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