to engage in construction, and there are human settlements nearby, then these cunning creatures can winter in the haylofts and even under the attics of houses. They never make reserves for the winter, for this reason, during cold weather, a large number of animals die, which did not have time to properly fatten up over the summer, because if their sleep is disturbed, they immediately wake up, and they have nothing to eat in the winter.
garden dormouse
This is a medium-sized rodent, its muzzle is slightly pointed, and its large ears are round in shape and noticeably narrow at the base. The tail process is also remarkable - it is covered throughout its entire length with fairly thick fur, and ends with a wide fluffy tassel. The dorsal part of the garden dormouse's body is colored gray-brown, but the neck, abdomen, chest, limbs and ears are usually white. Several stripes are drawn from the visual organs to the ears, which are painted in dark shades.
On the territory of Russia, this mammal is widespread not only in dense wooded areas, but also in various forest edges, in orchards and even city recreation parks.
By its nature, it is an omnivore, it can satisfy a hunger attack with a variety of seeds, nuts, and fruits, but its favorite dishes are animal products, for example, dung beetles, beetles, click beetles and other insects. With pleasure, this furry sly creature also absorbs small defenseless chicks.
If they are very lucky in life and people live near their place of residence, then garden dormice can sneak into their premises. Of course, they don’t climb onto the bed and don’t turn on the TV, but they can afford to treat themselves lightly to various foods. Bread, milk, sour cream are some of the most favorite delicacies of little thieves.
These cunning representatives of the dormouse family are not at all afraid of dying during the fierce winter cold, since they are the most gluttonous among all their relatives, so their fat reserves are quite sufficient for the entire winter period; some individuals even practically do not lose weight during hibernation.
Spectacled, South African Dormouse
This species is distributed far beyond the borders of our homeland; they mainly inhabit rocky locations located in the western part of the hot African continent.
The African dormouse is a small animal, the length of its miniature body does not exceed 15 cm, weight approximately 25–45 grams. The fur of this eccentric from Africa is very pleasant in texture, soft, and colored in smoky-grayish shades. The projection of the tummy of this mammal is painted white, occasionally with a slight ashy tint. In some individuals, against this background, it is possible to notice a certain pattern formed by small specks of a brownish-reddish color. The same patterns can be on the animal’s face.
Unlike their domestic relatives, this African rodent does not tolerate loneliness at all; for this reason, in the wild they usually live in fairly large social groups.
When bringing a pet like a dormouse into your home, first of all you need to take care of his personal roof over his head. A nickel-plated cage is perfect as a house for such a comrade; it is desirable that it be quite spacious. As for the living space, these cute animals do not make any special demands; they feel great even in modest conditions, but the larger their personal apartment, the more active your pupil will be. And since movement is life, physical activity will not only lift your furry friend’s mood, but also improve his health.
At first, you may experience some inconvenience associated with the nocturnal activity of this rodent. To avoid lack of sleep, it is best to move the cage with the dormouse at night to the place furthest from the bedroom. If you pay enough attention to your friend, he will easily change his usual schedule for you. And if you also pamper him with goodies throughout the day, you can be sure that your rest will not be disturbed by a well-fed and happy pet.
Usually, dormice quickly get used to people and, some time after they start living together, they happily make contact with their owners, especially if they have prepared something tasty for them.
In the animal’s house it is necessary to place a feeding trough, a container with drinking water, and also make a place for rest, preferably in the form of a shelter. This little tenant also sometimes wants privacy.
Cleaning his home must be done regularly, not only to avoid unpleasant odors, but also to prevent various diseases of your friend.
If you stay at work for a long time, think about your furry friend, he will be bored, if you cannot allow this, then make sure that your pet has something to do in his free time. For entertainment, you can install a running wheel in the cage; believe me, your sleepyhead will race like mad in it. In addition, it is advisable to build a place intended for climbing from various branches and trunks. It is recommended to put some straw or dry leaves on the animal, in case it has a desire to build itself a place to sleep with its own paws.
One of the oldest rodents is the dormouse - an animal that has much in common with squirrels and mice at the same time. The features of its structure depend on the lifestyle and habitat. Life expectancy in nature ranges from 2 to 6 years.
Appearance
Sonya are small in size. Their body is slightly elongated, and round shiny eyes stand out on a narrow head with a pointed muzzle. The ears are quite large, bare, with rounded tips.
On the dormouse's face there are very sensitive long whiskers - vibrissae. Their length is about 20 to 40 percent of the entire body length. Each antennae can move due to contraction of the subcutaneous muscles. This is a peculiar way with which the animal probes the space around it. The limbs are thin and short, with four toes on the front legs and five on the hind legs. The animal's thick and very soft fur is short and uniform throughout the body.
Habitats
Dormouse is an animal that prefers to live most often in trees, in hollows, sometimes in earthen burrows, often dug under the roots of trees, under stones and in rock crevices. These animals live mainly in forests, gardens and groves.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Most representatives of this family sleep during daylight hours, and only at dusk do they emerge from their shelters. Thanks to this feature they got their name. With the onset of cold weather, dormice fall into torpor and can spend the entire winter in this state. During this period, their body temperature drops and their metabolism slows down. Some animals wake up during the thaw period, eating their stored food during a break from sleep. Others do not make reserves and survive the winter due to the fat accumulated over the summer and autumn.
The basis of the diet of these animals consists of plant fruits and various seeds, and less often insects. They also do not refuse eggs and young chicks on occasion. It is interesting to watch how the dormouse eats (a photo of the animal engaged in this process is posted in this article). Holding the food firmly with her front paws, the dormouse brings it to her mouth. These animals may well become tame, but only if caught at a young age. The main thing that is not recommended to do is touch them with your hands. Sony doesn't like this very much.
Types of dormouse
Four genera of these animals live on the territory of European countries - hazel, forest, garden and dormouse. In total, the dormouse family has 9 genera and 28 species. They mainly inhabit the northern part of Africa, Japan, and China. They are also found in Altai and
The hazel dormouse is the cutest of all rodents, and the smallest animal among the representatives of this family. Its body length is 7-8 cm. The animal differs from its relatives in its yellowish-red color. The young hazel dormouse has a particularly bright coat color. The rodent got its name due to its habitat, a prerequisite for which is the presence of dense thickets of hazel, rose hips, viburnum and other shrubs. It is an arboreal species that rarely descends to the ground. Thanks to its tenacious legs, it moves very deftly and quickly along trunks and branches.
The garden dormouse is a larger animal (up to 14 cm), with a very distinctive color. The upper part of the body and abdomen are white. The eyes are surrounded by black rings, giving the muzzle a very smart and expressive look. Although garden dormice mainly live in deciduous forests of mountainous areas, they are often found in coniferous forests, penetrating further north than other representatives of this family. Prefers to settle in gardens, near human habitation.
Dormouse is one of the largest. Its size can sometimes reach 19 cm. The fur of this animal is very thick, the back is dark in color, the sides are lighter, and the belly and inner surface of the legs are silvery-white. The eyes are surrounded by a brown ring. The tail is covered with thick fur and decorated with a white longitudinal stripe at the bottom. Of all the rodents, perhaps the most voracious is this dormouse (see photo of the animal below).
She will eat as long as she is able to do so. Its diet is based on acorns and nuts, but it often exhibits predatory tendencies, when the wolf attacks smaller animals, destroys nests, and eats chicks.
The forest dormouse has much in common with the regiment. She has the same fluffy tail, which fluffs up if the animal gets angry. The gray-brown color of the coat is more reminiscent of a garden dormouse. Only in individuals living in the southern regions is it brighter - the neck is yellow-orange in color and spots of the same color are located on the animal’s cheeks. The body length is 11 cm, the tail is about the same.
Forest dormouse - from lat. Dryomys nitedula is a rodent from the dormouse family, small in size (about 10 cm in length) and light in weight (about 40 grams). The color of the fur is usually gray, but in different habitats there may be different shades. The fur is short, soft and dense. The forest dormouse has a long fluffy tail (tail length - from 50 to 115 mm), which changes its color in case of danger, since it contains a large number of blood vessels. The sharp muzzle and the shape of the ears resemble a squirrel, but without ear tufts and, moreover, the forest dormouse is much smaller in size than a squirrel.
The forest dormouse lives mainly in trees or bushes, but it can also be seen on the ground. The average life expectancy is three years, but in good home conditions the forest dormouse can live for five years. The forest dormouse loves berries and fruits, nuts and acorns, buds and bark of young shoots, tree seeds, insects and sometimes small animals: chicks, mice, voles and their young. Leads a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle and is active in the evening and at night, but at home it can change its mood. In winter, as a rule, the forest dormouse hibernates. Males wake up earlier than females and feed heavily at first, trying to restore winter weight loss. After about a week, the females wake up and prepare to reproduce. Basically, this happens in the spring, once a year, but, depending on the habitat, a second stage in the fall is possible. The gestation period for females takes about a month; childbirth, like other activities, mainly occurs at night.
Below are interesting photos of the forest dormouse:
Interesting facts about the life of the forest dormouse
The forest dormouse is a rather rare animal and therefore most of the species were listed in the Red Book, and some specimens appeared in the living corners of educational institutions and private owners. But, despite the lively character of the forest dormouse, it is still not recommended for children as a pet. Taming the dormouse is a rather complicated process and the forest dormouse is unlikely to become an absolute domestic animal.
Video: Forest dormouse on bait
Class: mammals.
Squad: rodents.
Family: dormouse.
Genus: the classification includes 9 genera.
Habitat in nature: In nature, there are 28 species of dormouse, most of which live from North Africa and Asia Minor to Altai, North-West China and Japan; in sub-Saharan Africa, some species of the genus Graphiurus are found isolated; in Europe they are distributed to southern Scandinavia. Most dormouse are forest animals, preferring deciduous and mixed forests; they can be found in forest-steppe areas and in the mountains, where they live at altitudes of up to 3500m. There are 5 species of these rodents found in Russia.
Lifespan: in nature 2-3 years, at home 4-6 years.
Averages: body length 8-20cm, tail 4-17cm. Weight depends on the type of animal, but does not exceed 70g.
Description
Dormouse is a small and medium-sized rodent, with terrestrial forms more like mice, and arboreal forms more like squirrels. The muzzle is sharp or slightly rounded (depending on the species), the ears are small, round, the eyes are bulging, round, and large. The tail is usually densely furred, although there are species with a semi-naked tail. The coat is thick and soft, but short. Color depends on the species.
The fur on the back and sides can range from gray to buffy-brown; the belly and paws can be lighter or white. Long, up to 20 percent of the body length, extremely mobile vibrissae, growing like a fan near the nose, are the main tactile organ for the dormouse.
Character
Dormouses are very sociable, lively, active and social animals. They prefer to live in the company of their relatives, but at home it is better to keep them alone or in pairs. These rodents are very cautious and timid, afraid of loud or unexpected sounds, sudden movements. Hazel, African and dormouse quickly get used to people; taming other species requires more attention and patience.
Relationships with other pets
Dormouses that leave their cage can be dangerous to smaller rodents, small birds and lizards. Cats, dogs, ferrets and large birds are dangerous to dormice.
Attitude towards children
Dormouses are not very suitable as pets for children.
Education
Dormouses that appear in the house at an early age quickly get used to people, will expect your arrival with food and may get used to taking food from your hands. They can be trained to go out for a treat when called, but they most likely will not become completely tame.
Nutrition
For all types of dormouse, a diet that includes sunflower seeds, hazel nuts, pine and walnuts, melon, watermelon, and pumpkin seeds is suitable. It is useful to include apples in the dormouse's diet (an adult animal can eat a whole apple overnight), grapes, buds, branch bark, rose hips, dried rowan, viburnum, and dried apricots. In summer it is useful to reduce the amount of oil seeds. Forest, garden and African dormouse require animal food. Mealworms, butterfly pupae, crickets, chafers, snails, large cockroaches are suitable for them; sometimes they can be pampered with raw meat, cottage cheese and eggs.
Care and maintenance
Of the species that live in Russia, the most commonly kept at home are hazel, garden, forest and dormouse. The African dormouse, which is called the dwarf dormouse due to its very small size, is also well suited for keeping as a pet. The hazel and African dormouse are well suited for keeping in a cage; the dormouse can be kept both in a cage and in an aviary, but garden and forest dormouse are best kept in an aviary, where a landscape reminiscent of their natural habitat can be created for them.
When keeping dormice in a cage, it is easier to communicate with them, more convenient to observe, and they make contact better. It is advisable to choose a small-meshed, spacious and all-metal cage to avoid the unpleasant odor that permeates the wooden parts of the cage and various infections. Squirrel cages with a spinning wheel are a good choice for them, as these rodents have a very high need for movement. The presence of a retractable tray in the cage makes cleaning and cleaning much easier. You can use sawdust, dry sand or small shavings as bedding. In the cage you need to place heavy food bowls, a drinking bowl, preferably an automatic one, place various ladders, hollow pipes, a hammock, secure ropes and a wheel, and attach houses to the lattice where the dormouse will build a nest. To make a nest, you can offer them hay, straw, unpainted strips of paper, and small twigs. Every day it is necessary to wash food bowls and drinking bowls, remove leftover food; The bedding should be changed two or three times a week, and the cage should be completely cleaned and disinfected twice a month. Disinfection can be carried out by pouring boiling water over the cage.
Dormouses do not like temperature changes, drafts and direct sunlight, so the cage should be placed at a distance of at least 40 cm from heating appliances and away from windows and doors.
Dormouses are nocturnal animals and may disturb you with noise. However, often communicating with humans, dormice gradually switch to a diurnal lifestyle, especially if you feed them only in the morning and evening no later than 19 hours.
With properly equipped housing, dormouse do not need walks. If you decide to get the animal out of the cage, then be prepared for the fact that it can easily escape.
In summer, in dry weather, the animals can be taken out to the balcony during the day or the cage can be placed on a table near the house in the summer cottage, shading part of the cage from the sun's rays so that the animals can rest.
Dormouses living in nature hibernate in winter, which can last 6-7 months, but at temperatures above 10°C, dormouse can be active all year round.
Outside the city, these rodents can be kept in an enclosure, where you can recreate a piece of wildlife: make a bedding from moss or peat, place stumps and snags, secure strong branches with hollows, put grass and oats in pots, plant currant bushes, gooseberries, blackberries. Dormouses kept in an enclosure are less amenable to taming, because when a person appears, they hide in various shelters, do not make contact, retain the behavior characteristic of them in the wild, and do not give in to hands. Many owners are happy to talk about their observations of these lively, funny, active animals living in an enclosure. It should be borne in mind that all species of the dormouse family can survive in an enclosure in winter only in a properly made shelter, built in the ground in the form of an artificial hole, well insulated and covered with a layer of sawdust on top. Before wintering, dormice gain 3-4 times their normal weight. However, you should carefully monitor waking animals: an awakened dormouse can eat a fellow sleeping nearby.
A little history
Unlike many other rodents, dormice came into the homes of animal lovers directly from the wild. In the 20th century, the number of dormouse began to decline rapidly due to the destruction of the natural habitat of these rodents as a result of human activity. Many species of dormouse were listed in the Red Book, and programs to restore the population of these cute animals began to be developed all over the world. In the wake of this popularity, dormouse first found their way into the living corners of youth circles, and then into apartments, where they feel very good.
Dormice or dormice belong to the family of mammals, the order of rodents. This mammal is very similar in appearance to a mouse and a squirrel at the same time; it has a long fluffy tail, reminiscent of a squirrel.
They got their name for a reason. The first reason can be called the nocturnal lifestyle of the animal; and the second reason will be a long period of hibernation in the cold. Some species spend 7 months a year in hibernation.
They are very small in size and fit perfectly in the palm of a person.
Description
All representatives of the family of these animals have a similar body structure and organs . They all have large dark eyes, long mustache and round ears. The fur is just fluffy and soft, and the tail is long and squirrel-like.
Trees are considered the habitat of dormouse. If they are absent, then the rodent can be found in the branches of the bush. Some species are on the ground almost all the time.
Three types of dormouse are known that live in Russia and are listed in the Red Book:
- hazel;
- garden;
- forest
These rodents are very interesting to watch, besides the fact that they are small, they are very funny and funny. Compared to other rodents, they live a long time and cause virtually no harm.
There is no point in purchasing a dormouse as a pet. And all because they activity in nature begins at night. This is due to their lifestyle. Not every animal lover will be interested in watching this little rodent at night instead of sleeping soundly. They are extremely rare on sale. It is known that in captivity, while in a cage, they can change their lifestyle, adapting to the life rhythm of their owners. But few people know about this fact.
Despite the fact that the rodent leads an active night life, in the daytime it sees no worse. The mammal has a special skeleton, which can be compressed in the vertical direction. This allows the rodent to crawl into the narrowest crevices that exist on tree trunks. This is how they find the safest place to rest and build a future nest. Thanks to this important quality, the animal still lives and reproduces.
Climbing out of its hiding place in search of food, despite its good eyesight, the dormouse relies on its unique hearing. The role of locators is played by small, round ears that can change their position on her head. The movements of the ears are asynchronous and independent of each other. The garden rodent has the largest ears; slightly smaller in size - hazel; Well, the third place is occupied by forest. Photos of these wonderful and unpretentious animals can be found on the Internet.
When eating solid foods, Dormouse can be compared to a squirrel. It holds its prey with its front paws and spins it quickly. Thanks to such actions and her sharp incisors, she can easily open the hard shell of nuts and various seeds.
These mammals cannot be called fertile. Firstly, they ripen quite late; secondly, they never have more than 5 cubs. The third reason is the number of matings per year - there are only two. Well, the main reason is their love for sleep and its duration.
If we talk about all these reasons at the same time, then the dormouse species would have ceased to exist long ago. But in reality everything is different. The maternal instinct, which is very strongly developed in females, allows them to care for each baby with special tenderness and care. Here we should add good health and a long life span. The result is a stable population whose safety is not threatened.
How to draw a sleepyhead? Photos from the Internet will help with this.
At home, such a rodent should only be kept in a metal cage with a fairly strong metal tray. This is no more difficult than keeping other, more famous rodents at home.
Cage requirements the ones that come out are quite serious, since the dormouse will very quickly deal with wood and even plastic. Therefore, the cage should only be metal. You can buy it at a pet store, order it strictly according to your size, or make it yourself. While the cage is being manufactured, the rodent can be kept in a regular terrarium, the main thing is that such a room is well ventilated.
Mammal cage must be equipped with a feeder and nipple drinker. The material for their manufacture must be the same metal.
There should always be food in the feeder and water in the drinker. While awake, they eat and drink a lot.
As bedding Sawdust or wood pellets can be used in the cage. It needs to be changed regularly to keep it from getting wet. You need to arrange a secluded corner in the cage where the dormouse could hide. Only in a secluded place can she sleep.
For temporary shelter, a wooden house or a house made with your own hands from a cardboard box is suitable. The shelter will indeed be temporary, since the rodent will quickly destroy it. But you can experiment with a cardboard box as a house, and make it better and more beautiful each time.
In a cage for a rodent, you need to create all the conditions as in nature. He must have a ladder, a shelf, a tree along which he can run. This must be done to ensure good health. The thing is that the animal does not control its appetite, and its special metabolism contributes to the accumulation of fat reserves. He just needs to move more.
Since rodents are very clean, their “house” must be kept clean at all times. Wash the drinker and feeder regularly, and change the bedding in the cage every 2-3 days. Rodents pay great attention to their soft and smooth fur - they clean it several times a day.
Where the cage is, there should be no drafts. There should be enough sunlight, and the height of its location should be at human eye level.
Varieties of Dormouse
Let's look at three types of rodents that are found in our country. Each individual species can be kept at home, but you need to familiarize yourself with them in more detail.
This type of rodent is endowed with the smallest size. They reach no more than 10 cm in length. They are found in nature in bushes:
- hazel;
- cotoneaster;
- hawthorn.
Rodents build strong nests for their offspring from leaves and grass, and they are located on the branches of bushes.
This type of rodent can also be found on trees, if suddenly there is an empty, unoccupied hollow. Sonya can also live in a birdhouse, if only it is free.
Trees and shrubs are used by the animal only in the warm season, and for winter they choose places that are safer and warmer. This, as usual, is a small, cozy hole, which is located at the roots of trees.
At home This species must be kept in high cages. This is because the dormouse loves to climb trees, and in a low cage she will not have this opportunity. In a high cage, you can arrange not one, but several cardboard houses for her, which will significantly increase her comfort of life.
A grain mixture will be suitable as food, and nuts and sweets will be a treat.
Several reasons why this type difficult to maintain at home:
- The animal is small and very fast. If it accidentally escapes from the cage, it will be almost impossible to catch it in the apartment. The furniture and all things will just begin to suffer.
- This type of animal has a specific smell, so the cage will have to be cleaned much more often. The smell in the apartment will still remain, so if there are people with allergies in the house, then it is better to refuse such an animal.
- they need special feeding - they need insects.
She's the most beautiful. The fur coat is dark red in color and shimmers in the sun; there is an interesting “mask” on the face, which provides a mysterious and cunning image. Almost all of them have a snow-white belly; at the end of the ponytail there is a tassel; on the cunning face there are large eyes and ears. Not everyone can draw such a beautiful animal.
The animal is very mobile, moves quickly through trees, bushes and on the ground. Its main diet is insects. It can also consume plant food, but gives preference to animal food.
If such an animal is placed at home, then you need a special cage, or better yet a terrarium. The preferred food is insect larvae and mealworms. A boiled egg is suitable as complementary food.
Garden Dormouse Red Book is a unique specimen.
Forest Dormouse
This is the sister of the garden animal, that's just the habitat must be deserted. Experts do not recommend keeping it at home. There are several reasons for this:
- complex diet;
- each individual loves something different, there are gourmets among them;
- It is very difficult to buy or breed special food for such rodents.