Polski
The edible dormouse, also known as the dormouse, is a small rodent from the Gliridae family. Although its name suggests it's a mouse, it's not. It's a distinct species. While the edible dormouse may be small, it's the largest dormouse in Europe. Their body length can range from 13 to 19 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the edible dormouse is its bushy tail, which is slightly shorter than its body and measures approximately 12 to 15 centimeters. The fur of edible dormice is grayish-brown, with a dark dorsal stripe running down its back. The belly is lighter in color.
Body weight: 70 and 200 grams
Life expectancy : 2 to 3 years
The edible dormouse is native to southern and central Europe and was introduced to England in 1902. They are nocturnal animals and prefer warm climates. Therefore, the northernmost limit where they still occur in the wild is South Limburg.
Dormice can live up to 7 years, which is exceptionally old compared to other rodents.
Dormice used to live in the Netherlands, in the period before the Ice Age, when the Netherlands still had a tropical climate. Only after the Pleistocene, when the climate in the Netherlands became colder and the forests disappeared, did the dormouse disappear. Nowadays, dormice only live in South Limburg, because it's still warm enough there.
Dormice live in small groups
A group of several females can usually be kept without any problems
Keep 1 neutered male with 1 or 3 - 4 females. Unneutered males should not be kept together (they fight for hierarchy).
Dormouse as a pet
Dormice can also be kept as pets. It's important to consider the animals' natural needs and ensure the enclosure reflects these as much as possible. Dormice love fruit, so it's important to regularly check the enclosure for fruit remains, as these are quite perishable. Because of all that juicy fruit and moisture, dormice also urinate relatively frequently, so good, absorbent bedding is essential for the animals. Depending on their diet, feces can be quite sticky. The temperature should preferably not fall below 15°C.
Dormice hibernate
From October through May, dormice hibernate in the wild. They are therefore sometimes called "nature's sleepyheads." They are also the animals with the longest hibernation, and because it lasts seven months, dormice are also called "seven-dormitors."
Tame and familiarize yourself with the Dormouse
Always do your research before deciding to get dormice. They're very friendly and curious animals, especially those awake at night, making them less suitable for children. Dormice are very friendly and curious. They can be shy and quick at first, though. Once a dormouse is on your hand, it can balance well thanks to its long tail. They nimbly move from one hand to the other or between your fingers. This makes them easier to handle than, for example, gerbils or hamsters.
New pets should be approached calmly, especially at first. The animals need to become familiar with their own habitat and feel safe there before they dare to approach people. Of course, some daredevils will immediately approach you and be sociable, but most mice are a bit shy at first. Give the animals time and try to gently establish contact by talking to them. Giving them treats from their hand is often a good way to gain their trust.
TIP! Dormice love nuts
Housing the Dormouse
Dormice are social animals that need to be kept together. In the wild, they live in small, loose groups. In the wild, they live in trees. It's therefore good to design their enclosure for climbing, but they also dig. In winter, they hibernate in trees or in burrows in the ground, which can reach depths of up to 60 cm. So, a thick layer of ground cover is also welcome!
Dormice are avid climbers and therefore require a spacious and high enclosure of at least 80 x 40 x 80 cm (L x W x H) for two animals. Each additional animal requires 20% additional floor space. A good enclosure allows the animals to express their natural behavior. In the wild, dormice are very active, and they want to maintain this activity in captivity; they don't want to be bored. Dormice need a spacious enclosure with plenty of opportunities to play, dig, and climb. Thanks to their long tails, dormice can maintain their balance very well, making them excellent climbers.
Hamsterscaping is also great fun for dormice!
In our home, a good dormouse habitat translates to a spacious enclosure with plenty of stimulation and plenty of hiding places. A terrarium is the best choice for this, thanks to its enclosed nature. However, it's important that a terrarium allows for good ventilation, so preferably with two vents (top and bottom). This is especially important in summer when temperatures rise above 25°C.
House for a dormouse
Dormice are lucky! Many houses made for hamsters are also a good size for dormice. They are prey animals and don't like to wander around the enclosure in the open. If they occasionally find a hiding place they can bolt into, they feel much safer. Dormice like to sleep together, so at least one house in the enclosure should be large enough to accommodate the entire group. In addition, one extra sleeping house or hiding spot per dormice is ideal. The animals enjoy sleeping together, but they also need a place to retreat to.
Grass houses are also very natural for dormouse and the animals really like it because they imitate a natural hiding place.
Ground cover for dormice
Due to their diet, dormice often have sticky droppings and urinate a lot. It's important that the substrate is absorbent for dormice . Examples of absorbent substrates include cotton and cotton . A good mix is a mix of cotton and hemp fiber , cotton and wood fiber , or a mix of wood fiber , hemp fiber, and hay. The mice also use the hay as nesting material. An ideal depth of the substrate for foraging and digging is around 15 cm.
Dormice are nest builders
Dormice are excellent nest builders. They also like to line their nests with soft nesting material . Building a nest is therefore a natural behavior for dormice. In the wild, they primarily do this with moss, leaves, and twigs. Therefore, always provide dormice with 15-25 grams of nesting material. Mice nesting material should be soft, absorbent, and have brittle fibers so the animals can't get tangled in it. Materials like cotton, hemp, toilet paper, and hay are ideal.
Food for Dormice
It's important to know that there's no special diet for dormice. We recommend feeding these animals a good mouse diet as a base, supplemented with an insect mix and fruit.
Dormice are omnivores (eat everything), but in practice, they primarily eat vegetarian food. At night, they wake up and search for food. In the wild, they do this by foraging on the forest floor. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, nuts, plant matter (parts of plants and herbs) , as well as animal protein. In the wild, dormice catch small insects or raid bird nests to eat their eggs, so it's beneficial if their diet also includes animal protein.
Gnawing material to wear down the teeth
Dormice have a natural urge to gnaw. This is because dormice are rodents and have continuously growing incisors. Therefore, they need something to gnaw on to wear down their teeth. Bark wood is ideal, as they love it! If dormice don't have enough opportunities to wear down their teeth, they can become overlong or crooked, with all the consequences that entails.
Rodents use gnawing wood to wear down their teeth. Because rodents' teeth grow continuously, they need to be gnawed regularly to prevent them from growing too long and crooked.
Most dormice actively gnaw on bark. However, the amount they gnaw is a matter of taste and, on the other hand, a matter of need. If a dormouse doesn't have a need to gnaw because its teeth stay long thanks to food, hay, or other nibbles, it will gnaw less on gnawing wood. It's a good idea to always offer natural gnawing wood so the animals can gnaw whenever they feel the need.
Did you know?
Dormice imitate the buzzing of hornets to deter intruders from their nest?
Dormice can even hibernate for 11 months straight? This happens especially when beech trees don't have enough beechnuts. This leaves the animals with insufficient food for their young, and they sometimes hibernate as early as July.
Reproduction of the Dormouse
After hibernation, which lasts seven months, dormice begin searching for each other. This means that females and males seek each other out in the wild to mate. This usually occurs from June to August. If mating is successful, between two and nine naked dormice are born 31 days later. The animals often have only one litter per year because there is no time for another. Once the current young have been raised, preparations must be made for the approaching hibernation.
Number of litters : 1 per year
Litter size : 2 - 9
Gestation period : 31 days
Weaning period : from week 4
For extensive information on rodent care, see LICG
