Naked Mole-rat

Scientific name: Heterocephalus glaber
Size: 30-35cm long
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Natural range: arid regions of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya

Housing

• need a large plexiglass or glass enclosure which should be 3m deep and at least 8m long with a screen lid
• entire enclosure should be full of soil with about 30cm of space between soil and top of enclosure
• they live in large ant-like colonies and should be housed in groups of 10-20 individuals

Food

• mixture of sweet potatoes, tubers, roots, veggies and some fruit
• leave food near openings to tunnels or planted near the surface
• can also occassionally have baby cereal

Breeding

• Maturity: 1 year old
• Gestation: 70 days
• Litter size: 10-16
• there is only one dominant breeding female per colony and a few breeding males
• should be fully weaned by 4 weeks old