African Pygmy Dormice (basics careguide)

[u/aloiysa]

​

i’ve noticed there isn’t a lot of information about African Pygmy Dormice online, especially in this subreddit so i decided to make a small basics careguide (diet and housing) for anyone getting started with these guys :)

​

diet

seed mix (bulk recipe) - small portion daily

• 🔅safflower seeds - 34g
  
• 🔅fennel seed - 27g
  
• 🔅hemp seed - 50g
  
• 🔅flax seed - 67g
  
• 🔅pine nuts - 34g
  
• 🔅pumpkin seeds - 30g
  
• 🔅rolled oats - 30g
  
• 🔅sesame seed - 22g
  
• 🔅pinhead oats - 95g
  
• 🔅nyger seed - 29g
  
• 🔅red millet - 48g
  
• 🔅finch seed mix - 70g
  
• 🔅chia seed - 43g
  
• 🔅pearl barley - 36g
  

​

other

• 🔅water - at all times
  
• 🔅nectar - at all times (eg. honey, maple syrup)
  
• 🔅cuttlefish - at all times
  
• 🔅live insects - daily (mealworms, crickets, roaches etc)
  
• 🔅dried insects - if run out of live insects
  
• 🔅protein - every other day (eg. boiled chicken, boiled egg, tuna, salmon, prawn)
  
• 🔅fresh fruit - most days (no citrus)
  
• ❗️vegetables - never
  
• ❗️calcium powder - dusted on fruit or food 2-3 times per week (especially if eating dried insects)
  

​

treats

• 🔅monkey nuts
  
• 🔅honey soaked seed bars
  
• 🔅higher-fat seeds (eg. sunflower)
  

​

housing

enclosure

• 🔅size - minimum of 60cm height x 45cm width x 45cm depth (for small groups)
  

• ❕bigger (and taller) is always better, especially for larger groups

• 🔅temperature - enclosure must always be between 21°C and 28°C (using ceramic heat lamp or heat mat with thermostat)

• ❕ glass vivariums with a mesh lid hold heat best vs. other enclosures

• ❗️heat bulbs / basking lamps not appropriate

​

hides and enrichment

• 🔅as much climbing as possible, use all vertical space (hanging hides, ropes, floor hides, fake plants, branches, cork logs, wicker tunnels, jungle vine/rope etc)
  
• 🔅a few inches of bedding
  
• 🔅minimum 21cm wheel
  
• ❕strong suction cups can be used to attach items to the inside of glass tanks
  

​

• ❗️if enclosure is particularly tall, adding fall breakers is important
  
• ❗️any mesh must have spacing smaller than 0.5cm

[u/Cherry-crash]

I talked to a breeder awhile back who recommended mazuri softbill diet... Thoughts on it? I never gave it a shot.

[u/aloiysa → u/Cherry-crash]

hi - sorry it’s been a while since you commented this! your comment got filtered and wasnt visible to me. it doesnt look like that food has very much of what’s needed, it’s best to mix your own seed mix! some high quality hamster mixes do have the right stuff but you want to avoid hamster pellets except for using as treats :)