Spiny mouse
Encyclopedia
The term spiny mouse refers to any species
of rodent
within the genus
Acomys. Similar in appearance to mice of the genus Mus
, spiny mice are small mammals with bare, scale
d tail
s. However, their coats are endowed with unusually stiff guard hair
s that function similarly to the spine
s of a hedgehog
; this trait is the source of the common name, spiny mouse.
Despite their similarity to members of the genus Mus, scientists suspect that the African spiny mice may be more closely related to gerbil
s than to common mice.
s in other parts of the world, particularly Western nations such as the United States
. In the pet trade, they are most commonly referred to as Egyptian spiny mice or, more simply, spiny mice. Though these animals are similar to pet mice and rats, the tail of a spiny mouse is much more delicate. Therefore, the spiny mouse should never be picked up by its tail and should be handled with care to avoid a degloving
injury. Their diet is also rather hard to maintain because their bodies have odd reactions to certain foods.
to encourage exercise.
length is between 38 and 42 days. Litters normally consist of 2 to 3 pups, but females may have up to 6 pups in a single litter. Other females within the social group may assist in the birthing process and tend to the newborns. Pups are born with their eyes open; they will begin to leave the nesting area at about 3 days of age. Babies are weaned around 5 to 6 weeks and reach sexual maturity at about 6 to 9 weeks. A female can conceive throughout the year and may produce up to 12 litters in a year. Lifespan for spiny mice is 4 to 7 years. The mother is able to become pregnant right after birth.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
within the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Acomys. Similar in appearance to mice of the genus Mus
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, spiny mice are small mammals with bare, scale
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
d tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
s. However, their coats are endowed with unusually stiff guard hair
Guard hair
Guard hairs are the longest, coarsest hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements. They are often water repellent and stick out above the rest of the coat...
s that function similarly to the spine
Spine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
s of a hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
; this trait is the source of the common name, spiny mouse.
Despite their similarity to members of the genus Mus, scientists suspect that the African spiny mice may be more closely related to gerbil
Gerbil
A gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats...
s than to common mice.
Classification
Genus Acomys - spiny mice- Western Saharan Spiny MouseWestern Saharan Spiny MouseThe Western Saharan Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and possibly in Western Sahara, western Chad and southern Algeria....
, Acomys airensis - Cairo Spiny MouseCairo Spiny MouseThe Cairo Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.Its natural habitats are rocky areas and hot deserts....
, Acomys cahirinus - Chudeau's Spiny MouseChudeau's Spiny MouseChudeau's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Mauritania and Morocco. Its natural habitats are rocky areas and hot deserts....
, Acomys chudeaui - Asia Minor Spiny MouseAsia Minor Spiny MouseThe Asia Minor Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Turkey.Its natural habitat is temperate forests....
, Acomys cilicicus - Grey Spiny Mouse, Acomys cineraceus
- Eastern Spiny Mouse, Acomys dimidiatus
- Fiery Spiny MouseFiery Spiny MouseThe Fiery Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.Its natural habitats are dry savanna and rocky areas....
, Acomys ignitus - Johan's Spiny MouseJohan's Spiny MouseJohan's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo....
, Acomys johannis - Kemp's Spiny MouseKemp's Spiny MouseKemp's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.Its natural habitats are dry savanna and rocky areas....
, Acomys kempi - Louise's Spiny MouseLouise's Spiny MouseLouise's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and rocky areas....
, Acomys louisae - Crete Spiny MouseCrete spiny mouseThe Crete spiny mouse is a threatened species of mouse endemic to Crete. It is characterized by the coarse, stiff hairs on its back and tail and a notably grayer coloration and more pointed face than other species of spiny mice. Its fur color varies from yellow to red, gray or brown on its face...
, Acomys minous - Mullah Spiny MouseMullah Spiny MouseThe Mullah Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and rocky areas....
, Acomys mullah - Acomys muzei
- Cyprus Spiny MouseCyprus Spiny MouseThe Cyprus Spiny Mouse is a little known rodent endemic to Cyprus. These nocturnal animals are generally found in arid areas. After the last reliable record in 1980 no considerable effort has been made until 2007 when four individuals were rediscovered...
, Acomys nesiotes - Acomys ngurui
- Percival's Spiny MousePercival's Spiny MouseThe Percival's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas....
, Acomys percivali - Golden Spiny MouseGolden Spiny Mouse-Introduction:The Golden Spiny Mouse, Acomys russatus, gets its name from the reddish-orange spiny fur that covers it body from head to tail. This coarse, inflexible fur is thought to protect it from predation. Aside from the golden fur that covers its head and upper parts, its flanks are yellow...
, Acomys russatus - Seurat's Spiny MouseSeurat's Spiny MouseSeurat's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Algeria.Its natural habitats are rocky areas and hot deserts....
, Acomys seurati - Southern African Spiny MouseSouthern African Spiny MouseThe Southern African Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Acomys spinosissimus - Cape Spiny MouseCape Spiny MouseThe Cape Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in South Africa.Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and rocky areas....
, Acomys subspinosus - Wilson's Spiny MouseWilson's Spiny MouseWilson's Spiny Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas....
, Acomys wilsoni
Spiny mice as exotic pets
Though African spiny mice originated in the deserts of Africa, they are frequently kept as exotic petExotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
s in other parts of the world, particularly Western nations such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the pet trade, they are most commonly referred to as Egyptian spiny mice or, more simply, spiny mice. Though these animals are similar to pet mice and rats, the tail of a spiny mouse is much more delicate. Therefore, the spiny mouse should never be picked up by its tail and should be handled with care to avoid a degloving
Degloving
A degloving injury is a type of avulsion in which an extensive section of skin is completely torn off the underlying tissue, severing its blood supply. It is named by analogy to the process of removing a glove....
injury. Their diet is also rather hard to maintain because their bodies have odd reactions to certain foods.
Housing
Due to their desert origin, spiny mice thrive at hot temperatures and should be maintained around 27°C (81°F). These animals are very social and should always be housed in groups when possible. As spiny mice are prone to obesity, it is important to provide ample space and environmental enrichmentEnvironmental enrichment
Behavioral enrichment , also called environmental enrichment, is an 'animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological wellbeing'...
to encourage exercise.
Reproduction
GestationGestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
length is between 38 and 42 days. Litters normally consist of 2 to 3 pups, but females may have up to 6 pups in a single litter. Other females within the social group may assist in the birthing process and tend to the newborns. Pups are born with their eyes open; they will begin to leave the nesting area at about 3 days of age. Babies are weaned around 5 to 6 weeks and reach sexual maturity at about 6 to 9 weeks. A female can conceive throughout the year and may produce up to 12 litters in a year. Lifespan for spiny mice is 4 to 7 years. The mother is able to become pregnant right after birth.
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the Asia Minor spiny mouse (Acomys cilicius)
- List of Rodent/Lagomorph Scientific Names - Includes several species of African spiny mouse
- http://www.psychonomic.org/backissues/7077/pbio/vol18-3/PDF/PB015_V18No3.pdf Acomys cahirinus