How to Care for Egyptian Spiny Mice
If you are looking for a pet mouse that is very clean, odorless, extremely curious and entertaining to watch, the Egyptian spiny mouse could be the critter for you. This breed of mouse originates, not surprisingly, from Egypt and gets its name due to the appearance and texture of the hair on its back, which can be quite bristle-like. While spiny mice share some common features with the traditional hamster, there are also important differences pet owners need to be aware of before acquiring.
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Things You'll Need
- Glass aquarium with lid fasteners Water bottle Food dish Running wheel Nest house Assorted small animal toys and tubes Traditional hamster food mix Rolled oats Timothy hay Low-fat, dry dog or cat food Lab blocks for mice
Instructions
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Locating Spiny Mice
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While hamsters can be found for sale in almost any pet store, spiny mice are a little harder to find. As with any animal, one of the best places to start your search is your local shelter or the pet adoption site Petfinder.com. If you want to buy directly from a breeder, you can find one by going through a national association, such as the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association.
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If you do happen upon some spiny mice in a traditional pet store, the same health checks that apply to all animals apply to these guys. Look for unhealthy, overcrowding situations, nice coat and clear eyes.
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Unlike the Syrian hamster, spiny mice are extremely social and need to live in same sex pairs of two or more. But, make sure that the mice have already lived together. If you try to pair two spiny mice that have never met before you are likely to end up with fighting cagemates that have to be separated.
Preparing a New Home for Spiny Mice
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Having the proper housing environment is extremely important. As with other small animals, spiny mice are susceptible to extreme changes in temperature and, for that reason, glass aquariums seem to make the best environment. Plus, they are more escape-proof than the traditional hamster habitats on the market, especially if you add metal lid clips to the aquarium top. Find a quiet spot in your home to place the tank, away from windows and direct sunlight.
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The tank should be equipped with safe bedding materials like Carefresh, a hideaway house, water bottle, food dish, hamster wheel and some other items to climb on and run through. Spiny mice are very active and the more items they can explore and crawl through, the better.
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The diet of a spiny mouse is much more detailed than that of a hamster. In addition to hamster feed, they require lab blocks designed for mice, low-fat dog or cat food for protein, small amounts of timothy hay and rolled oats. Mealworms are also a favorite treat, as are crickets and hard boiled eggs. Fed a few times per week, they all offer extra sources of protein.
Enjoying Your New Pets
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Spiny mice are one exotic pet that, with the right amount of patience and attention, can be hand tamed, particularly if you start interacting with them at an early age. Rather than invade their space, a safe way to introduce them to your hand is to scoop them out of their tank using some tubing first and then place them on your hand. Make sure your hands are free from any food odors or they may nip at them.
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Despite the fact that spiny mice should always be raised in pairs, there are times when a single spiny is in need of a home and is too mature to be safely introduced to a cage mate. These mice still make great pets (mine certainly does!) and live long, healthy lives. Daily interaction with their owner is even more important to the loner mouse, and should continue to slowly introduce your hand to them until they are comfortable jumping right in.
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Spiny mice are nocturnal, which means they are most active in the evening. Watching them run in their wheels can be a very amusing form of nighttime entertainment, considering the speed they gather. You can also offer them some of the various chew toy items on the market for small animals and see whether they start to play with it right away or hide it away someplace in their cage for later enjoyment.
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Tips & Warnings
The size of the tank you use should be proportionate to the number of spiny mice you intend to house. A 10-gallon aquarium is OK for one or even two spiny mice, but it doesn't hurt to give them even more room to run and play in a larger tank.
Never try to pick up Egyptian spiny mice by the tail. Unlike other rodents, like fancy mice and gerbils, who have sturdy tails, the tail of a spiny is very brittle and can break off easily. Once gone, it will never grow back. Forget running wheels made of metal bars. Instead, choose a running wheel that has a solid base all the way around to avoid limb and tail injuries. Spiny mice are prone to obesity, so while it might be fun to watch them gobble up the various small animal treats on the market, it's in their best interest to only give these to them as a rare treat. Spiny mice are very fast, so try your best to avoid escapes!
