Appearance
The dormouse got its name from the french word "dormir" which means "to sleep". Despite their name they are not mice at all.
They look like small squirrels or chinchillas with their big black eyes and bushy tail.
Their ears move around frequently, independently from each other.
The african pygmy dormouse measures 10-12 cm including the tail. The tail is approximately as long as the animal itself.
The fur is grey or grey with a brown tone with a light undercoat. It's very soft and dense.
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Dormice are excellent climbers and can even hang upside down without difficulties.
Their feet can turn totally backwards. The pygmy dormouse has five digits on their hindlegs and four digits on their front paws and an undeveloped thumb.
Just like other rodents the dormouse's teeth grow throughout their liftime.
Gnawing on twigs and branches, to keep the teeth from growing too long, comes naturally for these animals.
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