Pygmy Mice - Potpourri of Info

[Die Fledermaus]

I was doing some online research for the person I know from the pet store who got me Penny the gerb. He wanted info on pygmy mice. Here it is, for those who are interested.

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Pygmy Mice


Cage and Equipment Requirements
I use glass aquariums to house my pygmy mice. A tight fitting lid is absolutely necessary since most pygmy mice can jump at least nine inches straight up. Even though the pygmy mice are very small don’t underestimate their jumping capabilities. They can also squeeze through very small spaces so thoroughly check out their cage before you put them into their new home.
I would not use any Habitrail or other plastic tubes and tunnels as their primary enclosure. They can and will chew through plastic. The tubes and tunnels inside an aquarium would be a way to safely watch the mice explore their surroundings and still keep them contained.
Pygmy mice MUST have a lid on their enclosure. I have seen them jump straight up in the air as high as 18 inches.
I don’t think there is an easy way to catch an escaped pygmy mouse. The only way I know is to put their favorite food in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Put the bucket next to something they can climb on or make a ramp up to the bucket with books. Hopefully they will jump down in the bucket to get their food and then not be able to get out.
Accessories can include clay flowerpots, toilet paper tubes, and other objects to hide in and they will hide!
I put a small mouse exercise wheel in with some of my pygmy mice and they were able to make it move. There is enough room on a small wheel for quite a few pygmy mice to play together.

Bedding
I have tried many types of bedding including: Swheat Scoop kitty litter, pine shavings, aspen pellets, corn cob bedding, recycled newspaper pellets, Cell-Sorb and more. Out of everything I have tried I like Care Fresh recycled newspaper the best.
If you want to watch your mice you will want to use only a small amount of bedding. However, they love deep bedding to burrow and tunnel.
Never use cedar shavings because the oils and dust from cedar can be harmful to small mammals.

Food
I seem to have the best results using a variety of different types of food. The main part of the diet is a finch or parakeet seed mix. To that I add small amounts of dried fruit and nuts, sunflower seeds, kitten food, fresh fruits and vegetables, rodent block, monkey biscuits, and more. I like to give them a variety and then they eat a little bit of everything.
Fresh water is a must. I have tried several types of watering devices including glass sipper tubes and 2oz bird bottles with a metal tip. I prefer to use a water bowl the best. I set the water bowl on a small section of a 2"x 4" piece of lumber. It adds some height to the bowl so that the bedding and food doesn’t get into it as much as if it were sitting on the bottom of the cage. I use the very small water bowls and then I put several small rocks in it so if they fall in they can get out. Before I started putting the rocks in the bowl I found a couple of drowned babies in their bowl.
I have had much better luck raising babies using bottled water rather than tap water.

Care
Keep your pygmy mice out of drafts. A comfortable temperature is 70° F to 80° F. I give them pieces of tissue or shredded paper that they can use to make a nest.
It is not good to stress the little guys out by making them run spastically around their cage. When they bounce off the walls of their cage it affects them the same way a car accident would effect us.
When I need to change cages or handle the pygmy mice I work with them in the bathtub! That way, if they get loose I have a good chance of catching them.
Be careful catching loose mice - they can squish very easily L .

Miscellaneous Information
It takes 8 pygmy mice to make an ounce! (Storer, Pat)
With an average litter size up to 6 babies, it would be statistically possible to end up with nearly 2 million pygmy mice in a year. (Pawprint)
Day old pinkies are the length of a pencil eraser. (Cragg, Peter).
When I have had adult pygmy mice bite me it has never broken the skin.
Pygmy mice can start reproducing about six weeks of age.

Other Resources
Care and Feeding of the African Pigmy Mouse. Peter Cragg DVM. www.kingsnake.com/critter/others/micepigy.htm.
Pygmy Mice. www.nwlink.com/~pawprint/cc_pygmy.html
Small Exotic Mammals A-Z. Pat Storer. R-Zu-2-U. Country Storer Enterprises. P.O. Box 160. Columbus, TX, 78934.

www.critterconnection.cc/Animals/animals-pygmymice.htm

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HOUSING

Because of their small size Pygmy mice can be housed in 2 1/2 gallon aquariums. This size will house a trio with plenty of room. I however prefer to use larger tanks the size of 5 1/2 or ten gallon Tanks. You will need a tight fitting screen mesh cover as these little guys can squeeze through even the smallest crack. You should also note that these little mice to spit the small size are quit adept to jumping I have had them easily clear a ten gallon tank to escape.

TEMPERATURE

Pygmy mice can not tolerate temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You must monitor this closely as I learned. Temperatures below 70 will send these little guys in to a tupper and might even kill them.

I supply the cage with some branches to climb as well as logs and tubes to hide in. A wheel may be supply but it has to be a small one and even then they may not be able to use it because they are so small.

FEEDING

Pygmy mice must have food available at all times do to their small size they have a high metabolism. I have found that they prefer the smaller seeds in the mix. I use Parakeet and or finch seed. as well as supplying some dog kibble and lab blox.

I prefer to use the tube type water bottle these being the glass tube with the glass spouts as I feel these guys are to small to us the ones with the balls.

Breeding

I like to house the Pygmy mice in trios or in colonies of one male to 3 females. But larger colonies with more females then males are possible.

Gestation is about 21 days The litter of 2 to 8 will be born blind, and hairless, but quickly grow they will be furred in about a week eyes will open at about 14 days of age and they are weaned at 21 days.At six weeks they are sexually mature. You should also note that the babies are extremely small about ant size when born so when cleaning the cage LOOKextremely careful to avoid throwing out babies by mistake!!!!

Pygmy mice will live up to three years in captivity


members.aol.com/drdoolitel/Pygmy.htm


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PYGMY MICE
by Michael Emerson

MUS Minutoides

African Pygmy Mice

The African Pygmy Mouse is the smaller cousin of the common pet mouse. It is also the smallest member of the MUS Family.

The African Pygmy mouse is found throughout Africa south of the Sahara.

Pygmy mice get their name from their small size with adults being 45 to 85 mm for head and body with a tail of 28 to 63 mm. They weigh only 2.5 to 12.0 grams. That would make them about the size of a week to two week old common pet mouse.

The dorsal coat is a brownish red color and the belly is white. Although color will vary to an extent from animal to animal. I have heard of an albino mutation but have never seen or confirmed it.


This is the best pic I have of one of my Pygmy Mice.

HOUSING

Because of their small size Pygmy mice can be housed in 2 1/2 gallon aquariums. This size will house a trio with plenty of room. I however prefer to use larger tanks the size of 5 1/2 or ten gallon tanks. You will need a tight fitting screen mesh cover as these little guys can squeeze through even the smallest crack. You should also note that these little mice, despite the small size, are quite adept to jumping. I have had them easily clear a ten gallon tank to escape.

TEMPERATURE

Pygmy mice can not tolerate temps below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You must monitor this closely as I learned. Temps below 70 will send these little guys in to a tupper and might even kill them.

I supply the cage with some branches to climb as well as logs and tubes to hide in. A wheel may be supply but it has to be a small one and even then they may not be able to use it because they are so small.

FEEDING

Pygmy mice must have food available at all times due to their small size they have a high metabolism. I have found that they prefer the smaller seeds in the mix. I use Parakeet and or finch seed, as well as supplying some dog kibble and lab blox.

I prefer to use the tube type water bottle, these being the glass tube with the glass spouts, as I feel these guys are too small to use the ones with the balls.

BREEDING

I like to house the Pygmy mice in trios or in colonies of one male to 3 females. But larger colonies with more females than males are possible.

Gestation is about 21 days. The litter of 2 to 8 will be born blind and hairless, but quickly grow. They will be furred in about a week, eyes will open at about 14 days of age and they are weaned at 21 days. At six weeks they are sexually mature. You should also note that the babies are extremely small, about ant size, when born so when cleaning the cage LOOK extremely carefully to avoid throwing out babies by mistake!!!!

Pygmy mice will live up to three years in captivity.


www.animalsexotique.com/pygmymice.html

[Die Fledermaus]

The African Pygmy Mouse

Latin name: Mus minutoides


Habitat range: Africa south of the Sahara.

Appearance: Dark red brown with white undersides.

Body size: 4.5cm

Tail length: 3cm

Introduction

A new species to domestication and not tameable like the domestic pet mouse. They are a mostly nocturnal occasionally diurnal species that is easily maintained.

Housing and environment

Up to a trio of African Pygmy mice can be kept in a small glass aquarium tank measuring 20X30cm, usually one male and two females.

Screen covers can be self-made by using some of the 5mm weld mesh available at any good DIY hardware store. Mesh larger than 5mm will be easy for the mice to climb through.


Substrate can be almost anything, which takes the keepers preference: compost, sand, compressed pine pellets, wood shavings, paper. These little mice do not need cleaning too regularly as they do not produce the copious amounts of urine and therefore the ammonia smell which the domestic species does.
Décor can be provided again depending upon the tastes of the keeper. Cardboard rolls from the centres of toilet rolls or natural pieces of wood, cork bark halves, twisted hazel branches.

Bedding or nesting material can be a small quantity of mouse safe pet shop bedding or hay.

Water and food can be provided either in small water bottles or a small ceramic dish. When using water bottles its important to ensure a good water flow.
Normal comfortable room temperatures with a nighttime drop to no lower than 16oc / 60 f should be provided.

Diet is fairly easy to provide. Litters of young are very frequent therefore its important to provide a good diet. If the diet is not a high level diet providing a good varied source of animal and plant proteins, calcium and other minerals the female could soon become deficient, her health could suffer. My preference for feeding is hang millet sprays from the wire top of the tank; it’s easy to see when food has been eaten. Budgie or finch seed mix can be provided in ceramic bowls.


Offer small amounts of one of the many brands of insectivore bird foods available at any good bird hobbyist shop. Although not documented anywhere I can find it is almost certain that they would eat some insect protein in the wild.


They enjoy fruits such as apple, grape or orange, whatever you have in the home at the time of feeding.

Calcium is very much needed. With the high frequency of litters and importance of offering a good balanced diet. I recommend also a small bird rearing foods that contains calcium, again available at any good bird specialists, brands include “EMP egg food”, these little mice enjoy all these foods. The African Pygmy mouse has cheek pouches that they load with when feeding.

Breeding is not difficult to achieve providing you have a proper pair to start with. Sexual maturity is reached between 6-8 weeks of age and if kept in 1.1.0 pair, breeding will take place. Gestation period is around 20 days; the female quickly develops a round appearance. Litter sizes of around 3 are usual. Born blind and hairless developing quickly, eyes open at 2 tweaks and fully weaned by 4 weeks old. Separate from mother at 5 weeks.

Life span is thought normally to be 2 years. At six weeks of age they are easy to visually sex by the males having an obvious bulge beneath the tail to his rump.

Further discussion

These little mice have quickly become a favourite with many keepers and the reasons why are plain to see. It is easy to cater for their needs with a little thought. They breed easily and rarely have the drawbacks of eating their young when disturbed by inquisitive keepers. Possibly one of their only draw backs is the fact that they are mostly nocturnal and to enjoy them fully you need to keep them in a darkened and quiet room, viewed by torch light with a red cover.

I do not recommend regular handling, they are mice that are for watching. Handling causes stress, they will dart and scurry quickly and jump vertical trying to hide or escape. A small fishing net might be good to have handy at cleaning times.
They are not usually aggressive, if fights break out the chances are that you are keeping them in too great numbers and too small a terrainium.


www.geocities.com/pygmydormouse/pygmy-mouse/african-pygmy-mouse.htm


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RODENTIA; MURIDAE; Genus BAIOMYS
True, 1894
Pygmy Mice
There are two living species (Cleveland 1986; Hall 1981; Stangl and Dalquest 1986; Stangl, Koop, and Hood 1983):

* B. musculus, central Mexico to Nicaragua;
* B. taylori, southwestern Oklahoma, Texas and southeastern Arizona to central Mexico.

A third named species, B. hummelincki, is actually referable to Calomys (Handley 1976; Hershkovitz 1962).
These are the smallest rodents in North America. Head and body length is 50-81 mm, tail length is 35-55 mm, and weight is 7-8 grams. The upper parts are blackish brown to light reddish brown, and the underparts are dark gray to white or buff. This genus differs from Peromyscus in its smaller size, in having relatively smaller and more rounded ears, and in the shape of the coronoid process.
Pygmy mice live mainly in dry country, wherever they can find cover in dense grass, shrubs, or cultivated fields. B. taylori is crepuscular. It is not known to hibernate, but laboratory experiments show that it readily enters torpor at ambient temperatures near 20° C (Eshelman and Cameron 1987). It makes a network of small, narrow runways beneath a heavy canopy of matted grasses and also uses the runways of other rodents. Tiny piles of green feces are found at the intersections. According to Packard and Montgomery (1978), B. musculus apparently lives in underground burrows when it occurs in grasslands but under rocks when it occurs in arid rocky areas. This species shows a tendency toward diurnal and crepuscular activity. Although pygmy mice may eat some seeds and insects, the bulk of their food consists of green vegetation. Pitts (1978) found captive B. taylori to readily kill and eat small snakes. Schmidly (1983) stated that average home range for B. taylori is only 0.6 ha. in males and 0.4 ha. in females and cited population densities ranging from 1/ha. to 15/ha., the greatest being in unmowed highway rights-of-way during winter. Eshelman and Cameron (1987) listed densities of up to 84/ha. and home range estimates of 45-729 sq meters. Pygmy mice are easily kept in captivity and live together peacefully.
Breeding apparently continues throughout the year, but in B. musculus, at least, a decline in reproductive activity seems to occur in winter and spring (Packard and Montgomery 1978). B. taylori has breeding peaks in the late fall and early spring (Eshelman and Cameron 1987). Studies of captive B. taylori by Hudson (1974) and Quadagno et al. (1970) indicate that the estrous cycle averages 4.9 days, gestation lasts 20-25 days, litter size averages about 2.5 young and ranges from 1 to 5, newborn average 1.2 grams in weight, females may conceive young when only 28 days old, and males reach sexual maturity at about 70-80 days. One captive female had nine litters in 202 days. In the wild the young are born in a surface nest of dry grass located in a depression in the ground or under a log. Both parents share in caring for the young. The offspring seek their own food at about 18-22 days of age. According to Jones (1982), a captive B. taylori lived for 3 years.
In the 1950s B. taylori was known only as far north as southern and southeastern Texas. It subsequently extended its range across most of that state and into southwestern Oklahoma. This extension may be associated with the increasing ground cover that results from human brush eradication and the grassy rights-of-way afforded by highway construction (Austin and Kitchens 1986).


www.press.jhu.edu/books/walkers_mammals_of_the_world/rodentia/rodentia.muridae.baiomys.html