Needle mouse: maintenance and care at home

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The needle mouse belongs to the family of the mouse genus of rodents. This is a small animal with a length of 7 to 13 centimeters, which today is happy to have pet lovers.

Distinguishing Features

The needle mouse differs from its relatives in its large eyes and round ears. Her back is covered with small needles, thanks to which she is somewhat reminiscent of a hedgehog. The color of these animals is pale yellow or reddish brown. The dark gray needle mouse is less common. Photos of this animal give pleasure to lovers of domestic animals.

Adult males are different from females. They have long fur, and on the neck even a semblance of a lion's mane is formed. A unique feature that the needle mouse possesses is regeneration. When threatened, they shed their skin. After that, no scars remain, and the body is completely restored. It happens like this: epithelial cells move to the surface of the wound, embryonic cells are concentrated under them, from which a new, full-fledged skin grows.

Where do mice live?

The needle mouse considers Saudi Arabia as its homeland, as well as the islands of Crete, Cyprus and North Africa. It is in these areasthese animals were originally divorced. In nature, there are several species of such rodents, but most often in captivity you can find the Cairo variety of the needle mouse. She lives in a hole, which she usually digs herself. Although it can also use a dwelling abandoned by another rodent if it comes across one.

The period of activity of these animals falls on early morning and late evening. This is a sociable creature that necessarily lives in a group with relatives. Great as a pet.

How to keep a mouse at home?

The houses of these animals are kept in a small metal cage or in a terrarium behind glass. Such a dwelling must necessarily have a wide bottom and low sides. Top can be covered with mesh. When choosing a house for a mouse, be sure to remember that this is a rodent, so it is not difficult for him to gnaw through a wooden floor. Many other materials can also suffer, and the animal can crawl into a narrow gap, be free and then cause damage to many things already in your apartment.

At the bottom of the cage, pour out a large amount of shavings or finely chopped paper. Install a small house in which the mouse can sleep, stable feeders and a drinker that it cannot turn over. Invent for her or buy various devices for playing at the pet store. This is a very mobile animal. Suitable wheel for running, various branches, ladders and shelters.

Cage is better to install near the wall. Since the mouse cansubject to hypothermia, it must be protected from drafts. Many people wonder how long a needle mouse lives. You can provide yourself with a funny pet for three years.

Mouse care

Mouse loves cleanliness and order. Therefore, every day it is necessary to clean the cage, sweep out the remaining food, thoroughly wash and clean the feeder and drinker. If you decide that a needle mouse will live in your home, keeping and caring for it plays a huge role. Change the bedding for the animal several times a week.

These are very shy rodents, so it is undesirable for a cat or dog to live in the house with a mouse. In addition, the animal does not immediately get used to the person. Be prepared that it will take some time to establish contact. Be sure to equip the cage for the animal with a shelter in which he can easily hide at any time. At first, it will be in great demand.

This is a herd animal. Therefore, either immediately buy several needle relatives, or pay a lot of attention to the game and pet care. Mice love to play with small balls, chew on wooden cubes and other toys. Just make sure that wooden objects that the mouse can gnaw on do not contain paint or varnish residues. Otherwise, the pet may begin serious he alth problems.

When removing the cage and pouring food, especially at first, avoid sudden movements that can frighten the mouse. Try not to speak loudly, gradually accustoming the pet to your voice. needle micesmart enough and after a short period of time they will even be able to respond to the nickname that you give, and meet the owner with a joyful squeak.

What do mice eat?

The diet of mice is very diverse. They can be fed a variety of grains, seeds, cottage cheese, boiled egg protein, and of course they love cheese. Don't forget to pamper your pet. The treats of needle mice include fruits, berries and bread. Make sure that all the necessary minerals and vitamins are regularly present in the pet's diet.

If you wish, you can buy special food for rodents in pet stores, containing the necessary substances. It is very important to have a he althy needle mouse. Feeding should also include branches of fruit trees. Rodents use them to sharpen their teeth. True, many plants for them can be poisonous. These are hemlock, celandine, lilies of the valley, fern, wild rosemary. Keep them out of your pet's diet.

Mice Breeding

Like all rodents, mice are very prolific. So don't be surprised if your pets start breeding all year round. With favorable living conditions and a stable diet, this is not surprising. They can reproduce offspring already at the age of one month. In her house, the female builds a small nest in which babies are born. Hay, paper, twigs and various rags are traditionally used by the needle mouse as materials for this shelter. Reproduction is especially active in the first year and a half of adult life.

Mice are born at night, in one litter there can be from 5 to 10 cubs. They are born naked, weighing no more than two grams and a maximum body length of 3 centimeters. So it is almost impossible to immediately find out the sex of a newborn. Later males grow much larger.

During the feeding period, be sure to include milk in your pet's diet. The cubs grow rapidly, after 5 days they weigh twice as much as at birth. After two weeks, they begin to see, after three they are able to eat on their own. Maternal instincts in needle mice are very pronounced, they take care of their cubs, carefully look after them. Remember, newborn mice should not be picked up. A foreign smell can scare them away from their mother, and she will stop feeding them. In this case, the cubs will simply die of hunger.

How to tame animals?

Needle mice make good contact with humans and are quickly tamed. If communication with a person is not enough, then they can quickly run wild. The animals are very shy and can even die of fright, so they should be treated carefully and with care.