Information about Multimammate Mice – African Soft Furred Rats

I love my African Soft Furred Rats (ASF's). However, it is hard to find any information about them apart from they are good for snake food as breed prolifically.

Multimammate Mice – Soft Furred African Rats

• Originally from Africa.
• Natural habitat is forests or deserts.
• Lives for up to three years.
• Omnivorous – eats a complete rodent food supplemented by meal worms, fruit, vegetables.
• Larger than a normal mouse but a lot smaller than normal rats. Head and body is about 15cm with the tail about 11cm. An adult weighs about 60g.
• Coloured brown or brown/white combinations.
• They have large litters of babies – females have 18 nipples! Hence the name multimammate.
• Due to breeding fast, they are often used as snake food and for research purposes. :(
• Communal animal and love the company of other mice.
• There is a clear pecking order in a community of mice. This alters when a member dies.
• Normal mice can be introduced, and live communally with multimammate mice. The two types of mice can’t breed.
• Not domesticated but can be tamed to some degree.
• They love to nest, climb, gnaw, investigate, play and run around. They are very inquisitive.
• They are very fast moving! So not suitable for children to handle but great for watching.
• Can be destructive and gnaw through things fast including wood.
• Very active but sleep during the day.