Zebra Mice
(Lemniscomys barbarus)
Description
Larger then the common pet mouse, but with almost a "wedge" appearance to them, is if they lost their neck and butt when they were created. If you wanted to draw a zebra mouse, draw a tear shape sideways then add stripes, eyes, nose, ears and a long tail.
Diet
They can also be maintained on a diet of
lab blocks, and rat or mouse mix, with bits of fruit or veggies regularly. Cheerios or wheat bread are great treats, in small quantities. Do NOT feed chocolate, fried foods, salted foods, candy or junk food! They may enjoy crickets and mealworms as treats, but never too many.
Vitamins, like Nutri-Cal are a good addition to their diet, and added calcium during nursing and growth due to demands on their systems at those times, but take care not to overdo it. Water bottles are better then bowls, as these little guys love to dig in their bedding, and much of it seems to always end up in the bowl.
Ceramic or stoneware
food dishes work well for keeping seeds or fresh foods off the floor, and a wire mesh hopper that allows the mice to eat the lab blocks through without them falling is also a good idea.
Habitat
Zebra mice absolutely need to have same species companionship, so when you go to buy your mouse, buy his best friend too. If you don't want babies then buy two females or two males, but be sure they are young enough to be introduced safely.
A pair of Zebra mice can be kept in a 10 gallon tank.
A male and his female can be housed together throughout pregnancy, birth, and family raising.
These mice will appreciate multiple "hiding" places such as empty bathroom tissue rolls, cereal boxes, and other cardboard goodies that are often thrown away by mistake.
Wheels, rope ladders, and pvc pipe tunnels, may be welcomed additiond to the mouse cage, and helps them to stay fit.
Bedding should be aspen, paper based, or hay. Try to avoid using cedar or pine.
Special needs
Zebra mice must be kept out of drafts or direct sunlight. They are desert animals, and cold weather can be deadly for them. They like to build enormous, woven nests with only a tiny hole for an opening, so they should have access to plenty of shredded paper, clean straw, or hay.
Personality
Attitude - Shy, secretive, very good jumpers
Tamability - Poor to fair, more of a 'look but don't touch' animal
Trainability - I've never attempted to train them
Activity level - Higher in the evenings, you rarely see them during the day
Vocal - No
Minimum owner's age - 12 (with supervision, and the understanding that they are not 'cuddly' pets)
Reproduction
(This is informtion I've obtained from other sources, but I've had no success breeding them personally)
Lifespan - 2-3 years
Maturity 2 months
Sexual maturity 3-4 months
Receptivity - 3-5 days, post birth
Gestation days 21-25 days
Infants show color pigment at 4-6 days
Infants can be handled at 3-4 weeks, depending on the mother's nature
Infant eyes open at 16 days
Ready to wean at 2 months
Mutations
I'm not aware of any color mutations
Pet Status
Uncommon
Taken from Raven Moons Pets
Wendy
