Spiny mouse. Akomis mouse
Spiny mice, also often called akomys (Acomys cahirinus), are representatives of the subfamily Deomiinidae, the mouse family of the rodent order. These amazing animals weigh 40-48 g in adulthood, and their body length, including the tail, which is almost half of their total size, does not exceed 14 cm. A characteristic feature The unique feature of these animals is that they have spines growing on their backs. Their color is usually pale yellow, but sometimes reddish brown and dark gray can be found. The color of spiny mice is light sandy or brown, it depends on the age of the animal, since young individuals are paler in color than adults. The underside of the Akomis body (belly and chest) is covered with soft white hair. In mature males, the fur on the neck is longer than in females and immature ones, and forms a so-called mane on it. The tail of these animals is scaly and very brittle. Spiny mice have a narrow muzzle with large dark eyes resembling beads, their large round and very mobile ears are set vertically on the head. The animals' whiskers are very long, which helps them in living in wildlife. The hind legs of Akomis are short and have wide feet.
Physiology
Spiny mice are rodents and therefore their body is structured practically the same as that of other representatives of this order.
A characteristic feature of this species, as well as some others, is that they can, like lizards, if their life is in danger, part with their tail. This is due to the fact that it is very brittle. In this regard, many animals living in nature have acquired short tails.
Sexual maturity in Akomis occurs at the age of 3 months, but sometimes mice are capable of reproduction as early as 2 months. For them, the mating period begins at the end of February and ends in September.
Pregnancy lasts 42 days, after which the female brings, as a rule, from 1 to 3 cubs, but sometimes 5, the weight of each of which averages 5 - 6 grams. Babies born into the world are completely independent, their eyes are already open and their body is covered with fur and needles, which are still soft in the first days of life. Newborn mice have a large head, a small body and long legs. Immediately after birth, they get to their feet, and, making clumsy movements and falling many times in a row, they begin to walk slowly.
Starting from the age of three days, small akomis already independently maintain their body temperature, at a time when their peers of other species of mice still need maternal warmth for a long time.
The female takes care of the offspring for 2 weeks, carefully licking and feeding her pups milk. During this period of time, the family spends time in the shelter, and only as they get older, the cubs will leave the shelter and begin to develop the surrounding territory. From about the same time, young animals will begin to eat the same food as adults. Small spiny mice, if necessary, can do without their mother starting from the 6th day of life, but if she is nearby, they are ready to suck her milk within 3 weeks from the moment of birth.
Spreading
The homeland of spiny mice is Western Asia, Saudi Arabia, the islands of Cyprus and Crete and most of Africa.
Akomis live in dry areas such as savannas and semi-deserts, preferring to settle in their rocky and sandy areas. They take refuge in burrows that they make among rocks and in rock cracks. In Africa, you can often observe a situation where these animals occupy empty termite mounds.
Now these rodents can be found free-living in the ecosystems of Africa, Asia and southern parts Europe, and as pets, they are distributed almost all over the world.
Life in nature
Spiny mice are active at dusk and dawn. During the day they hide in shelters where they wait out the heat. They dig small holes in the ground or occupy empty holes of other rodents. They themselves do not build passages and deep holes as such. Often, cracks in rocks and the space between stones serve as a refuge for akomis.
These animals climb trees well, and in times of danger they hide in shelters, and if this is not possible, they flee. Spiny mice can run up to 15 kilometers per day. An animal driven into a hopeless situation raises its quills and “swells up,” thereby trying to appear larger in order to scare off the enemy.
Akomis live in groups, their social structure is matriarchy, in which the female of the highest rank (alpha female) rules. Males occupy their hierarchical levels by participating in battles that they organize.
All members of an established group never conflict, even over food, but look after each other and sleep together. Females who are this moment They do not take care of their cubs; they help others during childbirth and in raising their offspring. Often other mothers feed orphaned babies. When moving to a new place of residence, older animals carry their cubs, both their own and those of others, and together organize a shelter in another territory. This social behavior is very strongly secured by instincts and allows animals to survive in the harsh conditions of semi-deserts and dry areas, but this is only possible if the spiny mice are closely related to each other.
These rodents are very clean animals. They carefully monitor the condition of their coat and those around them. In this regard, their burrows are always clean, the cubs are well-groomed, and the toilet is always in a strictly defined place.
The main enemies of akomis are birds, predatory mammals and reptiles. They also have to compete with gerbils for food.
Spiny mice are not picky eaters; they feed on both plant and animal foods. Despite their omnivorous nature, Akomis prefer grains and cereals. Their diet in nature consists of grasses, grains, shoots of ground plants, arthropods (snails and insects), and in the presence of succulent foods, mice are completely independent of the availability of water sources.
These rodents feed in certain and well-protected places where food debris accumulates or flora grows.
Keeping at home
Unlike hamsters, mice and rats, akomis have virtually no unpleasant odor, which is characteristic of many rodents. For keeping them in apartment conditions, a glass aquarium, tightly closed on top with a fine mesh net, is best suited. For five rodents, its size should be at least 90x30x40 cm.
If a cage is chosen as a place to keep spiny mice, then it is worth remembering that the dimensions of its cells should not be more than 1x1 cm, since akomis can crawl into very narrow holes and cracks. Important condition The well-being of mice is the absence of any plastic objects in their new home, as they will chew them and can be seriously injured and swallow a piece of plastic.
The aquarium or cage with animals should be in a quiet place, protected from direct sunlight, and there should be no drafts around it.
It is best to use either sand or corn cob litter as litter, as sawdust and hay can cause allergic reaction. Bedding is changed as needed, since akomis are very clean animals and go to the toilet in a strictly designated place. To build a nest, animals need to be given hay, straw, chopped white paper, moss, cotton rags. The temperature inside the aquarium should be 25 - 27 degrees, with a humidity of 30 - 50%.
For spiny mice, the surface area on which they live is very important, so it is necessary to place as many floors, ladders, ropes, pipes, twigs, snags, etc., etc. in the place where they are kept.
Akomis definitely need a wheel, since they are very mobile and active rodents. Its diameter must be at least 13 cm, and the bottom must be hard, otherwise the mouse may injure its paw or lose its tail.
Akomis breed well in captivity only if there is enough space in the aquarium. Young mice are separated from their parents at the age of a month to the general group of animals. Young animals cannot be kept completely separately, as they develop various psychological disorders and will never be able to communicate with their own kind.
Spiny mice are nocturnal animals and therefore, when everyone goes to bed, they begin to rustle the bedding, gnaw on various objects and run around the aquarium.
Spiny mice are omnivorous and not picky eaters. They eat both plant and animal food. When kept at home, their diet should include products of plant origin, such as: various grains, mouse food, oatmeal, oats, berries, fresh or dried vegetables and fruits, nuts, bread crumbs, sunflower seeds, canary seed, wheat, millet, dandelion greens. Animals - crickets, mealworms, caterpillars and dragonflies, flies, butterflies.
Mice should not be fed processed, salty, peppery, fatty foods, food prepared for humans or food for other animals. Akomis should be given branches of fruit trees, willow and maple 1-2 times a week.
Clean water must be kept in the cage at all times, although mice get all the moisture they need from succulent plants.
The more varied and nutritious the animal’s diet, the better; you should not be afraid of overfeeding akomis, since they will not eat more than they need.
Only together, if the rules for keeping and feeding are followed, can these animals feel great in captivity.
Titles: spiny mouse, akomis, Cairo spiny mouse, Egyptian spiny mouse.
Area: Western Asia, Saudi Arabia, the islands of Cyprus and Crete, Africa; east to the Sinai Peninsula and Palestine.
Description: narrow muzzle with large dark eyes. Large round ears, set vertically, very mobile. Vibrissae are long, hind legs Shortish, wide foot. The last wart of the hind foot is round, like in mice. Nipple 8.
Quills grow on the back, similar to the needles of a hedgehog; on the lower part, white or gray fur grows, similar in structure to that of a rat. The tail is hairless, scaly, and very brittle. The foot is wide. Her fingers are not reduced.
Rostrum relatively shortened and narrowed. Wide and rounded skull with large interparietal bone. The incisive foramina are long, continuing between the rows of teeth. On the sides of the interorbital space and on the sides of the brain capsule there are well-defined, convex comb-like edges. The lower edge of the angular process oss. dentale strongly bent inward. The teeth are generally similar to those of rats, without a significant decrease in M3.
In mature males, the fur is longer and forms a kind of mane on the neck. Spiny mice have virtually no smell.
Color: needles are pale yellow, reddish or gray-brown. Young animals are paler in color than adults.
Size: body length 7-17 cm, tail - 5-12 cm.
Weight: 40-90 g.
Lifespan: up to 3 years.
Habitat: rocky landscapes, barren deserts, savannas and rocky outcrops.
Behavior: During the day, spiny mice hide in holes where they wait out the heat of the day. They dig holes themselves or use the holes of other rodents (sometimes termite mounds). Active at dusk and dawn. They are very clean, always brush their fur, and go to the toilet in a strictly defined place. They climb trees well.
When the spiny mouse is threatened, it raises its spines to appear larger, hoping to scare away the enemy.
They are very mobile and active - they can run up to 15 kilometers per day.
In established groups, mice never conflict (even over food), they look after each other (clean their fur), sleep together, and the females jointly care for the cubs and help during childbirth.
Feed: They eat plant foods (grasses, grains, plants) and arthropods (snails, insects). Eating succulent food, spiny mice do not depend on the availability of water sources.
Social structure : Spiny mice are social animals that live in small groups. The leader of the group is the alpha female. Males also have their own hierarchy. Males are more susceptible to being bitten (59% of cases) than females (41%). Most often, mice bite each other's tail (63%), back (11%) and neck (12%).
Reproduction: The female is in estrus for 4-5 days.
Before giving birth, the female does not leave the group, but gives birth in it. The remaining sexually mature females help her during childbirth and feed the cubs. If the cubs are in danger, the female spiny mouse carries them on herself to another nest. The female has six point-like nipples; the males have no nipples. The sexes can be distinguished at an early age.
The more cubs in the litter, the less developed they are. A female can give birth several times a year.
Breeding season: February-September.
Pregnancy: lasts 38-42 days.
Puberty: 2-4 months (in males, maturation occurs at the age of seven weeks).
Offspring: Most babies are born between 4-8 am. Typically, a female gives birth to 2-5 cubs (weight about 7 grams), which are very well developed: with open eyes and ears, overgrown with fur, developed thermoregulation, capable of moving and feeding independently. The babies are born with soft quills. At about two months of age, the cubs molt and acquire adult colors, but they continue to grow until they are 6 months old.
Benefit/harm for people: People often keep spiny mice as pets.
Population: spiny mice are widespread throughout their range.
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The needle mouse belongs to the mouse family of the rodent genus. This is a small animal with a length of 7 to 13 centimeters, which today pet lovers are happy to have.
Distinctive features
The needle mouse differs from its relatives by its large eyes and round ears. Her back is covered with small needles, thanks to which she somewhat resembles a hedgehog. The color of these animals is pale yellow or reddish brown. Less common is the dark gray spiny mouse. Photos of this animal bring pleasure to lovers of domestic animals.
Adult males are different from females. They have long fur, and even have the appearance of a lion's mane on their necks. A unique feature that the needle mouse has is regeneration. When threatened, they shed their skin. Afterwards, 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 new, full-fledged skin grows.
Where do mice live?
The needle mouse considers Saudi Arabia, as well as the islands of Crete, Cyprus and northern Africa, to be its homeland. It was in these territories that these animals originally bred. In nature, there are several species of such rodents, but most often in captivity you can find the Cairo variety of needle mouse. She lives in a hole, which she usually digs herself. Although it can also take advantage of a dwelling abandoned by another rodent, if it comes across one.
The period of activity of these animals occurs in the early morning and late evening. This is a sociable creature that necessarily lives in a group with relatives. Great as a pet.
These animals are kept at home in a small metal cage or in a terrarium behind glass. Such a dwelling must have a wide bottom and low sides. The top can be covered with a mesh. When choosing a house for a mouse, be sure to remember that it is a rodent, so gnawing through a wooden floor is not difficult for it. Many other materials may also be damaged, and an animal may crawl into a narrow gap, end up in the wild, and then cause damage to many things already in your apartment.
Place at the bottom of the cage a large number of shavings or finely chopped paper. Install a small house in which the mouse can sleep, stable feeders and a drinking bowl that it cannot tip over. Come up with various play equipment for her or buy at the pet store. This is a very active animal. A running wheel, various branches, ladders and shelters are suitable.
It is better to install the cage near the wall. Since the mouse can be susceptible 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
The 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 drinking bowl. If you decide that a needle mouse will live in your home, its maintenance and care play a huge role. Change the animal's bedding several times a week.
These are very shy rodents, so it is not advisable for a cat or dog to live in the house with a mouse. In addition, the animal does not immediately get used to humans. Be prepared that it will take some time to establish contact. Be sure to equip the animal’s cage with a shelter in which it can easily hide at any time. At first it will be in great demand.
This is a herd animal. Therefore, either buy several needle-like relatives at once, or pay a lot of attention to playing and caring for your pet. Mice love to play with small balls, chew wooden blocks and other toys. Just make sure that wooden objects that a mouse can chew on do not contain paint or varnish residues. Otherwise, your pet may develop serious health problems.
When cleaning the cage and pouring food, especially at first, avoid sudden movements, which can scare a mouse. Try not to talk loudly, gradually accustoming your pet to your voice. Needle mice are quite smart and after a short period of time they will even be able to respond to the nickname you give, and greet the owner with a joyful squeak.
What do mice eat?
The diet of mice is very varied. They can be fed various grains, seeds, cottage cheese, boiled egg whites, and, of course, they love cheese. Don't forget to pamper your pet. The delicacies of needle mice include fruits, berries and bread. Make sure that your pet’s diet regularly contains all the necessary minerals and vitamins.
If desired, you can purchase special food for rodents at pet stores containing the necessary substances. It is very important to keep your spiny mouse healthy. Feeding should also include twigs fruit trees. With their help, rodents sharpen their teeth. True, many plants can be poisonous to them. These are hemlock, celandine, lilies of the valley, fern, wild rosemary. Make sure that they do not get into your pet's diet.
Breeding mice
Like all rodents, mice are very fertile. So don't be surprised if your pets start breeding all year round. Given favorable living conditions and stable nutrition, this is not surprising. They can reproduce offspring as early as one month of age. In her house, the female builds a small nest in which the babies are born. The needle mouse traditionally uses hay, paper, twigs and various rags as materials for this shelter. Reproduction occurs especially actively in the first year and a half of adult life.
Mice are born at night, and one litter can contain from 5 to 10 pups. They are born naked, weighing no more than two grams and a body length of a maximum 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 quickly, after 5 days they weigh twice as much as at birth. After two weeks they begin to see, after three they are able to feed on their own. Maternal instincts in needle mice manifest themselves very clearly; they protect their cubs and carefully look after them. Remember, newborn mice cannot be picked up. The 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 quickly become tamed. If there is not enough communication with a person, then they can quickly go wild. The animals are very shy and can even die from fright, so they should be treated with care and concern.
Akomis (spiny mouse) is a representative of the mouse family, belonging to the subfamily of rodents. Occupies the territory of Asia, Africa, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Crete. This animal relatively recently began to take up space pet among some exotic lovers and is not as popular as or. However, quite quickly the spiny mouse began to be treated as a familiar household inhabitant.
Description of the spiny mouse
The spiny mouse has the same appearance just like an ordinary rodent. It reaches a length of 7 to 12 cm, has a small, narrow muzzle with round ears and large black eyes. The animal has fairly coarse fur, the shade of which can vary from reddish-fawn to golden sand. The spiny mouse got its name because of the needles located on its back, which are the same color as the fur, making them almost invisible. However, if they have a shade darker than the main one, they stand out noticeably and look quite beautiful.
Many zoologists still do not explain why the spiny mouse needs needles, since it does not use them as protection.
Spiny mouse or not?
If, when purchasing an animal, you are given a mouse that does not have spines, it means that they are trying to sell you a completely different representative of the mouse family. Regardless of the sellers' arguments regarding the further appearance of needles, this animal is not a spiny mouse. Most likely, they are trying to sell you a Cairo mouse, which previously occupied a place of honor among exotic pets.
Such representatives live in Egypt and occupy the same niche there as the familiar domestic mice. In some advertisements on the Internet, sellers write in the description that the Cairo mouse and the spiny mouse are the same species. However, this is not at all the case, since they are completely different types mouse family.
Akomis in the natural environment
Akomis spiny mice occupy territories of dry savannas and semi-deserts, which are located in Africa, as well as in Pakistan and Iran. It is common for animals to dig holes for themselves, or hide in crevices in rocky areas. However, they may well occupy a termite mound or someone else's hole. Akomis are active in the dark, so you should take this factor into account before getting such a pet.
Housing Features
A spiny mouse, the maintenance of which requires certain conditions, will feel best in a cage with a hard bottom and cells of 1 x 1 cm, or even smaller. The dimensions of an akomis’s home should be at least 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.6 m, but for several individuals it is best to get a cage with a size of 0.9 x 0.3 x 0.4 m.
For flooring, you can use pieces of white paper, sawdust or dry leaves. To provide comfortable conditions for your pet, you need to place branches of deciduous trees in the cage, on which the mice will grind their constantly growing teeth. You also need to place a stable feeder, a convenient drinking bowl and a mineral stone intended for rodents.
The following should be placed inside the cage:
- pipes,
- ladders,
- shelves,
- stones,
as well as various toys that must be washed at least once every seven days.
It is necessary to provide the pet with a house, in the form of a jar with an exit from both sides, in which it will sleep and also produce offspring. Material for building a nest can be toilet paper, hay or straw. Vata should be excluded; there is a high probability of deterioration in the pet’s health due to intestinal blockage.
Acomis care
Every day you need to get rid of food debris and debris accumulated in the cage, and you also need to wash the feeder and drinking bowl. The flooring is changed several times over 7 days. The spiny mouse is a very clean animal, which tends to go to the toilet in the same place, and, therefore, there is practically no unpleasant odor from it. You can also use an aquarium as a home, but it is worth considering that cleaning will be more difficult than in a cage, and there may also be problems with proper ventilation and humidity in the pet’s home.
Since akomis are very active in the dark, they can disturb their owners with extraneous sounds and rustling.
If breeding spiny mice is not planned, it is best to keep several individuals, preferably males, since they are much calmer than the female representatives.
If babies are born, they should be transplanted into an aquarium, since akomis begin to move from the first days of life, and accordingly they can escape from the cage. Spine mice are most active in the early morning and late evening. During the daytime, these representatives of rodents prefer to relax in the house. One more distinctive feature Akomis is their ability to sleep without closing their eyes.
The tail of a spiny mouse can break off when a dangerous situation or impact occurs, just like a lizard. However, a new one does not grow back, therefore, you should not try to grab the pet by the tail, or put a rodent wheel in its cage.
Feeding the spiny mouse
The diet of the spiny mouse is quite varied, since it prefers almost any food. At home, you should feed your pet:
- watermelon and pumpkin seeds,
- cereal seeds, such as oats or wheat,
- fruits,
- vegetables,
- pieces of bread.
Females bearing offspring should be fed with cottage cheese and eggs. The spiny mouse also prefers insects, but you need to exclude domestic ones, since akomis can get poisoned. If the diet contains a large amount of juicy food, water may not be given.
It is very convenient to feed akomis, like many small rodents, with canned crickets. Whole canned house crickets have recently become available for sale. When harvesting, they are treated with steam, without the use of chemicals or other preservatives. The contents of the jar do not contain any jelly or liquid, only a natural product. House crickets contain a lot of protein, iron, calcium, 9 amino acids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, chitin, and oligosaccharides. They contain little fat, which means you can offer this food to your pet with virtually no restrictions. Mice eat exactly as much as they need. You can familiarize yourself with the product in more detail and place an order without leaving your home.
Reproduction process
Once they reach the age of seven weeks, spiny mice are capable of producing offspring. Once every one and a half months, babies will be born, in the amount of 2 pieces. The female will feed the cubs for 2 weeks. Juveniles are born covered with gray fur and with open eyes. The babies grow up to 6 months, but if there are enough of them in the aquarium, they can fight, so the female can eat the baby. To prevent this outcome, babies should be separated from adults 2-3 weeks after birth.
In their natural environment, akomis live for 3 years, but at home they can live up to 8 years.
Taming Features
The Akomis spiny mouse is excellent for taming. However, you should not immediately try to pick her up; you should first feed her by hand. After your pet gets used to your presence, you can try putting it on your hand and letting it walk around there. You should not pick up a spiny mouse by the tail, as it may break. After a certain period of time, your pet will completely get used to you, and you can easily take it into your hands.
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