General Care
I keep pairs in 10-15gal aquariums and provide them with tubes, hideaways and branches to keep themselves busy. Each pair has a standard wooden finch nest box which they seem to appreciate. I keep a reptile heating pad made for 2-5gal tanks under their nest box for extra warmth. They seem to be more inclined to breed when added warmth is provided in this fashion. The bedding I use is aspen, which is low on dust on easy on the respiratory tract.
The dietary needs of dormice are different from the average mouse or hamster. They do require a certain amount of seed mix, but they also need a variety of vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, as well as some extra protein and calcium. To make sure all the dietary requirements are met to keep my animals in top condition for breeding I feed a mix of the following: gourmet large parrot mix (provides seed, nuts and some dried fruit and veggies), a parrot fruit and nut treat mix (great variety of dried fruit and nuts), rodent blocks (excellent source of nutrition for most rodents), kitten kibble (for extra calcium and protein) and a few dried mealworms (protein). About once a week they get some fresh fruit or veggies, usually seedless grapes, carrot, apple or broccoli. I've found that they seem to prefer a water dish to a bottle.
Breeding
Healthy pups start with healthy parents, which is why it is so important to make sure that breeding animals are maintained in top condition through proper diet and care. All of my breeding pairs are unrelated to one another. Inbreeding is not a sound practice and I do not recommend it to prospective breeders. Inbreeding degrades the immune system of the offspring, making them more prone to disease and over generations steadily decreases life expectancy.
I have found that if left together, the pair will breed continuously, the females becoming pregnant again within 24 hours of giving birth. For this reason I remove males from pregnant females, as having one litter after another causes too much stress to the female and is a health risk. I also allow a one to two month rest period for the females from the time of weaning their last litter to the time of re-pairing them with their mate.
Raising the Pups
The pups, when born, are left undisturbed for the first two weeks in their nest. From the day their eyes open, which is usually at 14 days old, they are handled for a few minutes each day. This gets them accustomed to humans and to being handled so they will not be fearful of their owners upon being adopted. I wean pups at 5 weeks old, when they are moved to a weaning tank and handled more regularly. I try and handle them only under dimmed lights, as they have very sensitive eyes. Fleeing from a bright light can sometimes be mistaken for a fear response.
