Do they make good pets
and how do I tame them?
Sweden has very strict laws when it comes to keeping exotic animals in captivity. The african pygmy dormouse is not an endangered species and may be kept as a pet. They make excellent pets and are easy to take care of and are not very expensive. You can leave these pets unattended for several days as long as you provide them with plenty of dry food and fresh water. If you'll be away longer of course you must arrange for someone to replenish the animals' food and water.
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It is possible to make the dormouse hand tame. It is easier when they are very young (three weeks is ideal) but if you have a lot of patience and never give up you can also tame an adult. The dormouse is very friendly by nature but even though they are very curious they can be a little timid. You must always start by gaining the animals' trust. You can just hold your hand in the tank with a raisin or some other treat in your palm. They will probably come greeting you after a short while, since they can't resist anything sweet. Then you can begin to pet them after a while. Be calm and make no sudden movements even if they nibble your fingers. They will soon be comfortable sitting in your hand. Spend some time with them every day to keep them tame. One way is feeding them from the palm of your hand several times a week. Be careful when handling them, because they are very quick and can easily jump off your hand. If they escape they are quite difficult to catch. A tip is to try to lure them into a paper roll if this happens. Do not try to lift the dormouse by its tail because it might drop it and it will never grow back again. The dormouse might bite you if it's scared, but that rarely causes bleeding.
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When they become more comfortable with you handling them then they will love to climb up your arms and hide in your clothes or in your hair. Even though they are incredibly cute and have soft and cuddly fur I wouldn't recommend them as pets for small children. Dormice are small and tender and don't like to sit on your lap to be petted. Parents need to supervise their children while handling the pets.
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Many dormice owners never tame their animals and it isn't really necessary. Set them up in a visually attractive enclosure. It's a true pleasure watching them race around in their cage. Mind that they are only awake at night, so put up a lamp with a red light bulb over the tank. There are some advantages with taming your dormice though. If your dormouse needs some kind of medical care or just a medical exam, it will make a visit to the vets a lot easier. It will also come handy when cleaning the tank.
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