StoryBooks Pocket Pets

The African Pygmy Mouse, (Mus munitions) is possibly the smallest of all rodents and one of the smallest mammals. It is widespread within sub-Saharan Africa, and is kept as a pet in other parts of the world. Like the common House Mouse, it is a member of the enormous super family Muroidea, which includes about 1000 different species.
Grey to brick-red overall, it is pale on the underside and has small but prominent triangular ears. Adults are between 30 and 80 mm long with a 20 to 40 mm tail, and weigh from 3 to 12 grams.
African Pygmy Mice are very social creatures and like to live in colonies, usually one male to several females. Pygmies reach breeding age at about 6 to 8 weeks. Pregnancy lasts for around 20 days and the litter of about 3 young is born blind and hairless. Their eyes open after 2 weeks, and weaning is complete after 4 weeks. The lifespan is about 2 years, although individual specimens have been reported to live over 4 years in captivity.
The African Pygmy mouse has a unique trait. It stacks pebbles in front of its burrow. Overnight the pebbles gather dew and in the morning the pygmy mouse drinks the dew on the pebbles. After that it retires back to its den.

 Feeding African Pygmy Mice, Pygmy mice do best with a diet of Parakeet, Canary/Finch seeds.

Like Humming Birds, Pygmy Mice have a high metabolism and need plenty of food available at all times. Supplement your pets' diet with fruits, vegetables, nuts (shelled) and sunflower seeds. Breeding groups need to have extra protein which can be provided by giving them high quality dry Kitten food or puppy food.

*Because of their size, a ball bearing water bottle cannot be used. Your new pet is not big enough to push the ball and get water. It's recommended a test tube water bottle found in bigger pet stores works quite well since there is no need to move anything to get water. With a dish you maybe risking the mice drowning.

<~ Test Tube Bottle

African Pygmy Housing, You will need a tank the Pygmy's can easily maneuver around but can't escape. A 5 gallon tank is the minimum size recommended for TWO. *Think 5 gallons for every two Pygmies. Pygmies are quite small and excellent jumpers. They can jump as high as 18". The standard 10 gallon tank is 12" high. The basic rule is one gallon per adult Mouse. A tight fitting screen cover with secure clips is a must. They can squeeze through very small spaces to escape so cages aren't suitable. They love tree branches that can be found in the bird or reptile section of your pet store. They also love mini roller nests, small hamster houses, a clay flower pot, or anything they can make their Pygmy village out of =) Pygmy Mice are sensitive to temperature change. Keeping a small reptile light over their tank in the winter is a good idea. Even a desk top lamp works well. They are so small they can chill quickly. A good temperature is 70 degree's or higher.

Pygmy Village

*Breeders research and findings.

 

There is a little Pygmy in the flower pot 

Pygmy in a Coconut 

Last is my Pygmy Village

• Small Hamster houses, or hamster fruit or veggie hidaways.
• Small roller nests
• Coconut shells
• Small Clay flower pots
• Small reptile replica stone caves
• Small finch or canary bird houses

*Note* No Pine shavings or wood shavings for these guys. Regular fancy mice do poorly on it as it is. Their skin is easily irritated and looks oily. Mice also tend to scratch more when on pine, aspen, or any wood. Above all Cedar is the worst thing for the critters. I'm not sure why they still allow wood shavings for small animals? They all for some reason make the animals react to it whether their eyes get junky or noses congested and the result  is an upper respitory infection. Pups are at risk when on it because of the infection of the dust in their lungs.