African Pygmy Mouse

About

African Pygmy Mouse
An African pygmy mouse compared to a human hand.
Background Information
Alternate Name(s)	Sub-Saharan pygmy mouse
Population	Unknown
Population Trend	Unknown
IUCN Status	Least Concern
Range	Sub-Saharan Africa, Cape of Good Hope, likely much of eastern Africa.
Classification
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Rodentia
Family	Muridae
Genus	Mus
Species	M. minutoides

The African pygmy mouse (Mus minutoides) is a tiny species of rodent native to regions of sub-Saharan Africa and a very popular exotic pet worldwide. African pygmy mice are light tan to dark gold in colour and even sometimes vary even more drastically in fur colour being red or even greyish blue. Typically they have pink or brown limbs and tails and the underbelly of the mouse is typically white or cream coloured. African pygmy mice have short soft fur as well as rounded ears and dark eyes. They have bare pink noses, characteristic of most rodent species. Ranging from 30-80mm (1.2-3.1in) in length, with a 15-40 mm (0.59-1.57 in) tail, and weigh from 2 to 12 g (0.071 to 0.423 oz). The African pygmy mouse is one of the smallest mammal species.

Diet

African pygmy mice are omnivorous in the wild, usually feeding on grains, fruits and other plant matter as well as occasional insects. Some populations in Eswatini and South Africa also eat foliage. Captive mice are typically fed a similar yet altered diet, consuming the same grains and fruits but also eating bird seed mixes and sometimes even small portions of dog kibble.

Conservation Status

Though the African pygmy mouse has been assessed by the IUCN as least concern. African pygmy mice are well spread throughout their range and are speculated to be in stable numbers. They are not particularly threatened by human activity in their wild range. African pygmy mice have been known to cannibalise each other, so a wide variety of foods and frequent feeding is recommended.

Range and Population

The distribution of the African pygmy mouse, with the gold representing its extant range and the green representing where it is probably extant.

The African pygmy mouse inhabits a wide range which stretches from southern South Africa along the Cape of Good Hope all the way north to northern Malawi and Zambia. The species has been noted as abundant and common and occurs mostly in arid areas such as grasslands, savannas, shrublands and woodlands. They have also been found in proximity to river systems and are frequently found throughout farmlands and suburban areas. The population of the African pygmy mouse is though to be large and stable in numbers.

Behaviour

African pygmy mice are very sociable rodents, living in large groups and nesting together in underground chambered burrows. The species is a very prolific breeder, individuals reaching sexual maturity after just 6-8 weeks. The gestation period for the species is an average of 20 days however, populations in southern Nigeria have exhibited periods of up to 24 days. There is no established breeding season, with breeding occurring year round however, most breeding occurs in the wet season.

Relationship with Humans

African pygmy mice are popularly kept as pets worldwide. It is advised that a pygmy mouse should not be handled at all under most circumstances due to its size and fragility. Prolonged or rough handling can result in eternal damages. When startled, the African pygmy mouse is known to jump up to 50cm (19.9in) in height and so, it is recommended that they should only be housed in lidded tanks. As a social species, the African pygmy mouse can not be kept alone and is much more commonly kept in pairs or small manageable colonies. Males are noted to be more aggressive than females and so precaution should be taken when they are housed together.

In Captivity

A captive African pygmy mouse.

No significant zoos currently exhibit African pygmy mice, mostly due to their low conservational value however, exotic pet owners worldwide own these mice. African pygmy mice make for low stakes exotic pets that are very easy to take care of for new pet owners, this has lead to them becoming very popular pets internationally. They are the most prolifically kept dwarf mouse species.

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