# African Pygmy Dormice & Set-up



## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi,
I have a 30 x 30 x 30 exo-terra with 2 APD's and I never see them!! My hubby has seen them occasionally when he's gone in the room in the middle of the night, and when the light goes on, you don't see them for dust!! I know that they are nocturnal, but not hiding to this degree. I thought they might settle down after travelling, but they are the same now as they were then. Anyway, at the mo they are in a nesting box that I can't open, and I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas for me to get them to come out a bit more and maybe stay out for a short while...
I'm new to these so any advice would be great thanks. Netti xx


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

stick a few mealies in, that should get them out! our old ones used to love them!

we had 3 males n they were always out. They died though n now we have a new pair, again like you we never see them at all!! can handle them though so if we wanna see them we can just get them out


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> stick a few mealies in, that should get them out! our old ones used to love them!
> 
> we had 3 males n they were always out. They died though n now we have a new pair, again like you we never see them at all!! can handle them though so if we wanna see them we can just get them out


Tried that one, we have also tried caterpillars, they love them as they are all gone in the morning, but they won't come out in the day for them or even as dusk. :whistling2:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

It seems to be down to character I'm afraid (

I find more dominant APD are quite active and up and about throughout the day and night in short bursts. If you have a shy APD, it is possible to virtually never see it! 

There isn't much you can do because they need their hidey places so unless you can devise something that you can see into you might not see much of your dormice! 

If you are up for sitting up in the night to watch them you could always use an infra red light : victory:


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> It seems to be down to character I'm afraid (
> 
> I find more dominant APD are quite active and up and about throughout the day and night in short bursts. If you have a shy APD, it is possible to virtually never see it!
> 
> ...


oh oh oh could you not put one of them hide thingys you get for lizards that attach to the side of the tank in there so you can see in n see them? you knwo what i mean?


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> oh oh oh could you not put one of them hide thingys you get for lizards that attach to the side of the tank in there so you can see in n see them? you knwo what i mean?


Kinda. You mean those resin things with a tunnel system inside? and just use half of it?


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> oh oh oh could you not put one of them hide thingys you get for lizards that attach to the side of the tank in there so you can see in n see them? you knwo what i mean?


No hun, I'm not with you, can you possibly find a piccy of one and get back to me with the web address????
Netti xx


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Exo-Terra Reptile Den, Terrarium Tunnel System

If thats not the one you mean Cat it would still be good LOL


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> Exo-Terra Reptile Den, Terrarium Tunnel System
> 
> If thats not the one you mean Cat it would still be good LOL


 
yeah thats the one caz

netty, you put it up against the glass so you can see inside, that way you might see your apd if you use one of these instead of the other hides you have in there


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> yeah thats the one caz
> 
> netty, you put it up against the glass so you can see inside, that way you might see your apd if you use one of these instead of the other hides you have in there


Great :2thumb: that solves one of my problems, the only other one I have is to get them out of the one that they are in and get to them before they go back in!!!:bash:
Netti xx


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## shelby (Oct 11, 2005)

i have too off these and i'v had them for about five mnths and i have only seen them twice i hear them but when i get up too take a peep their gone id like to no their sex i no their the same as no babies. i'd love to no a trick to catch them.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

shelby said:


> i have too off these and i'v had them for about five mnths and i have only seen them twice i hear them but when i get up too take a peep their gone id like to no their sex i no their the same as no babies. i'd love to no a trick to catch them.


Whatever you do, do not catch them by the tail!

The best way is to trap them in a container then if you are confident enough, grasp the skin on the back and turn the dormouse upside down. Then you will be able to tell the sex easily at their age.

If you are not confident enough or you are worried about losing them, just catch them in a jar or clear container and you can see underneath them through the glass. Males have an obvious bulge so you don't need to look too close.


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

*Apd*



Pouchie said:


> Whatever you do, do not catch them by the tail!
> 
> The best way is to trap them in a container then if you are confident enough, grasp the skin on the back and turn the dormouse upside down. Then you will be able to tell the sex easily at their age.
> 
> If you are not confident enough or you are worried about losing them, just catch them in a jar or clear container and you can see underneath them through the glass. Males have an obvious bulge so you don't need to look too close.


That's great Pouchie, :2thumb:but how doI get them out to catch them to check the sexes?????:devil: As they are in a hide that is a bird house that can't be opened...SILLY ME!!!!


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Nutty_Netti said:


> That's great Pouchie, :2thumb:but how doI get them out to catch them to check the sexes?????:devil: As they are in a hide that is a bird house that can't be opened...SILLY ME!!!!


:lol2: You could tip them out. Turn the box upside down and shake gently. You need to get a different kind of bird box. The ones I use for my APD have a glass panel that slides on and off the one end followed by a wooden panel which serves to block out the light.

I could try to get you a couple but not sure when I will be going to the place again. I get them from the cash and carry where I get all my pet supplies but its the one in Coventry that do these, not Birmingham :bash:

They are only a couple of quid too. 

I'll let you know if I can find them online or something : victory:


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

Pouchie said:


> :lol2: You could tip them out. Turn the box upside down and shake gently. You need to get a different kind of bird box. The ones I use for my APD have a glass panel that slides on and off the one end followed by a wooden panel which serves to block out the light.
> 
> I could try to get you a couple but not sure when I will be going to the place again. I get them from the cash and carry where I get all my pet supplies but its the one in Coventry that do these, not Birmingham :bash:
> 
> ...


Thanks love, that would be great :2thumb:....I will obviousy pay you + postage if you manage to get any.....
In the meantime, I have one of them sill hamster house things, might just try that for now.....


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## PURPLEGOTH666 (Feb 6, 2008)

I have a small group of 4 apds that i was given several months ago i was told at the time that they are shy and nocturnal and you almost never see them,i set them up in a tank with two bird boxes,cardboard tubes,branches and log tunnels and almost every night at 9pm they are out chasing each other around eating their seed mix or the fruit and they are in my lounge room,any sudden movement or load noise and they dash back to their hidey holes for a few mins then they are back out again


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## chrism (Jul 5, 2007)

Hey,

Will try and help a bit here. 

Firstly, would say knowing how active they are a 30x30 is small for them. Mine are in a 24x15x15 and use all of it, and am now thinking about an upgrade as they are so active.

With the suggestion of the reptile style cave system, I doubt they'd use it unless you had a removable piece of cardboard on the outside, as otherwise it would be too exposed.

Finally, give them time, but sit by the tank every night, with a small light the other end of the room, or a red torch.
Mine used to hide every time I went in the room. They'll know sit out eating etc with me there watching with a torch on.

As with some reptiles, the more bolt holes they have, the braver they are. I have milk crate panels on 3 walls, and lots of cardboard tubes rammed in between them. As they always have somewhere they can dart and hide, then seem to be out loads more.

Hope that helps.

Chris


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

chrism said:


> Hey,
> 
> Will try and help a bit here.
> 
> ...


 
Thats a great point about bolt holes. I have seen that they use all the space provided too. I think if you put them in a 10ft square enclosure they would race around the whole thing :2thumb:

However, if they happen to be a breeding pair, I would suggest leaving them in the 30x30. Whatever size you do give, that is their territory which they have to defend and patrol. In a very large enclosure a mummy mouse could feel a little stressed and overwhelmed with the added worry of a litter to protect.


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

Hiya,
A big thanks to chris, pouchie & everyone else with some good ideas there to keep me going. I an going to refurbish their 'domain' this coming week (When all the kids are back at school!!) and give them a bit more to do and more places to hide. The set-up is the same one that they were delivered in, so I just left it at that (Apart from adding the bird box!!).
Thanks again....Netti xx

:lol2:


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## Nutty_Netti (Dec 9, 2008)

*APD Set-up*

You're probably not going to believe me, but I got the measurements of the exo-terra wrong. DOH!!! It is actually a 45 x 45 x 45, so that's better....They said is was a 30 and I just never measured it...DOH AGAIN!!:bash:


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