The dormouse family
There are many different kinds of dormice. They're all nocturnal.
During late summer most dormouse species tend to eat a lot to increase their layer of fat to survive hibernation. They sleep all winter in a curled-up, circular position and wake up in the spring to breed. The african pygmy dormouse do not enter true hibernation but they do go through periods of inactivity. There are some endangered species of dormice. At www.redlist.org you can find out which ones are threatened.
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The ancient romans liked the dormouse, but not as a pet, but as dinner on special occasions.
They weren't hunted, but actually bred to become as big and fat as possible.
The european dormouse Glis Glis was most often used, hence it's name the Edible Dormouse.
It is twice as big as the african pygmy dormouse and is becoming more and more popular as a pet in many countries.
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In Japan there's the Japaneese dormouse Glirulus Japonicus.
It's easy to recognize, it has a dark stripe along it's back.
The population of the Japaneese dormouse has been heavily reduced in the wild in the last decade and is now facing a very high risk of extinction in the near future.
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This is a hazel dormouse, found in the south of Sweden.
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