Wild Zebra Mice

Taxonomy
Marks of identification
Life in the Wild

AREAS OF ZEBRA MOUSE POPULATION

Zebra mice live around the Sahara from Eastern Africa. Plain coloured species live in the areas of Southeast Kenya and Tanzania, while larger spotted species populate Eastern Africa. Smaller spotted species live in Uganda Southwest of Tanzania and Western Kenya. Small striped species have spread to Northern Uganda, Middle and Southeast Kenya, Tanzania and on the banks of Lake Victoria.

Zebra mice live on dry plains and brushwood and on grass and bush savannah and semi-deserts.

WAYS OF LIFE

There are more negative than positive material found on the social habits of this mouse. Many sources claim that the spiny mouse is a hermit (?!!). Density of population is relatively high, some 12 animals per hectare. Especially when the conditions are good, they reproduce in excess. As shelter, zebra mice prefer underground burrows or abandoned termite nests. All species make a roundish nest, in which they carry shredded hay. Sometimes, especially during the autumn, they use leaves to build nests of.

Zebra mice are very timid creatures. They run and climb in the bushes or small trees. Some species thrive on the mountainous areas in the middle of Africa and there have been sightings of zebra mice on 3 km high.

Zebra mice move around during the day and nighttime as well and they go out for short food gathering trips in the morning and evening. When the sun comes up, they "come to life", although they do spend the hottest time of the day in shelter.

In the wild this small rodent has many enemies, like birds of prey, snakes and predators.

FOOD IN THE WILD

The zebra mouse is omnivorous and eats green plants, seeds, moist roots, fruit, leaves and sometimes also insects and other invertebrates. It is a common visitor on crop fields during harvesting and can even become quite a pest.

REPRODUCTION IN THE WILD

Time of reproduction coincides with the rain season. The females have heat cycle of 6 days, the gestation period is 28 days and one couple can produce 21 young in 4 litters and less than 4 months. The common size of a litter is 4 or 5 young, but there have also been sightings of litters with over 12 babies.

Most species construct a nest for the babies in the bushes, slightly above the ground.

Newly born baby weighs 3 grams and it has very thin coat on with the stripes already visible. The eyes open at the age of a week. The animal develops until the age of 5 months, when it should reach its adult weight. They get sexually mature at the age of 2 months, although females do not give birth before they turn a year.

Text by: Lotta Ahlfors & Kaisa Kattilakoski with help from Petri Airasvirta.