How long does a needle mouse live. Spiny mouse. Description of the appearance of the spiny mouse - Akomis

Systematics

Russian name - Spiny mouse, akomis

Latin name - Acomys cahirinus

English name - Cairo spiny mouse

Class - Mammals (Mammalia)

Order - Rodents (Rodentia)

Family - Mouse (Muridae)

Genus - Spiny mice (Acomys)

In the genus of spiny mice, taxonomists distinguish 3 subgenera and about 20 species.

The status of the species in nature

The view in nature is common.

View and person

Animals often settle near people, in houses. Hobbyists often keep spiny mice at home, as they are easy to care for and breed well in captivity. They are also bred in laboratories.

Distribution and habitats

Spiny mice are distributed almost throughout Africa, Arabia and the Middle East. They live in savannas and semi-deserts, inhabit rocky outcrops, sometimes occupy termite mounds. Burrows serve as shelters; often use the burrows of other rodents.

Appearance

Appearance is typically murine. Body length 7-12.5 cm, tail 6-12.5 cm, weight 11-90 g. The muzzle is elongated with large beady eyes and a rather large nose in the middle of a magnificent mustache fan. Ears are large and rounded. The tail is almost hairless. The foot is wide. The back is covered with hair with a predominance of stiff bristles of pale yellow, reddish-black, red or dark gray, the ventral side is covered with soft white hair.

A feature of these mice is the extreme "fragility" of the tail, which easily breaks off when the animal enters the paws of a predator, just as it happens in lizards. However, unlike lizards, the tail does not grow back, so the mouse can save his life in this way only once. In spiny mice, the skin is several times less durable than that of other members of the mouse family. If you grab the skin, then a piece of skin comes off, and a scar does not form at the site of the wound, as is usually the case in mammals, but complete regeneration occurs. First, epithelial cells migrate to the surface of the wound, and then an accumulation of embryonic-like cells forms under them, from which full-fledged hair follicles grow.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Active at dusk, at night they also periodically leave their burrows. These are terrestrial animals, but often climb trees well.

Animals are social and live in groups. A colony of spiny mice is formed from one pair, strangers are expelled.

Diet and feeding behavior

Spiny mice are omnivores, but prefer plant foods, especially grains of cereals.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

The breeding season lasts from February to September. The duration of pregnancy is about 42 days, which is significantly longer than in other types of mice. Therefore, the cubs are born more developed - immediately in the fur, the eyes open on the very first day. They weigh about 7 grams at birth. There are from one to five cubs in a litter, on average 3.

The mother feeds the babies for 2 weeks. Sometimes the female can carry the mice on herself to another nest if they are in danger. Spiny mice are very caring mothers and are fiercely protective of their babies. Therefore, even to a completely tame female, if she has cubs, you should not put your hands into the nest - it will bite painfully.

Young mice become adults at the age of several weeks.

Lifespan

In captivity, they live for about 3 years, but there were cases when the animals lived up to 5 years. In nature, of course, less, because they are the object of hunting for many predators.

History of Life at the Zoo

You can look at spiny mice in the Night World pavilion in the Old Territory of the zoo, in an aviary where they are kept together with Cape striders. For mice, there is a specially created slide with numerous entrances and exits that lead to burrows. A large group of mice lives in the aviary. At times, females show aggression towards males, such males become outcasts, settle in the far part of the enclosure, and they have to be removed.

Spiny mice are not difficult to keep in a zoo and breed well in captivity. Spiny mice live in the Moscow Zoo for more than 20 years.

The daily diet of spiny mice includes oats, millet, chopped fruits and vegetables, wheat bread, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, insects, chicken eggs, vitamin and mineral supplements.

Acomis (spiny mouse) is a representative of the mouse family belonging to the subfamily of rodents. It occupies the territory of Asia, Africa, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Crete. This animal relatively recently began to take the place of a pet among some exotic lovers and is not as popular as or. However, rather quickly, the spiny mouse began to be treated as a familiar home inhabitant.

Description of the spiny mouse

The spiny mouse has the same appearance as a normal 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 a rather coarse coat, the shade of which can vary from reddish-fawn to golden-sandy. The spiny mouse got its name because of the needles located on the back, which have the same color as the wool, making them almost invisible. However, if they have a shade darker than the main one, then 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 a defense.

Spiny mouse or not?

If during the acquisition of the animal they give you a mouse that has no spines, then they are trying to slip you a completely different representative of the mouse family. Regardless of the arguments of the sellers about 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 an honorable place among exotic pets.

Such representatives live on the territory of Egypt and occupy the same niche there as the domestic mice that are familiar to us. In some ads on the Internet, sellers write in the description that the cairo and spiny mice are the same species. However, this is not at all the case, since they are completely different species of the mouse family.

Akomis in their natural environment

Acomis spiny mice occupy the territories of dry savannahs 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 at night, so this factor should be taken into account before having such a pet.

Housing Features

A spiny mouse, which requires some maintenance, will do best in a cage with a hard bottom and cells of 1 x 1 cm, or even smaller. The dimensions of the akomis housing should be at least 0.4x0.4x0.6 m, but for several individuals it is best to get a cage with a size of 0.9x0.3x0.4 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 hardwood tree branches in the cage, on which the mice will grind their constantly growing teeth. You also need to place a stable feeder, a convenient drinker and a mineral stone intended for rodents.

Inside the cage should be placed:

• pipes,
• stairs,
• 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 he will sleep, and also produce offspring into the world. The material for building a nest can be toilet paper, hay or straw. Vata should be excluded, there is a high probability of a deterioration in the health of the pet due to blockage of the intestines.

Akomis Care

Every day you need to get rid of the remnants of food and debris that have accumulated in the cage, and it is also necessary to wash the feeders and drinkers. 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 smell from it. An aquarium can also be used as housing, 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 female representatives.

In the event of the birth of babies, they should be transplanted into an aquarium, since the akomis begin to move from the first days of life, respectively, they can escape from the cage. Spiny mice are most active in the early morning and late evening. In the daytime, these representatives of rodents prefer to relax in the house. Another distinguishing feature of 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, the new one does not grow back, therefore, one should not try to grab the pet by the tail, or put a wheel for rodents in its cage.

Feeding the spiny mouse

The diet of the spiny mouse is quite varied, as it prefers almost any food. At home, you should feed your pet:

• watermelon and pumpkin seeds,
• seeds of cereal crops, such as oats or wheat,
• fruit,
• vegetables,
• slices of bread.

Females bearing offspring should be fed with cottage cheese and eggs. Also, the spiny mouse prefers insects, only domestic ones need to be excluded, since akomis can get poisoned. If the diet contains a large amount of succulent food, water can be omitted.

It is very convenient to feed akomis, as well as many small rodents, with canned crickets. Recently, whole canned house crickets have appeared on the market. When harvesting, they are treated with steam, without the use of chemicals and other preservatives. The contents of the can do not contain any jellies or liquids, only a natural product. House crickets contain a lot of protein, iron, calcium, 9 amino acids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, chitin, oligosaccharides. They contain little fat, which means that you can offer such food to your pet with virtually no restrictions. Mice eat exactly as much as they need. You can get acquainted with the goods in more detail, and place an order without leaving your home.

breeding process

Having reached the age of seven weeks, spiny mice are able to produce offspring. Once in a month and a half, babies will be born, in the amount of 2 pieces. The female will feed the cubs for 2 weeks. Juveniles are born with gray hair and open eyes. The cubs grow up to 6 months old, but if there are enough of them in the aquarium, they can fight, so the female can eat the cub. In order to prevent such an outcome, babies should be separated from adults by a special one 2-3 weeks after birth.

In the natural environment, akomis live for 3 years, but at home they can live up to 8 years.

Taming Features

Akomis spiny mouse is excellent for taming. However, you should not immediately try to take it in your hands, you should first feed from your hand. After the pet gets used to your presence, you can try to put it on your hand and let it walk there. You can not take a spiny mouse by the tail, as it can break. After a certain period of time, your pet will completely get used to you, and you can easily take it in your hands.

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Acomis spiny mice- mammals of the order of rodents. They owe their generic name "spiny" to the needles that cover the back of the animal.

Akomis live in the wild, but due to their exotic appearance and convenience in content, acomis became favorite domestic rodents, along with, and.

Distribution and habitat of akomis

Habitat spiny akomis extensive - these are the countries of the Middle East (mainly Saudi Arabia), the hot lands of Africa, the islands of Crete and Cyprus.

Favorite habitats are deserts, rocky areas of savannahs and canyons. Akomis are social animals, they prefer to live in groups, helping and protecting each member of the settlement. Burrows, usually left after other rodents, are used as housing and shelter. But they are quite capable of digging their own housing.

They are active at night or early in the morning. In search of food, they often approach people's homes, and even settle in minks under houses. One such settlement can bring significant harm to the crops that a person grows.

Akomis Features

On the photo akomisa similar to ordinary mice - an elongated muzzle with a mustache, black beady eyes, large round ears and a long bald tail. The coat color also does not surprise with the brightness of colors: from sand to brown or red.

But there is one detail in the appearance of akomis that strikes at first sight - a lot of needles flaunt on the back of the rodent! An amazing animal that has collected the unique features of several animal species:

Akomis have very dense hair on the back, resembling hedgehog spines.

Back akomis mice covered with needles, like . With the only difference - the needles of the rodent are false. They are bundles of hard bristles. This is a kind of protection against predators. Having eaten such a “hedgehog”, the toothy beast will suffer for a long time from an irritated throat and intestines;

Likewise, akomis "shed" their tail. But amphibians are in a more advantageous situation here - their tail grows again. The mouse, once parting with him, will no longer be able to return him;

Just like cats of the breed, akomis are non-allergic animals. This feature has become one of the main reasons for breeding spiny mice at home. Unlike other rodents, akomis are odorless;

The only mammal, along with from a person capable of tissue regeneration and restoration of hair follicles. There are no scars on the skin of the animal - epithelial cells move to the site of the wound and completely restore the functionality of the damaged area.

Care and maintenance of akomis at home

Spiny mice are not whimsical in the conditions of detention. If you follow a few simple tips, the animal will feel great far from the wild, and you will be touched by watching the rough activity of the little fidget.

In their natural environment, spiny mice live in groups. In order not to disturb the natural way of life, buy akomis Better not one, but at least two.

It is better to start two or more acomis

If you plan to breed rodents, then you need to choose pets in different stores to prevent mating relatives. Offspring from such "blood ties" are distinguished by reduced immunity and a tendency to disease.

Before you go shopping, you need to prepare your future home. An aquarium with a fine mesh lid is ideal. Do not skimp on its volume, as akomis like to run a lot and climb various stairs, slides, hollow logs.

Spinning the wheel is one of the animal's favorite pastimes. It should be solid, without joints and cracks. This choice is due to the special fragility of the akomis tail. It breaks easily or comes off completely. Be very careful when handling your pet. Try not to touch his tail, and in any case do not pull on him.

The bottom of the aquarium is covered with torn newspapers or sawdust. Spiny mice will be happy with a cardboard house in which they can relax and raise offspring. To maintain the balance of calcium, hang a mineral stone for rodents in the aquarium.

By reviews, acomis very clean. They immediately choose a corner for themselves where they will pee their needs, and do not dirty the rest of the territory. General cleaning of the aquarium should be carried out two to three times a month.

To temporarily remove the mouse, it is better to use a plastic glass, driving the animal there, and then cover it with your palm on top. So you eliminate the injury of the tail and do not scare the animal.

Nutrition

Akomis love plant foods, but sometimes they are not averse to eating protein-rich insects: or bloodworms.

You can replace such food with any kind of nuts. Leave a few pieces in the shell, this will help the mouse grind off the ever-growing incisors. You can also replenish the protein with boiled eggs or cottage cheese.

Remarkably fit into the diet and cereal mixture. It can be diluted with dried fruits and dandelion greens. They love mice and gnaw on tree branches. On sale it is easy to find a balanced dry food for rodents. It is rich in micro and macro elements important for the healthy development of the animal.

Do not feed fatty, smoked, or salty foods to akomis. This also includes cheese. Make sure that the container with clean water is always full, and the remains of organic food do not rot in the aquarium.

Reproduction and lifespan

It is quite simple to distinguish a female akomis from a male - you need to turn the animal upside down. If you see nipples, it's a female. If the tummy is smooth - in front of you is a male. Do not put a female and two males in the same aquarium. A stronger individual can bite an opponent.

The female brings offspring several times a year. The pregnancy lasts six weeks. For one birth, a newly-made mother produces from one to three cubs. Babies are born with open eyes and are able to move on their own.

Akomis are very caring towards each other. If there are many animals in the aquarium, more experienced females will help in childbirth and take part in caring for the young. Within a month, the mother feeds the mice with her milk. After four months, akomis reach sexual maturity.

How long do akomis live depends on the conditions of existence. In the wild, it is 3-4 years; if kept at home, the animal can live up to 7 years.

Fans of the exotic are of great interest to an unusual animal from the order Rodents - the spiny mouse. Due to the fact that this animal is unpretentious in food, does not have an unpleasant smell, is easily tamed, it is often kept as a pet.

Description

This small animal from the Mouse family (from 7 to 17 cm in size) has other names - akomis, a spiny Egyptian mouse. The weight of even adults does not exceed 50 g. The unusualness of these animals lies in the hairline, which on the back is real needles. The rest of the body is covered with soft hairs of a sandy or brown color, only the abdomen and breast are lighter, sometimes completely white. In adult males, the fur on the head is longer, which creates a kind of mane.

On a narrow muzzle there are black beads of eyes and rather long vibrissae, with the help of which the animal easily orients itself in space. Rounded, very mobile ears are set high. On short paws, a wide foot stands out. The tail has almost the same length as the body, and resembles a rat. It is very fragile, often breaks and in the wild helps to save the life of the animal, which dumps it at the moment of danger.

The spiny mouse (photo can be viewed on the page) lives from 3 to 8 years, depending on the conditions of detention.

Places of distribution

The homeland of these animals is Saudi Arabia, Africa, the islands of Crete and Cyprus, Western Asia. Savannah and semi-desert, dominated by rocky and sandy areas, are their favorite terrain. Akomis (spiny mouse) arranges nests in rock crevices, among stones, sometimes occupies holes of other rodents.

As pets, animals are very common today around the world.

life in nature

These animals hide from enemies mainly in shelters, but in the absence of such they flee. Despite its short legs, the mouse can run up to 15 km per day. If the situation is hopeless, and there is no way to escape, the animal tries to scare off the enemy by spreading its needles, which makes it seem larger than it actually is.

Akomis live in groups, each of them is headed by a female. There are practically no conflicts between members of the same community. Mice show amazing care for relatives, raising cubs together and caring for each other. Mothers are able to feed other people's babies left orphans. Such instincts help animals survive in the harsh conditions of semi-deserts. does not like heat, so he leads an active life mainly at night.

Constant communication with these amazing animals makes them quite tame. Recently, mice are very often kept as pets. Given that they live in families, it is recommended to always have several animals, where there would be at least 2 females per male. Otherwise, the annoying boyfriend will not give rest to his only chosen one. It is impossible to keep several males together with females at the same time, because fights will arise between them, as a result of which the animals can cripple or even kill the weaker one.

Otherwise, spiny mice feel great at home, and there are no particular difficulties with them. But to ensure the safety and comfortable living of the pet, you will need a specially equipped house.

home improvement

When choosing a metal cage as a dwelling for rodents, it is necessary that the size of its cells be no more than 1 x 1 cm. An important condition for a comfortable living of akomis is the surface area. To do this, all kinds of shelves, ladders, snags, etc. are placed in their home. To satisfy the need for these animals to move, it is necessary to install a wheel. It must be firmly attached, have solid solid walls to prevent injury to the fragile tail. Wheel diameter - at least 13 cm.

Several jars with two exits are also placed in the cage for arranging the nest and breeding. One of the most important conditions is the absence of plastic items. Mice can easily gnaw on them, swallowing pieces, which will lead to injury. To grind the incisors put small wooden blocks or tree branches.

Various materials are used as bedding - sawdust, sand, straw, dry leaves, moss. The spiny mouse is a very clean animal, equipping its toilet in one particular place. Therefore, it is usually necessary to change the bedding no more than three times a week.

The cage should always have a feeder and a drinking bowl with water. For this purpose, thick ceramic dishes are suitable, which the animals cannot overturn. Once a week, all items in the cage are washed with warm water and soap. The place for the dwelling of mice is chosen away from heaters and sunlight. Drafts should also be avoided. The most comfortable temperature for animals is 25-27 ⁰С, humidity is 30-35%.

Feeding

Spiny mice are omnivorous and completely unpretentious in food. Their content therefore does not cause trouble, although it is better to diversify the diet. It is based on cereals - millet, oats, barley, wheat. Occasionally, you can pamper your pet with seeds, nuts, treat with berries, pieces of fruit or vegetables.

Akomis need animal protein, so once a week they are given either grasshoppers. A substitute for such a delicacy is cottage cheese, yogurt, boiled egg protein, boiled chicken or liver. All this is required in small quantities. Everyone knows the love of representatives of this family for cheese, but it is not recommended to give it to small pets, because this product contains components that are harmful to them - salt and various preservatives. They are contraindicated in any spicy or fatty foods.

The source of calcium, which the spiny mouse also needs, is crushed eggshells. In pet stores, you can buy special mineral stones designed for rodents, activated charcoal and vitamin sticks. You just need to consult with your veterinarian first.

Food in the feeder should be constantly, because the metabolic processes in animals proceed quite quickly. It is only important to ensure that it does not stale and does not deteriorate. The water needs to be changed daily, and the cleanliness of the feeder should also be monitored.

reproduction

From the age of three months, akomis are already considered sexually mature. 42 days after mating, the female gives birth to cubs whose weight is no more than 6 g. Usually there are from 1 to 3, but sometimes 5 babies happen in a litter. They differ from newborns in that they are completely independent. From the first day, a small spiny mouse can do without parents (photo below).

It looks a little different than decorative tribesmen - the body is covered with wool, soft needles on the back, the head is large, and the legs are long. The main difference is that the eyes of newborn mice are open. Babies try to walk right away. They are able to independently maintain body temperature, so they do not experience much need for maternal warmth. However, the female feeds on milk for another three weeks. She, in turn, takes care of the cubs, carefully licks them.

At the age of one month, babies are separated from their mother into a general group of animals. Young animals are not kept completely separately, because this subsequently causes mental disorders and leads to the fact that mice lack the ability to communicate with their own kind.

Behavioral features

The spiny mouse is a nocturnal animal. She is most active at night. When purchasing such a pet, you need to be prepared for the fact that rustling, squeaking and other sounds will be heard at night. During the day, the animal may not even appear, resting in a mink. The spiny mouse has an amazing ability to sleep with open eyes.

You can not take a spiny mouse by the tail - it is very brittle, and the animal can easily part with it. This also happens in case of danger. It is no coincidence that these animals with acquired short tails are often found in nature.

Character

Spiny mice do best in a group. They are absolutely not aggressive, very sociable. They help each other in grooming, the females raise offspring together.

Akomis do not get along well with other pets - they are always prey for cats, dogs and even birds. It is not worth the risk, letting the animals out for a walk, it is better to provide them with a spacious and safe home. If there is a cat in the house, the pallet must be properly protected, and a strong carabiner must be made on the cage.

For young children, close contact with mice can result in bites, and the pets themselves are at risk of injury. Therefore, the cage must be placed in an inaccessible place and securely closed. Only children over 6 years old who know how to handle animals can be trusted with pets such as spiny mice. Care, which consists in feeding, cleaning the cage, at this age the child is already quite capable.

Taming

Lack of communication quickly leads to mice running wild. They have a highly excitable nervous system and are capable of dying of fright in a number of cases - when they are suddenly picked up, as well as from loud and sharp sounds. It is necessary to accustom animals to humans from childhood, only this must be done very carefully, to show maximum care and attention. As a result, mice can even recognize their owner by smell, respond to the name and calmly come to hand.

Diseases

In general, akomis (spiny mice) have fairly good health. How many animals live at home depends on the quality of care for them. The maximum age that these pets can reach is 8 years. Unlike other rodents, they are less likely to suffer from problems such as various types of tumors. Of non-communicable diseases, obesity, metabolic disorders, otitis media, vitamin deficiency are most common. Improper feeding can lead to diseases of the digestive system.

Due to the unusual appearance of spiny mice, their amazing cleanliness and lack of smell, characteristic of many rodents, more and more people choose them as pets.