Care Guide Reference

Acasia Rat
Thallomys paedulucus
Africa

The Acacia Rat is as easy to keep as any other Semi exotic rodent.

Ideal caging would be a tall all wire cage ½ meter x ½ meter x 1meter tall.

They particularly enjoy climbing and foraging so include plenty of branches.

Mine have a nest box which is always used. I have found that a budgie style box is ideal. The most important thing that I have found is that it is important that it can be cleaned easily.

Acacia Rats have a habit of storing everything in their nest box regardless of whether or not they are going to eat it. I found a particularly nasty mess last year during the autumn when I came to cleaning them out .the fruit had all rotted and a large culture of fruit flies had matured and were filling the room!

They like to chew so it is important that they cannot chew out. They do have quiet sharp teeth as I found out when one bit into my knuckle.

So far mine have produced three babies each time as singles. The first baby disappeared and I suspect that it found its way through the 2.2 cm x 1 cm mesh (they now have 1cm x 1cm mesh)

When they are born the babies attach themselves to the mother’s nipple and hang on really well. On several occasions the female was bouncing around the cage with baby attached.

As for feeding I feed mine a varied diet consisting of a staple rodent diet in to which I mix a few sunflower seeds and monkey nuts I also offer meal worms which are eaten with great relish. Every day a selection of fresh fruit and vegetable s are offered and they seem to enjoy the majority of it.

They can be quiet jumpy so great care must be taken when cleaning out. I cannot handle mine as I said before they do bite "hard"

The Acacia Rats are maintained at room temperature, which seems fine.

I have read that they are able to be kept as a colony, which is at this time slowly building up.

Written by Stevie B