Information on the care of dormice is difficult to find, so I have listed all that I have learned about dormice from research and experience.
Dormice are incredibly adorable creatures, but being exotics, they are only semi-social. If you are looking for a pet that will greet you at the cage door, than you are definitely going to want to consider another creature, such as the domestic rat. Even when dormice are bonded to you, they still generally scamper off to hide when you go to get them out of their cage. Dormice are rather small, about the size of an adult mouse when grown, and have easy maintenance.
Bonding: When initially introducing yourself, it is better to get them used to your scent rather than trying to force socialization onto them. This is done by placing them in your shirt pocket for at least half an hour per day (if not longer). Not only does keeping them in your pocket get them used to your scent, but it also trains them to think of your pocket as their safety zone that they can scurry into when alarmed. After the beginning week of keeping them in your shirt pocket for that half an hour or so, you can begin to handle them in short spurts before placing them back into your pocket. Once they bond to you, they will think of you as their personal tree to climb on at will, and your pocket their "nest". Dormice are nocturnal and are handled best during the day in dim lighting when beginning the bonding process. Being incredibly speedy, it is also best to begin handling them in an enclosed area where you are able to catch them easier should they get away, such as a restroom.
Habitat: The best housing arrangements would be in an aquarium or terrarium as they are generally able to slip through wire cages (yes, even the ones for hampsters/mice that are found at local pet shops). Branches, bird toys, toilet paper rolls (tunnels), and wheels are necessities to provide them with objects to play on as they are incredibly energetic and vivacious. They also need a thick layer of bedding to tunnel through and nest in. I use Aspen bedding, and CareFresh bedding on the occasions that I run out of Aspen. I am uncertain if this holds true with dormice, but pine and cedar are toxic to several of the rodentia species and I am unwilling to take any risks.
Diet: My dormice get a diet of seed mix and lab blocks specifically formulated for rats/mice, Can O' Worms, Can O' Crickets (all of which can be found at your local pet shop, just ask) , and Bugs & Berries and Supreme Blend (from Animals Exotique website). The lab blocks and seed mix are left for free feeding at all times in a bowl at the bottom of their habitat. The rest of their diet alternates as dormice enjoy variety. They love to get the Supreme Blend, which has a sticky texture, off of their topmost branch. I suppose it gives them a challenge. A small sized water bottle works wonderfully and they are able to get water out of the nozzle, which is a concern for several smaller species.
Socialism: Dormice are incredibly social animals that live in large colonies of up to fifteen in the wild , and require interaction with their own species to thrive, just as we humans do. Dormice are best kept in same sex pairs as, more often than not, breeding pairs tend to not make good pets. Female dormice reach sexual maturity at 16 weeks of age, and males at 18 weeks. Gestation lasts for around 28 days before the arrival of between two to five kits. Kits are to remain with their mother for between six to eight weeks of age before weaning.
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