What does the dormouse animal look like? Squirrel Sonya - the star of Novosibirsk: how a girl saved a wild animal from certain death

A cute animal that looks like a squirrel, a hamster and a red mouse at the same time, and as if from cartoons - this is a hazel dormouse, which is also called a flycatcher. This charming creature protected by law - the species Muscardinus avellanarius is listed in the Red Book. Introducing a small rodent from the dormouse family.

Description of the hazel dormouse

The Mushtrap does not belong to hamsters, squirrels, or mice, which it resembles in appearance, although it is also a rodent. The dormouse family includes animals of different sizes, of which the hazel dormouse is the smallest.

Appearance

This tiny rodent weighs no more than 27 grams as an adult (slightly larger than the average size of a regular mouse). This Weight Limit before hibernation. Only a dormouse, awakened and thin over the winter, weighs only about 15-17 g.

The body of the musky trap is only about 7-9 cm long, not counting the tail, which adds another 6-7 cm. The animal is covered with soft short fur. The coat color is terracotta-red on the back, head and tail, yellowish or whitish on the belly and the inner surface of the paws. The tip of the tail is brown or, conversely, white. Light spots can decorate the chest and abdomen of the animal.

The dormouse's skeleton is capable of shrinking vertically - this allows the animal to curl up into a small ball, take up very little space and squeeze into narrow crevices. The paws are relatively long, flexible, tenacious mobile fingers are clearly visible, also light in color. 4 fingers have the same length, and the fifth, spaced perpendicularly, is slightly smaller.

This is interesting! When a dormouse jumps along branches, its hands unfold almost at right angles.

Sonya has a rounded muzzle with a small pink nose, around which grow very large whiskers, almost half the length of the body. The ears are small, slightly flattened and rounded, they move like locators, each ear separately. The eyes are round, slightly convex, large, shiny black. It has very sharp incisors for gnawing through hard nut shells, but practically does not use them for biting.

Hazel dormouse lifestyle

The animal is named dormouse partly because it spends most of the day in hibernation, being active only at night. Dormouses also sleep in winter (from October to April) in underground burrows. Thus, more than half of the flycatcher's life is spent sleeping.

Attention! When the animal is sleeping, you can pick it up and it will not wake up. Sonya doesn't like it low temperature, if suddenly in the middle of the heat there is a cold snap to 17 degrees or lower, they can sleep for several days in a row.

At night, dormice crawl out of their shelters and look for food, climbing the branches of bushes, which helps them a lot. little weight and strong flexible legs. They jump from branch to branch like miniature squirrels.

They are trusting and friendly creatures that are easy to tame and can be easily kept at home, like hamsters. These animals were especially popular in Victorian England; in books there are often references to children caring for them. Today there are clubs for dormouse lovers, enthusiasts - those who are not deterred night look the lives of these animals - new hybrid breeds are bred.

Hazel dormouse nests

The animals make comfortable nests for sleeping, which are insulated with moss, wood shavings, leaves, and feathers. The place for a dormouse's "day" can be:

hollow;
hole under the roots;
a hole under an old stump;
a nest made independently from grass, suspended at a height of 1-2 m;
a bird's nest, empty or one from which a rodent has evicted its rightful owners.

If the sleepyhead was unable to find or make a home for itself from natural materials, it is not averse to taking advantage of the fruits of human hands: curling up in an old tin can or an abandoned car tire. They can take over an empty birdhouse or live in the attic. One dormouse can have several places to spend its days at once. For hibernation, dormice build a special wintering nest - underground or between the roots of trees. They try to insulate it as much as possible and close the entrance.

To breed offspring, females build a spacious maternity nest, trying to place it at some height from the ground. It is two-layer: the outer shell is made of foliage, and the inner “capsule” is made of the softest materials available to the dormouse - feathers, down, chopped grass.

Lifespan

IN wildlife Dormice do not live long, 2-3 years. As pet can live longer, up to 7-8 years. Cause short life in the wild there are no dangers at all, but mainly temperature fluctuations and environmental troubles. Many animals freeze during hibernation (up to 70% according to data from the Moscow region).

Range, habitats

Dormice do not like to travel, occupying their own territory, separate for each individual. Females do not violate the unwritten boundaries of their territories up to approximately half a hectare, and males cross their territory up to twice as large larger area. The animals meet each other briefly, only during the mating season.

To settle, dormouse choose places with generous undergrowth, preferably hazel (hence the epithet “hazel” in the name of the dormouse). Thickets of rosehip, viburnum, rowan, young oak, linden, and ash are perfect for her life. Dormice settle in orchards, without harming them at all, on the contrary, promoting better pollination. Coniferous forests They like it less, unless they come across a clearing with their favorite fruit bushes.

The dormouse's habitat is quite wide: the animals live throughout Europe, right up to the southern regions of Sweden and Great Britain. You won't find dormouse in Spain and Portugal - it's too hot for them on the Iberian Peninsula. In Russia, dormouse live in forest areas Volga region, Dnieper region and Ciscaucasia.

Diet of hazel dormouse

The hazel dormouse is primarily a vegetarian. She eats nuts, acorns, seeds, which is why it is important that in her habitat the fruits ripen at different time. IN warm days early spring the Musktrap is not averse to eating young buds and shoots, and in the summer it will eat with pleasure fresh fruits and berries.

If a rodent manages to find bird eggs or catch a worm, it will not refuse protein food. The animal is especially fond of nuts, which is why the dormouse got its name. Sharp teeth leave characteristic holes on the shell. While eating, the dormouse, like the squirrel, holds food in its front paws.

Sonya is not only a characteristic of a person who loves to sleep, it is also the name of a cute animal, which begs the adjective “kawaii”. As a pet in Lately Sonya confidently pushes aside such stars as chinchilla or dwarf. We will try to understand the peculiarities of keeping this rodent.

What does it look like?

The family Dormouse or Dormice (Gliridae) belongs to the order of rodents. These are mostly small animals, but the body length of the largest species can reach 20 cm. Their tail, as a rule, is slightly shorter than the body. Some species lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle; they are distinguished by a half-naked or naked tail and are very similar in appearance to ordinary mice. Species that prefer life in trees have bushy tails and resemble in appearance. Sometimes these animals are called rat squirrels, but they are completely different from rats. These small rodents are distributed over wide areas. They can be found in Europe, northern Africa, Malaya and Central Asia, V Altai mountains, in Japan. There is also a South African species.

Did you know? The Japanese dormouse is the tiniest in the dormouse family (body size up to 8 cm, weighs about 20 g) and has the ability to run upside down along branches. Feeds mainly on nectar and pollen.

Hazel

Of all the dormouse species, this species is best suited for life in trees. The body length of the animal reaches 15 cm, the tail is fluffy, with a tassel at the end. The animal's fur is red, with an ocher or reddish tint. It is lighter underneath and has a fawn tint. The hazel dormouse prefers deciduous and mixed forests. She usually makes several nests on branches or in hollows. He likes to capture birdhouses, and can expel the birds that occupy them. The diet consists of plant foods: hazelnuts, chestnuts, acorns, beech and linden nuts, berries and fruits. In autumn, when the air temperature drops to +15 °C, the hazel dormouse goes into hibernation, from which it awakens in April or May.

Sadovaya

This type of dormouse can be identified by its pointed muzzle. The length of the animal's body reaches 16 cm. It has a fluffy tail with a tassel at the end, the fur on the upper part of the body is gray or brown, white below, and there is a black stripe from eye to ear. Favorite places The habitats of the garden dormouse are old gardens, parks and deciduous forests. This type It is omnivorous; its representatives, along with a variety of fruits and berries, eat insects, small rodents, chicks, and bird eggs. They prefer to make nests on branches or in tree hollows. Hibernation lasts 5–6 months.

Lesnaya

Externally, this species is similar to the garden dormouse, but is smaller in size. The body length of an adult does not exceed 12 cm. The tail is fluffy, the color of the upper part of the body is brownish or gray, the lower part is light gray or white. The head is decorated with a strip of dark fur that runs from the nose to the ear. Settles in forest dormouse in broadleaf or mixed forests, makes homes in hollows, on branches, in abandoned bird nests. The animal is omnivorous; in addition to plant foods, such as various fruits, nuts, etc., it feeds on insects, destroys bird nests, eating eggs and even chicks. In autumn, hibernation begins, from which the animal emerges at the end of April or May.

Polchok

This species is the largest of all dormouse. It can be mistaken for a small squirrel. The body of the animal can reach 20 cm in length, its tail is fluffy, slightly shorter than the body size. The fur on top can be gray or gray-brown in color, while below the color changes to light gray or white. Dark rings may appear around the eyes. Dormouse loves deciduous and mixed forests. Prefers areas of the forest where there are many wild fruit trees and shrubs with edible fruits (hazelnut, hawthorn, honeysuckle, etc.). As a rule, nests are made in hollows. Sometimes it can build a nest among stones or under fallen trees. It often settles in birdhouses, driving birds out of them. The shelf feeds exclusively on plant foods - fruits, seeds, berries. It goes into hibernation in the fall, awakening only in May, or even in June.

Did you know? Aristotle described the dormouse and the garden dormouse. He called these animals “eleos,” which can be translated from ancient Greek as “beautiful” or “graceful.”

Features of home maintenance

The necessary conditions

A spacious cage, or even better, an aviary, is suitable for keeping this animal. If the size of the enclosure allows, then you can create elements in it natural landscape: line the bottom with moss, place thick branches inside, or even plant fruit bushes in pots. It is necessary to take care in advance about the conditions for hibernation of the animal - put a path in the form of a piece of pipe into the prepared hole.

Important! The cage or enclosure where the animals are kept must be cleaned daily. Disinfection must be carried out periodically. Without these procedures, animals may get sick, and the cage will become a source of unpleasant odor.

Requirements for the cage and its placement

The minimum dimensions of a cage suitable for keeping a dormouse are 50x30x30 cm. It must be made entirely of metal, otherwise a rodent will easily damage it. The best cage shape is rectangular, which is easier to clean. The cage needs to be equipped with an automatic drinking bowl, a feeding trough, and it is advisable to install a running wheel. Sawdust can be used as a filler. When placing a cage with these rodents, it should be taken into account that they are very active at night and the noise they make can interfere with people's sleep. In addition, the cage should be in a place well illuminated by daylight, but it should not be exposed to direct Sun rays. Electrical devices and heating devices should not be placed nearby.

Feeding your pet

The basis of the diet of domestic dormice is plant foods. These are various fruits, nuts, cereals, grains. Animal food should be given periodically: eggs, cottage cheese, boiled meat, insects. Among insects, animals prefer mealworms. Animals eat often and in large quantities, this can even lead to unwanted obesity. However, on the eve of hibernation, extra fat will not hurt the animals.

Caring for dormice is not difficult; you just need to clean the cage every day and feed and water the animals on time. The animals are in good health, but they can also get sick. Signs of the disease are the animal’s refusal to eat, unkempt fur, and apathy. In this case, you need to show your pet to a veterinarian.

Reproduction of dormouse

The reproductive instinct of dormice awakens in the spring, immediately after hibernation ends. Females bear children for 3–4 weeks. From 2 to 10 cubs are born. The feeding period lasts approximately 3 weeks.

Important! Already at the age of 1 month, the cubs become sexually mature; at this age it is better to remove them from their parents. Otherwise, uncontrolled reproduction of animals may begin.

Sonya at home: pros and cons

The benefit of keeping dormouse at home is their good looks and simple rules care The disadvantages can be considered a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle, the need for daily cleaning of the cage and falling into hibernation. As we have seen, the dormouse is quite easy to keep as a pet. These cuties can be a good alternative to such “stars” of zoo corners as chinchillas.

Just look at these cute little orange-brown animals. Although they belong to the rodent family, they are easily distinguished from their cousins by their bushy tail.

Dormouses are nocturnal animals. They hold the palm in terms of sleep duration, carefreely sleeping during the day in a hollow, or a cozy and well-hidden nest. As soon as dusk falls, these funny animals wake up for 2-3 hours to move around and eat. If she smells a predator nearby, she will go back to sleep. Bad weather It is unlikely that the little “sloth” will be able to get out of his hiding place. It’s better to stay warm and dry, even if not completely full.

In autumn, the animals hibernate as a friendly family in underground burrows or hollows. The animals lie on their backs, covering their bellies with their fluffy tails, like a blanket. Dormouses sleep for a long time - up to 8 months. During hibernation, the animal's heart rate slows down and the animal's body temperature drops, which helps conserve energy.

They wake up hungry in the spring and go for food to gain weight and replenish lost energy. Animals are good at climbing trees. They happily eat swollen buds on trees and young green shoots. Dormice feed on a variety of foods: nuts and berries, insects and aphids, and destroy the nests of small birds, feasting on delicious eggs.

The habitat of the animals is Europe (except the North) and Africa. They prefer deciduous and mixed forests. They spend most of their life above the ground, on tree branches.

to his appearance, they are similar to squirrels, only smaller in size. The body length is 7 – 18 cm, and one animal weighs about 50 grams. The tail is quite long, 6–7 cm. The muzzle has small rounded ears, a long mustache, and the eyes are large and round, black. The paws have long toes with sharp claws. The nose is pink-brown. The dormouse's belly and neck are lighter than the main color.

These are territorial animals. The animal's well-developed hearing will let its owner know about encroachments on the property. They are solitary animals, and a pair is created for procreation. Offspring are born 1–3 times a year, depending on the species. After winter sleep, having found each other, the female prepares to become a mother. She looks for a secluded place, then builds a nest, lovingly covering it with down and soft grass.

The pregnancy will last about a month, and the little cubs will be born. Usually there are from 3 to 10 babies in a litter, they are born naked, blind and completely helpless. They will feed on mother's milk for about a month; eyes open only after 2.5 weeks. Mother's care and affection will not last long, after 35 - 40 days, the children should leave native home, and after some time find a suitable territory for yourself. It should be noted the efforts of the father of the family, he also takes care of the offspring.

In the wild, dormice live for about three years.

This funny little animal, so similar to either a squirrel or a hamster, is called the hazel dormouse (lat. Muscardinus avellanarius). She became “Hazelnut” because she lives where there are a lot of different nuts, and she was nicknamed “Sonya” because she likes to take a nap during the day.

This is one of the smallest representatives of the dormouse family. The body length of an adult animal is only 7-9 cm with a weight of 27 g. The tail with a tassel is long, almost equal to the length of the body (6-7.7 cm). It is evenly covered with short, soft hair. U hazel dormouse blunt muzzle with very large vibrissae, the length of which sometimes reaches 40% of the body length. The ears are small and rounded.

The head, back and tail of the animal are buffy-red, sometimes with a reddish tint. The belly and the inside of the legs are yellowish, the chest and lower part of the body are often decorated with white spots. Large and almost round black eyes.

The hazel dormouse lives in Europe and northern Turkey, and can also be seen in southern Sweden and the UK. In general, this cute rodent is quite common for southern Europe, only in hot Spain it is not. In Russia, the little dormouse is extremely rare. If you're lucky, you can spot it in the deciduous and mixed forests of the middle zone.

The main condition for the hazel dormouse to live is the presence of a dense undergrowth of hazel, rowan, rosehip, viburnum, bird cherry and other trees and shrubs that can produce crops at different times of the year. In addition, the timid animal loves it when there are many shelters around in which it can hide from terrible predators.

flickr/kleinsaeuger.at

The hazel dormouse builds several residential nests, placing them in tree hollows or simply on branches at a height of 1-2 meters. On occasion, he willingly occupies birdhouses, nest boxes or titmice, without particularly worrying whether someone already lives there or not. It is mainly small birds that suffer from the tricks of the impudent animal, which are not able to fight back.

The dormouse is a territorial animal, and the personal areas of the females never intersect with each other, while the male's area always passes through several areas of the females.

During daylight hours, the dormouse sleeps in one of its nests. When darkness falls, she goes out in search of food. Interestingly, the animal does not immediately leave the shelter. First, he sticks his muzzle out and quickly moves his whiskers, checking to see if there is anyone suspicious nearby. Then the dormouse goes out to the nearest branch and begins to do her toilet.

Having cleaned himself thoroughly, the hazel dormouse goes to full of dangers night travel. A few hours before dawn, well-fed and satisfied, she returns home. The animal feeds on linden nuts, acorns, nuts, beech and other seeds broadleaf species. In addition, she willingly eats berries, fruits, young spring buds and shoots. Sometimes her diet includes bird eggs.

In winter, the hazel dormouse hibernates. To do this, she makes herself a warm and reliable nest on the ground or underground, using intertwined roots, burrows of other rodents, and sometimes even old tires or cans. Of course, the animal insulates them with tufts of dry grass, feathers, wool and simply chewed leaves. The lifespan of the hazel dormouse in the wild is 2-3 years.

Under natural conditions, the rodent dormouse prefers wooded areas, preferably oak, wild fruit trees or beech. He feeds on the fruits of these trees, and makes a cozy home in their hollows. It does not evoke sympathy among southern farmers, as it harms the grape industry.

Hazel Dormouse

Characteristics of a rodent

There are several types of them, but they are divided into two groups - terrestrial and arboreal. The arboreal ones resemble small ones, while the terrestrial ones are more like mice. All species adapt well to life in captivity, but there is an important requirement - frequent cleaning of the cage is necessary. Although these animals are small, they quickly pollute the home, causing unpleasant odors.

Sonya regiment

Characteristics of the animal:

The nut dormouse (arboreal) has an orange coat, while the dormouse (terrestrial) gray. That's right, squirrel and mouse;
Body length – up to 20 cm. The tail is approximately the same length;
Weight – no more than 100 grams;
Ears are round;
Lifestyle – nocturnal;
Life expectancy is no more than 5 years, but more often no more than 3.

Tree dormouse jump very deftly and are able to fly along treetops up to 10 meters.

Buying a Sony

Buying a rodent dormouse is not difficult; it is a common pet in any pet store. There are probably specialized nurseries, but animals of this class can also be purchased through an advertisement or at the poultry market.

Baby sleepyhead

When you buy, place your hand carefully. Perhaps this individual was caught in the forest, then a bite cannot be avoided. Wild rodents will no longer take root at home, and there is a high probability of becoming infected with all sorts of sores from a bite.

If the animal is simply shy (this is normal), but not aggressive, then this means that it was born at home, which means it will be tame and can be adopted.

The price for an animal starts from 1000 rubles and above.

Even before purchasing an animal, you must prepare a cage for it. Dimensions are approximately 100x200x50 cm, so that there is enough space to install ladders, houses, ropes and other game elements, as in the photo below. You can install a squirrel wheel.

Cell

Sonya is a very active rodent, at first they will be a little scared and hide, but over time they will get used to it, and running up and down with obstacles will be their main entertainment. You shouldn’t let them run around on the floor, it’s difficult to catch them later, but if you’re confident in your abilities, then let them go for a walk.

Round cages are not suitable for rodents; they do not feel well in such cages! Only square or rectangular.

We have already mentioned that they are not very clean, and a couple of times a week, or even more often, you will have to completely clean the cage. It will be necessary to remove the bottom covered with sawdust or sand, wash the rods and all decorative elements.

Rodent nutrition

The diet consists of:

Seeds;
Orekhov;
tree fruits;
Vegetables;
Fruit;
Insects.

Be sure to keep an eye on the sippy cup and change the water to fresh water daily.

Fruit lunch

They are not prone to overeating; you can limit yourself to 40 grams of food per day.

Sometimes, a couple of times a week, you can feed it with bread, various herbs (this is for gray dormouse), or eggs (this is for arboreal dormouse).

Reproduction

Puberty occurs within a month of life. They bear one offspring per year, usually in the spring. Pregnancy lasts a month, and the female gives birth to up to 10 babies. They are a mammal and will drink their mother's milk for up to three weeks. Next is independent nutrition.

Both mother and father participate in raising children; this is a full-fledged family.

It should be noted that in order to guarantee offspring, the animal must hibernate in winter. To do this, you need to equip the cage with a warm house, fill it with dry sawdust, wrap it in rags, and move the cage with the animals to +5 degrees. There they will sleep for 3-4 months, and in the spring there will almost be offspring. Be sure to spend time before and after hibernation Special attention nutrition, it should be varied, healthy and natural.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!