Are you familiar with the regulation in your state about owning a dormouse?
Do you mind having more than one pet African dormouse?
Do you mind having a pet that will be active mostly during nighttime?
Can you provide a glass or plastic tank (at least 10-gallon) with a tightly fitting fine mesh top?
Can you provide a varied diet that consists of a nut and seed mix complemented with fresh fruits and protein sources?
Do you have an exotics veterinarian that can treat African dormice?
In 2003, the United States banned the importation of rodents from Africa, including the African dormouse, after an outbreak of the monkeypox virus was linked to African rodents. However, there are still some states that don’t have explicit laws against keeping African dormice as pets, as long as they were bred in the U.S. Certain states do require permits to keep exotic animals. Plus, even if your state laws allow the animal as a pet, your local laws might prohibit it. Make sure to check any homeowners association or landlord rules regarding exotic pets, too.
African dormice are social animals and should be kept in same-sex pairs or small groups. Territorial aggression sometimes can occur. But if your group is raised together from a young age, the dormice typically coexist peacefully.
These rodents are nocturnal and most active in the early mornings and late evenings. They’re also very sensitive to light, so keep their enclosure away from bright lights and windows.
The best type of housing is a glass or plastic tank with a tightly fitting fine mesh top. A 10-gallon tank is the minimum recommended size for two dormice. But because these are such active animals it's ideal to get as large of a tank as you can fit and afford.
In the wild, dormice eat a varied diet that includes nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetation, bird eggs, and insects. A good variety seems to be the key to keeping dormice in captivity. The main part of your dormouse's diet should be a nut and seed mix, such as those made for hamsters and other small rodents. To supplement that, provide fresh fruits daily, such as pieces of apple, banana, and tomato. And offer protein sources, such as hard-boiled eggs, feeder insects (e.g., mealworms and crickets), and cooked chicken.
You can take care of the African dormouse!
Before acquiring an African dormouse, make sure to find a vet near you who can treat this species. Dormice are generally hardy animals, but they are prone to some health issues. A dormouse that is cold to the touch might be in torpor, a state of lowered physiological activity. Dormice can die in this state if they can’t get their bodies warm again.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/african-dormice-as-pets-1236775
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
