Thames Valley Rodents

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Famous for the elaborate ball nests they build in the wild, the harvest mouse also referred to as the European dwarf or pygmy mouse, is as its name suggests is one of the smallest rodents in the world. Harvest mice occur naturally through out Europe as well as in the more central parts of Asia.

As a species they are almost constantly on the go being active throughout the day and night, taking short and regular breaks for sleep at random times. They are avid climbers and in the wild will spend much of their time above the ground utilising their prehensile tails like a fifth limb. This should be taken into account when setting up their captive living environment.

They are a highly social species and should never be kept individually. Although they are small and handling should be avoided unless absolutely necessary these diminutive little rodents rarely bite when handled.

Housing:

Don’t even try to keep these mice in a cage, as it just won’t work! The best and safest for of accommodation is a plastic tank or glass aquarium with a very fine mesh lid the will both retain the occupants of the cage and provide good ventilation. As this species is largely arboreal furnish their tank with plenty of branches, twigs and sturdy grass stalks that allow them to clamber and climb naturally. Wood shavings or good quality bird sand can be used as substrate and make sure that there is always some hay present for them to nibble and make nests out of. I always make sure that my harvest mice have a flower pot or a tennis ball with a hole cut in it suspended from the top of the tank in which the construct the classic nests for which the species is famous

Feeding:

The best form of diet is that which mimics what they would find in the wild.

Plenty of small seeds such as panicum and red millets, hemp seeds, sunflower and safflower seeds, Niger seeds and flaked peas and maize should make up the staple diet of these mice. Along side this, a small quantity of rodent mix can be given as well as a few dried cat biscuits for added protein. Although in the wild this species doesn’t drink heavily they should always have a bottle present – due to their high metabolic rate they will deteriorate and die very rapidly if left with out water for even a short period of time.

The life expectancy of a harvest mouse is around a year and a half to two years and they weigh approximately 7 grams when fully grown and they are sexually mature at six to eight weeks of age. Gestation period is around 21 days and the average litter consists of around five young.