Natal Rat

M. coucha and m. natalensis are said to be available on the pet market, however one can assume that these animals are usually mixes of both species.

The seven species are basically indistinguishable; wild natal rats come in brownish, yellow-ish, grey-ish and reddish tones, and their underbellies vary between grey and white. Their preferred habitats are the seasonally dry savannas, bushland and cultivated areas of Africa.
The nocturnal animals usually remain at ground level or just below, building underground tunnels and passages in which they live in large colonies. Away from human settlements they live off grains and seeds, beans, green vegetables and roots, as well as insects and other invertebrates. In short, the natal rat in Africa plays the very part the house mouse plays in Europe!
At the same time, the natal rat is Africa's most despised pest. It is also capable of spreading the plague by carrying plague-infected fleas. In medical research, therefore, the mouse is used for plague research as well as cancer research.

Sometimes they are also called 'multimammate mouse'or 'natal mouse'. This term is linked to the fact that the females have 16 to 22 nipples instead of the usual 10. With a body-length of 10 to 15 cm and a tail of equal length, these mice are rather large so that they are also known by the name of 'multimammate rats'.
Depending on size, build and gender, they reach a weight of 40 to 90 g. With increasing age, the pear-shaped females tend to become even broader, while the males usually stay barrel-shaped throughout their lives.
Selective breeding means that there are now cream-coloured individuals as well as variations of agouti, albino and bi-coloured mice. When comparing them to fancy mice, natal rats have a rounder head and much bigger eyes; look for these characteristics when trying to distinguish natal youngsters from grown up fancy mice.

Natal rats are stubborn and sometimes out-and-out aggressive little creatures that have a much more pronounced tendency to bite than for example fancy mice. The best way to tame them is to handle them a lot as youngsters (from the age of 4 weeks). Taming adult individuals is an almost impossible task. It's best to simply accept them and love them the way they are!
Natal rats aren't cuddly pets and in no way do they make good pets for children. They do however make brilliant pets for people who enjoy observing fascinating animals. One advantage that natal rats have over fancy mice is the lack of unpleasant odour.

Handling natal rats is a tricky subject and depends on the occasion and on the character of your pets. Individuals that are not inclined to bite can be handled just like fancy mice. If in doubt, simply cup your hand around the hindquarters of your pet and move it that way!
At the vet's, friendly natals usually don't put up much resistance. If necessary, they usually can be scruffed without a problem. Take care to get hold of plenty of skin, though, because natal rats who are able to turn their head, are able to bite! Natal rats that are known as 'biters' are best handled using leather gloves as these rodents do have very powerful jaws. It takes some practice to scruff vicious individuals safely. An option for friendly and vicious individuals alike is to immobilise them by scruffing them while at the same time holding them at the base of their tail.
When moving timid mice, this should be done using a box or pet carrier. A visit to the vet may prove problematic as these animals tend to jump aimlessly when startled. Avoid handling the animal unless necessary and observe it through a transparent plastic box/tank instead. If handling the animal in essential, wrap a thick clean towel around it leaving only the injured part of it exposed; this reduces stress as well as the risk of the animal escaping. This method can also be used when administering an injection. Scruffing extremely panicky mice is not recommended as this is an almost impossible task and any attempt to do so would only result in further stress to the animal.
When sexing young and jumpy mice, the best method is to put them in into a transparent box and observe them from below.
Escapees can be caught with a fishing net or a mesh trap.

Natal rats are extremely social animals and must never be kept on their own; pairs and trios are acceptable, larger groups are even better. All-male groups of natals are not nearly as problematic as male fancy mice, however it is a good idea to avoid keeping females of the species in close proximity. Natal rats are very well suited to life in large groups of ten individuals and more. As far as tameness is concerned, there seem to be two strains: One is rather friendly, calm and easy to handle, the other is out-and-out aggressive and has earned the natal rat its bad reputation as a biter!

Cages, aviaries, very large terrariums and converted cupboards and wardrobes with shelving all make suitable housing for natal rats. For a pair of natal rats measurements of 100 x 50 x 70 cm is adequate, a larger group of mice will enjoy more space and owners will enjoy watching their pets climb, jump and play in a fun environment; therefore, for a group of five mice, we recommend measurements of 100 x 50 x 100 cm minimum.
Natals are not very likely to chew out of wooden enclosures provided these are large enough. And if you provide plenty of branches and hideaways, natals will take to chewing these rather than their housing.
Glass or plastic tanks are problematic because of the lack of ventilation; if using a tank, put a wire-mesh construction on top of it to aid ventilation and add climbing space. Some aviaries are less suitable for natals than others as natals can't make use of the height without shelving.
As natal rats aren't quite as skillful climbers as fancy mice, you will need to choose rather thick branches when furnishing the cage. While your natals are guaranteed to love these, they won't be able to climb thin branches, twigs or ropes.
Accessories such as houses and hideaways can be provided in any form, using natural materials such as wood, cork or clay, in order to give your pets a place to rest. Hay and straw nests, cork rolls and even wooded houses may occasionally be taken apart and destroyed; this may indicate that your pets don't have enough space or are simply bored.
For a substrate and bedding, you can use anything ranging from dust extracted wood shavings and wood chippings to hemp.
Although natal rats enjoy warmth, they'll do fine at temperatures as low as 17°C, provided they were introduced to these temperatures gradually. A sudden drop in temperature may lead to colds. An ideal temperature would be 20 to 20°C.
In the summer heat, even natal rats enjoy cooling down; surprisingly enough the enjoy a fine mist of water which you can provide using a pump spray bottle. Alternatively you could put cold stones into their cage.
Dry mix and fresh food should be offered from separate bowls. Water can be offered from a bottle and must be available at all times.

You should choose a mix of different grains. Add to this a mix for budgies or exotic birds, containing millets, fine seeds and grass seeds. You can also add a small amount of fat seeds like sunflower or pumpkin. But don't offer to much of it, since natal rats tend to get fat.
Natal rats particularly enjoy iceberg lettuce and other green vegetables. You can generally offer all fruit and vegetables (except cabbage), but remember that vegetables are always preferable to fruit.
Protein food is essential. You can offer living or dried insects as there are mealworms, roaches or crickets for example or the white of a boiled egg.

Roughly every four weeks female natal rats give birth to up to 22 young, following a pregnancy of approximately 23 days. (The size of an average litter seems to vary between 5 and 20 young, each weighing about 1.8gramm.) The youngsters open their eyes after 12 to 14 days and start feeding on solids at about the same time. A week later they are fully weaned but benefit from staying with their mother for another week in order to learn essential social skills and behaviour. They become sexually mature at the age of 40 to 45 days but must not be used for breeding purposes until they reach 12 weeks (bucks) or 16 weeks (does) respectively.
Life expectancy is 2 to 3 years.
Keeping in mind how quickly natal rats procreate, a responsible pet owner must make sure to acquire only same-sex pairs or groups.

As natal rats haven't been bred in captivity for very long, most individuals are still as robust as their wild ancestors. When given adequate food and housing, they usually stay healthy.
There is a risk of mice catching cold when exposed to draft or low temperatures. Natal rats only rarely develop tumours.
Although natals are generally healthy animals, we would recommend putting aside about € 100 in case of emergencies.

New natals are best introduced gradually, using the step-by-step method. The mice are introduced in low-stress conditions over a period of time while the owner can observe the progress being made. Natal rats are usually quite friendly towards new mice so that the introduction should be completed within a week (does) and two weeks at the most (bucks). All-male groups are usually peaceful once they are properly established, however there may be initial problems which need to be given time to overcome.
Occasionally, two individuals will show strong signs of aggression towards each other. You may have to use other methods, such as the scent method or exchange of substrate and bedding. If there's still a lot of aggression after a week, you may have to give up and find new partners for your pets!

If you have decided that natal rats are the right pets for you, you can now start looking for some!
The first step should be to look in animal shelters and rescue centres, because occasionally they do end up there so it's worth giving your local rescue centre a call.
There are only very few breeders who breed natals for pets, however these mice are highly popular as feeder animals for reptiles so you may be able to buy some from a feeder breeder; as always, check for sign of ill health and make sure that the animals are kept clean and that bucks are kept separated from does.
The same applies to pet shops that all to often sell sick animals, pregnant females or animals infested with parasites and where staff may be unable to correctly sex small animals like mice.
Natal rats are rarely found at rodent shows & exhibitions, but quite often at reptile shows. It's up to you if you wish to buy from such a source, but we wouldn't recommend it for beginners who are unsure of correctly sexing mice and/or checking for health problems.

Such arrangements belong into the hands of experienced rodent keepers; you will need to provide your pets with a lot more space when keeping more than one species.
Natal rats are generally well suited to living with other mouse species due to their uncomplicated and friendly nature. However, there are some unfriendly individuals that do not like being housed with mice of a different species, and this needs to be taken into account before acquiring the animals: Never buy mice of different species if you are not willing and able to house them separately if the arrangement should fail!
It may be a good idea to choose older animals that have lived with different species before. If you want to introduce two species to each other, you should have plenty of experience with both so as to avoid any unsuitable combinations. Natal rats are suited to live with mice that are moderate to good climbers and for whom the natals' diet is not too rich. Lazy natal rats, on the other hand, may also be introduced to ground-dwelling species. Natal rats and fancy mice are usually a successful combination, which is why natals are traditionally chosen as companions for lone male fancy mice.
The habitat should provide an area of 1 square metre to 3.5 square metres, including shelves. If you are unable to provide this much space, you should keep only one mouse species!

Translation
Christine Fletcher

Sorces
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