African dormouse case method: 50 questions

7 a.m. in January, room temperature 12°C. You peek into the nest box of your 2-year-old African dormouse and find it curled up and not moving. Its body is cold to the touch and breathing is so shallow you cannot tell if it is breathing at all. Last night the heater's plug had come out. A light nudge with your finger gets almost no response, and you go pale thinking it has died.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Conclude it is dead, put it in a box and prepare for burial
2. Wrap it in your hands or a towel and warm it slowly over 30 minutes to an hour while watching
3. Blow warm air from a hair dryer directly on it to wake it quickly
4. Dip the body in hot water to bring its temperature back up at once

AnswerB. Wrap it in your hands or a towel and warm it slowly over 30 minutes to an hour while watching

ExplanationBelow 15°C an African dormouse enters torpor, dropping its body temperature and heart rate so far that it looks dead. Wrapped in your hands or a towel and warmed slowly over about an hour, it usually resumes breathing and heartbeat on its own. Once awake, let it lick sugar water and see a vet the same day. Assuming death and burying it means abandoning a living animal. A hair dryer or hot water strains the heart with sudden temperature change and causes burns; never do this. If there is no response after more than an hour of warming, head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital.

IssuesNobody noticed the heater plug had come out, and the room dropped to 12°C overnight. There was no daily thermometer check and no way to notice a lost power connection. Not knowing that torpor exists created a real risk of mistaking it for death.

ImprovementInstall a max-min thermometer in the cage and record it morning and evening. Secure the heater to an extension cord that cannot pull loose, and use a thermostat. Prevent heat loss with an insulating cover and keep the room at 20°C or above all winter. Make sure every family member knows how to recognize torpor and how to rewarm.

A June night. Your 1-year-old African dormouse is not using the wheel and stays holed up in the nest box. When you take it out, the base of the tail is wet and dirty with watery stool, and the body feels smaller. For the past few days you have been giving it generous amounts of its favorite banana and grapes every night. The water bottle has barely gone down.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Stop fruit and feed pellets only, give small sips of sugar water, photograph the stool and see a vet the same day
2. Crush a small amount of human anti-diarrhea medicine into its food
3. Wash it clean and watch until next week
4. Give even more watermelon and grapes for hydration

AnswerA. Stop fruit and feed pellets only, give small sips of sugar water, photograph the stool and see a vet the same day

ExplanationToo much fruit upsets the gut and causes diarrhea. In a 20–30 g body even one day of diarrhea can be fatal through dehydration, so stop the sugary fruit, replace fluids and sugar bit by bit with sugar water, and see a vet the same day. A photo of the stool helps diagnose the cause. Human anti-diarrhea medicine is not dosed for small animals and can stop gut movement and make things worse. Washing and leaving it a week lets dehydration progress. More fruit worsens the diarrhea. Bloody stool or refusing all food means go immediately.

IssuesLarge amounts of fruit were given every night because the animal liked it. The owner did not know that fruit is a tiny treat, never a staple. Early signs such as the change in water intake and hiding in the nest box were missed; the soiled stool was the first thing noticed.

ImprovementMake pellets and insects the staple and limit fruit to a piece the size of a pinky nail a few times a week. Check leftovers and stool every night and log how fast the water bottle goes down. Weigh weekly and treat a 10% loss as the trigger to see a vet. Keep the recipe for sugar water and the number of a small-animal vet on hand.

A December night. Your 3-year-old African dormouse sneezes repeatedly while active, and when you get close you hear a crackling sound as it breathes. Its nose is slightly wet and it is squinting. The cage sits by a window, and cold air comes in from the window at night. It is eating, but spends less time on the wheel.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Assume it is a head cold and wait a few weeks for it to clear on its own
2. Move the cage away from the window, keep it at 20°C or above, and see a vet by the next day
3. Mist the inside of the cage generously for humidity
4. Dissolve human cold medicine in its water

AnswerB. Move the cage away from the window, keep it at 20°C or above, and see a vet by the next day

ExplanationSneezing, nasal discharge and breath sounds are signs of a respiratory infection, and in such a small body it deteriorates rapidly once it progresses to pneumonia. First get it away from the cold at the window, keep it warm and draft-free, then see a vet by the next day. Waiting weeks for it to heal itself leads to respiratory distress and is too late. Misting wets the bedding, breeds bacteria and chills the body. Human cold medicine is dangerous for small animals and cannot be dosed. Open-mouth breathing means the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital.

IssuesThe cage was by a window, directly exposed to cold air and drafts on winter nights. The early sign of shorter activity periods was missed. Even if the room overall was warm, the local chill around the cage was never measured.

ImprovementMove the cage toward the center of the room, away from windows and air-conditioner airflow. Place thermometers both inside and outside the cage and check the nighttime minimum. Use dry paper bedding, ventilate but block drafts. Keep a diary of activity and wheel time so changes lead to an early vet visit.

A September night. Your 2-year-old African dormouse's hind legs wobble as it jumps between branches, and it misses a landing and falls onto the bedding. For several days it has sometimes walked dragging its hind legs. It loves mealworms and gets plenty almost every night, barely eating pellets. No calcium supplement is used.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Treat it as an injury and make a splint to immobilize the leg
2. Assume lack of exercise and give it a long free-roam session
3. Pour milk over the mealworms to add calcium
4. Move it to a low box to prevent falls, keep it warm, and see a vet the same day with details of its diet

AnswerD. Move it to a low box to prevent falls, keep it warm, and see a vet the same day with details of its diet

ExplanationInsects are low in the calcium bones need, and a mealworm-heavy diet leads to calcium deficiency. Wobbly hind legs, brittle bones and seizures are the typical signs. Move it to a low box so it cannot fall, and see a vet the same day with details of the diet. An amateur splint further damages a leg with weakened bones. Free-roam exercise raises the risk of fractures and seizures. Milk causes diarrhea from lactose and does not supply usable calcium. Treatment follows the vet's instructions.

IssuesThe favorite mealworms became the staple, pellets were not fed, and insects were not dusted with calcium. The owner did not know that insect-eating animals need calcium supplementation, and did not see a vet when the leg-dragging began days earlier.

ImprovementMake small-animal pellets the staple, cut insects to 3–4 times a week and always dust them with calcium. Mealworms are high in fat, so keep them as a treat and vary with crickets and others. Watch leg movement and landings every night; wobbling or dragging means a vet visit by the next day.

April, a 4-year-old African dormouse. Its weight has risen from 28 g six months ago to 45 g and its belly sags. It has been given nuts and mealworms every day whenever it begged. Since last night it suddenly eats nothing, moves sluggishly and will not leave the nest box. The body is not cold, but it hangs limp when picked up.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Start a diet by withholding food from today and watch
2. Suspect fatty liver from obesity or an acute illness, and see a vet now with the weight log and diet details
3. Offer its favorite nuts and wait for appetite to return
4. Force it onto the wheel to exercise

AnswerB. Suspect fatty liver from obesity or an acute illness, and see a vet now with the weight log and diet details

ExplanationSudden loss of appetite and limpness in an animal over 1.5 times normal weight is an emergency suggesting fatty liver or a metabolic crisis from obesity. A small body deteriorates fast after even half a day without food, so see a vet now with the weight log and diet details. Withholding food rapidly worsens fatty liver and is the most dangerous mistake. Nuts are high in fat and are the very cause. Forcing a limp animal to exercise risks falls and heart strain. Plan weight management with the vet after it recovers.

IssuesNuts and mealworms were given daily on demand, and obesity was ignored until weight had risen 1.6-fold in six months. The owner did not know high-fat foods are treats only, and never did monthly weigh-ins, so the abnormal gain was noticed late.

ImprovementLimit nuts and mealworms to one or two pieces a few times a week; make pellets and low-fat insects the staple. Weigh monthly and review the diet if it exceeds the normal 20–35 g. Set up a wheel and climbing branches for natural exercise. Decide in advance that sudden loss of appetite means an immediate vet visit.

November. During the weekly body check of your 5-year-old African dormouse, you find a hard lump the size of a grain of rice on the right side of its belly. You do not think it was there last week. The animal is lively, eating and using the wheel. It shows no pain, and the lump moves under the skin.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It seems fine, so wait until the lump gets bigger before seeing a vet
2. Prick it with a needle to see what comes out
3. Record and photograph the lump's size and location, and see a vet within a few days
4. Apply an over-the-counter ointment and see if it shrinks

AnswerC. Record and photograph the lump's size and location, and see a vet within a few days

ExplanationTumors become more common in older African dormice. Even if the animal seems well, seeing a vet while the lump is small means less surgical burden and more options. Record and photograph its size and location and go within a few days. Waiting until it grows can push it beyond what can be removed from such a small body and raises anesthesia risk. Pricking it causes infection and bleeding and can spread the tumor. Ointment without a diagnosis does nothing and can poison the animal when licked. If it grows rapidly or bleeds, see a vet the same day.

IssuesThe lump was found early thanks to weekly palpation, which is good. But there was a hidden tendency to hesitate because the animal seemed fine. Knowing that tumors increase with age and are easier to treat when small would have removed any doubt about going.

ImprovementContinue the weekly full-body check; when you find a lump, measure and photograph it that day. After age 4, get a checkup every six months and have a regular small-animal vet. Make 'consult while it is small' the rule for lumps, and bring the record of changes.

11 p.m. on a July night. Your 2-year-old African dormouse, which normally comes out as soon as it gets dark, has not left the nest box. Half of last night's pellets and insects are still in the dish. Room temperature is a comfortable 26°C. You gently open the nest box: it is curled up with eyes open, responsive but unwilling to move. The body is not cold.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Weigh it, test its appetite with a favorite food, and see a vet by the next day
2. Assume it is the heat, lower the air conditioner and watch for a few days
3. Force it out of the nest box and onto the wheel to make it active
4. Figure a nocturnal animal sleeping is normal and do nothing

AnswerA. Weigh it, test its appetite with a favorite food, and see a vet by the next day

ExplanationA nocturnal African dormouse that is inactive at night and leaving more food is showing the earliest sign of illness. Disease progresses fast in a small body, so weigh it as soon as you notice, and see a vet by the next day with your records. At 26°C heat is unlikely to be the cause, and waiting days can be too late. Forcing activity burdens a weakened body and risks a fall. Not moving at night is abnormal, not 'normal for a nocturnal animal.' If it eats nothing for more than a day, a same-day visit is needed.

IssuesThe owner did not understand that activity level and leftovers are the earliest warning signs. With no routine records of weight and food intake there was nothing to compare against. Early illness shows little outward change, so a habit of watching behavior was needed.

ImprovementCheck activity and leftovers at a set time every night and weigh weekly. Confirm the hours of a small-animal clinic so you can go the next day if something is wrong. Share 'inactive at night or not eating for a day' as the family's trigger for a vet visit.

9 p.m. on a February night. Your 3-year-old African dormouse sits at the nest box entrance breathing with its mouth open and its belly heaving. It had been sneezing for a few days, but seemed lively so you watched and waited. When you pick it up, there is a faint wheeze with every breath. Room temperature is 18°C.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Hold it and rub its back, watching until it calms down
2. Darken and quiet the cage and see a vet first thing tomorrow morning
3. Put it in a warmed box, avoid any stimulation and head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now
4. Clean the nostrils with a cotton swab to open the airway

AnswerC. Put it in a warmed box, avoid any stimulation and head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now

ExplanationOpen-mouth breathing in a small animal that normally breathes only through its nose is a life-threatening sign of respiratory distress. The sneezing from days ago has very likely progressed to pneumonia; put it in a warmed box, avoid stimulation, and go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now. Holding and rubbing raises oxygen demand through stress and makes it worse. Waiting until morning is risky because a small animal in respiratory distress can die within hours. Poking the nose with a swab damages the lining and causes severe stress. Keep it dark and quiet in transit, with hand warmers on the outside of the box.

IssuesNo vet visit was made when sneezing started days earlier, and the room was left at a chilly 18°C. The owner did not realize respiratory signs worsen rapidly in a tiny body and had no threshold for acting on early signs. The after-hours hospital's contact details had not been looked up.

ImprovementMake sneezing, nasal discharge or breath sounds a rule for a vet visit by the next day. Keep the room at 20°C or above in winter and record the minimum temperature around the cage. Post the after-hours hospital's number and location on the fridge and keep a transport box and hand warmers ready. Decide in advance that open-mouth breathing means the emergency hospital, no hesitation.

Late on a January night, a power outage stopped the heater and the room dropped to 10°C. Your 2-year-old African dormouse was cold and curled up; suspecting torpor, you wrapped it in a towel and began warming it in your hands. An hour has passed. The body is a little warmer, but it still has not opened its eyes or moved. Breathing is very shallow and looks irregular.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Keep warming it, call the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital and head there in a warmed box
2. Keep warming it the same way for another 2–3 hours and wait
3. Squirt sugar water into its mouth with a dropper
4. Put it in a kotatsu heated table to raise its temperature quickly

AnswerA. Keep warming it, call the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital and head there in a warmed box

ExplanationTorpor usually ends within 30 minutes to an hour of gentle warming. No response after an hour, with irregular breathing, suggests severe hypothermia or a hidden illness, so keep warming it and head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital. Waiting hours with the same method loses the window for recovery. Pouring sugar water into an unconscious animal sends it into the airway, causing aspiration pneumonia or choking; sugar water comes only after it wakes and can lick on its own. A kotatsu heats too fast and too dry, straining the heart and risking burns.

IssuesThere was no backup heating for a power outage, and the room fell to 10°C in the middle of the night. The torpor response was started correctly, but the owner did not know when to switch to seeking care. The danger of giving fluids to an unconscious animal was also not understood.

ImprovementKeep disposable hand warmers, a hot-water bottle and blankets near the cage for outages. Set the rule: no response after one hour of warming means the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital. Give sugar water only once it can lick on its own. Confirm the hospital's location and number in advance and have a transport box ready.

A May night. Your 1-year-old African dormouse's right eye is half closed with whitish discharge around it. The left eye is normal and moves well. Last week you switched the bedding to softwood chips, and fine wood dust floats in the cage. Appetite and activity are normal.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Apply human eye drops and watch
2. Switch the softwood chips back to paper bedding, leave the eye alone, and see a vet by the next day
3. Scrub the discharge off firmly with a wet tissue
4. Since it is only one eye, wait for it to heal on its own

AnswerB. Switch the softwood chips back to paper bedding, leave the eye alone, and see a vet by the next day

ExplanationSoftwood chips irritate the eyes and airways with volatile compounds and fine dust, causing conjunctivitis and corneal scratches. Return to paper bedding, do not touch the eye, and see a vet by the next day. A corneal injury or dental disease can hide behind eye discharge, so a vet needs to check. Human eye drops are the wrong formulation and the irritation can make it worse. Rubbing hard with a tissue scratches the cornea. Left untreated, infection can spread and cost the eye. If the eye is red, swollen and painful, go the same day.

IssuesSwitching to softwood chips exposed the animal to an irritant. The owner did not know softwood chips are unsuitable for small animals and failed to connect a problem right after an environment change to the bedding. The danger of casual home treatment of an eye problem was also not understood.

ImprovementUse paper bedding or non-softwood chips, choosing low-dust products. Watch eyes, nose and skin closely for a week after any environmental change. Never self-treat eye problems; see a vet by the next day. Get in the habit of checking that any new product is safe for small animals before using it.

October. Your 6-year-old African dormouse has dropped from 30 g to 25 g in two weeks. It leaves hard pellets and eats only soft fruit and insects. The area around its mouth is slightly wet with drool, and the front teeth look longer than before. There is no chew block in the cage, and the branches have not been replaced in years. It moves normally but the coat is dull.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Suspect overgrown teeth, keep it nourished with soft food, and see a vet within a few days
2. Put it down to aging and keep watching
3. Trim the front teeth yourself with nail clippers
4. Force it to eat hard food to wear the teeth down

AnswerA. Suspect overgrown teeth, keep it nourished with soft food, and see a vet within a few days

ExplanationAs a rodent, the African dormouse's teeth grow throughout life and overgrow without things to gnaw. Leaving hard food, drooling, long front teeth and weight loss are classic signs of a dental problem. Keep it nourished with soft food, see a vet within a few days and have the teeth corrected. Writing it off as aging leads to rapid decline from inability to eat. Cutting with nail clippers splits the tooth lengthwise down to the root, causing severe pain and infection. Forcing hard food does not work; it just keeps losing weight. A loss of 15% or more in two weeks really warranted an earlier visit.

IssuesChew blocks and branches had not been replaced in years, so there was nothing to wear the teeth down naturally. The owner did not know the teeth grow continuously and mistook the early sign of leaving hard food for a change in preference. Tracking weight would have prevented two weeks of delay.

ImprovementAlways provide hard branches and chew blocks, replacing them when the gnaw marks disappear. In old age, weigh weekly and see a vet at a 10% loss. Remember that leaving hard food and drooling signal dental problems. From age 5, have the teeth checked at a six-monthly checkup.

Late October. Your 3-year-old African dormouse's appetite has grown; it finishes all its pellets and insects, and its weight has risen from 28 g to 32 g. It is active and uses the wheel often. Stool is normal. The coat is glossy and it is busily carrying paper nesting material into the nest box. Room temperature is about 24°C by day and 21°C at night.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Suspect illness and go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now
2. Cut its food in half to prevent it getting too fat
3. Treat it as natural winter preparation, keep logging weight and start preparing winter heating
4. Since its appetite is up, give more fruit and nuts to satisfy it

AnswerC. Treat it as natural winter preparation, keep logging weight and start preparing winter heating

ExplanationEating more, gathering nesting material and putting on a little weight in autumn is natural preparation for winter; with normal activity and stool and weight within the normal range, it is not illness. The right response is to keep logging weight while starting winter heating preparations. Note that this is also the season when poor heating makes torpor more likely. The emergency hospital is unnecessary. Halving the food causes malnutrition and actually raises the risk of torpor. More fruit and nuts lead to obesity and fatty liver. See a vet if it stays above 35 g or suddenly stops eating.

IssuesWithout knowing the natural seasonal changes in behavior and weight, an owner may mistake normal for illness, or conversely let the animal get too fat. Understanding the upper weight limit and that autumn is the cue to prepare heating was needed. Having records from normal times is a good point.

ImprovementRecord normal seasonal changes and manage weight within the normal 20–35 g. During October, test the heater and thermostat and install a thermometer. Keep the diet pellet-based and do not increase high-fat treats. If weight stays above normal, ask the vet about portions.

A March night. While you are cleaning the cage, your 1-year-old African dormouse leaps out and you instinctively grab its tail. In that instant the tail skin slides off in a tube and the animal escapes. Left in your hand is a sleeve of furred tail skin; when you catch the animal, its tail is bare bone with blood seeping out. It is agitated and racing around.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Put the shed skin back on the tail and wrap it with a bandage
2. Calm the animal, press gently with clean gauze to stop the bleeding, and see a vet the same day
3. Bleeding is light, so apply antiseptic and watch
4. Cut off the exposed bone yourself with scissors

AnswerB. Calm the animal, press gently with clean gauze to stop the bleeding, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationThe African dormouse has a defensive 'tail slip' response: when grabbed, the tail skin comes off and it escapes. The shed skin never reattaches, and the exposed bone dies and becomes a source of infection, so the vet must remove the dead portion. First calm the animal, press gently with clean gauze to stop the bleeding, and see a vet the same day. Replacing and wrapping the skin will not take and worsens infection. Antiseptic and waiting lets the bone die and leads to systemic infection. Cutting it yourself causes severe pain, bleeding and infection.

IssuesThe owner did not anticipate the animal leaping out during cleaning and grabbed the tail reflexively. The basic rule of never holding an African dormouse's tail had not been drilled in. Cleaning was done with the animal still inside and without escape prevention.

ImprovementMove the animal to a lidded small box or carrier before cleaning. To catch it, cup with both hands or guide it into a cup or nest box, and make 'never touch the tail' a rule for the whole family. In case of tail slip, keep clean gauze and a small-animal vet's number on hand.

August. The fur on the last 2 cm or so of your 2-year-old African dormouse's tail has thinned, and the skin there looks blackened and dry. A week ago there was a scuffle with its cage mate, and the tail may have been bitten then. The animal is lively with a good appetite. Touching the black part does not seem to hurt it.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It is not painful, so wait for it to fall off on its own
2. Pull the black part off
3. Suspect necrosis, do not touch it, and see a vet the same day
4. Apply moisturizing cream to soften the skin

AnswerC. Suspect necrosis, do not touch it, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA tail tip that blackens, dries and loses fur is a sign that tissue cut off from blood flow by a bite or tail slip is dying. The lack of pain means the nerves are dead too, not that things are fine. Left alone, necrosis spreads toward the base and bacteria can enter the bloodstream, so do not touch it, see a vet the same day and have it amputated if necessary. Waiting for it to fall off lets infection advance. Pulling tears living tissue, causing bleeding and severe pain. Cream does nothing and can poison the animal when licked.

IssuesAfter the scuffle with the cage mate a week ago, the tail was never checked for wounds. The response of separating immediately after a fight and checking for injuries was missing. The owner also did not know that necrosis is easy to miss because it is painless.

ImprovementWhen cage mates fight, separate them into different cages that day and check the whole body and tail for wounds. Inspect the tail weekly for fur density, color and injuries. Decide that any blackening, dryness or fur loss means a same-day vet visit. For cohabiting animals, provide more nest boxes and feeding spots than animals to reduce causes of conflict.

Late on a June night, your 1-year-old African dormouse slips from the nest box at the top of a 60 cm tall cage and falls to the floor. The bedding is only 1 cm deep. After the fall it drags its left hind leg, and the foot hangs in the air at an unnatural angle. It makes no sound but stays frozen in one spot.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Feel the leg to check for a fracture and reset it yourself if displaced
2. Give a tiny dose of human painkiller for the pain
3. Put it on the floor and make it run to check whether it can walk
4. Without touching the leg, move it to a small box, keep it warm and see a vet the same day

AnswerD. Without touching the leg, move it to a small box, keep it warm and see a vet the same day

ExplanationA fall from a tall cage is a classic cause of fractures, and a foot at an unnatural angle almost certainly means a break. Without touching the leg, place it in a small box with nesting material, keep it warm and see a vet the same day. Feeling or trying to reset a fracture can push the bone through the skin and damage nerves and blood vessels. Human painkillers easily reach toxic doses in small animals; never give them. Forcing it to walk worsens the fracture and can cause shock from pain. Keep it dark and quiet in transit, in a box small enough that it cannot move about.

IssuesA 60 cm cage had only 1 cm of bedding, which could not absorb the impact. The basic safety measure for an arboreal animal, placing branches or thick bedding beneath high points to catch falls, was missing.

ImprovementUse bedding at least 3 cm deep and arrange branches or a hammock beneath high points to catch falls. Add footholds near the nest box entrance and avoid slippery materials. Decide that dragging a leg or not moving after a fall means a same-day vet visit, and keep a small transport box ready.

A February night. Two 2-year-old males kept in the same cage are fighting violently, and one is bleeding from its back. There is only one nest box, and squabbles over food have been increasing lately. The bleeding animal trembles in a corner while the other keeps chasing it. The bitten animal's fur is matted with blood and you cannot tell how deep the wound is.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Separate them into different cages at once, press the bleeding with gauze, and see a vet the same day if the wound is deep
2. Put both in the same nest box so they can make up
3. Flush the wound hard under tap water and apply antiseptic
4. Fighting is natural, so leave them alone for a while

AnswerA. Separate them into different cages at once, press the bleeding with gauze, and see a vet the same day if the wound is deep

ExplanationOnce mature, African dormice fight fiercely even with the same sex, and their small teeth inflict deep bites. First separate the two into different cages to stop the attack, then press the bleeding spot with clean gauze. If the wound is deep, swells or the animal is listless, see a vet the same day. Bite wounds readily become infected and can form an abscess days later. Shutting both in one nest box leaves no escape and can be fatal. Hard flushing widens the wound and antiseptic damages tissue. Ignoring fights has led to deaths; it is not natural.

IssuesThey were kept together despite a single nest box and growing squabbles over food. Mature males are prone to fighting, and they should have been separated at the first scuffle. Too few hiding places and feeding spots invited territorial conflict.

ImprovementAt the first scuffle or food squabble, separate them into different cages that day. If housing together, provide more nest boxes and food dishes than animals and a larger cage. Check the whole body for wounds every night and watch bite wounds for swelling in the days after. Always keep a spare cage.

December. You put an old towel in the nest box for warmth. The next morning, your 1-year-old African dormouse has a front claw caught in a loop of the towel and is thrashing to get free. The toe is slightly red and swollen where the thread is cutting in, and it squeaks each time it pulls. The more it struggles, the tighter the thread seems to get.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pull the foot free from the towel by hand
2. Wait for it to work itself free
3. Stop it struggling, cut the towel away and remove the thread, and see a vet the same day if the toe is swollen or discolored
4. Cut the claw off at the base to free it

AnswerC. Stop it struggling, cut the towel away and remove the thread, and see a vet the same day if the toe is swollen or discolored

ExplanationThe loops of terry cloth snag tiny claws easily, and struggling tightens the thread and cuts off blood flow to the toe. Wrap the animal in a cloth to calm it, cut the towel away with scissors, then remove the threads one by one. A swollen or discolored toe may mean blocked circulation or a fracture, so see a vet the same day. Pulling the foot can tear off the claw or break a bone. Waiting lets the thread tighten until the toe dies. Cutting the claw at the base causes bleeding and severe pain and does not solve the problem.

IssuesThe towel was added with good intentions for warmth, but the owner did not know terry cloth and cotton tangle in small animals' claws and feet. Nesting material should be a safe material such as paper, and the principle that warmth comes from a heater, not from nesting material, was not understood.

ImprovementUse finely shredded paper or paper towels as nesting material; never terry cloth, cotton or frayed fabric. Avoid wide-mesh hammocks too. Provide warmth with a panel heater and insulating cover. Keep small scissors on hand and learn the routine of cutting the fabric away when something tangles.

A September night. Your 2-year-old African dormouse, running on an old wire-mesh wheel, has caught a hind foot in the mesh. The wheel has stopped and the animal is struggling to pull its foot out. The foot is bleeding and there is blood on the mesh. You rush over at the commotion and find it panicking and squeaking continuously.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pull the foot out by force
2. Immobilize the wheel, cover the animal with a cloth to calm it, free the foot carefully, stop the bleeding and see a vet the same day
3. Leave it until the panic subsides, then free it
4. After freeing it, douse the wound with antiseptic and treat it at home

AnswerB. Immobilize the wheel, cover the animal with a cloth to calm it, free the foot carefully, stop the bleeding and see a vet the same day

ExplanationWire-mesh or gapped wheels cause this classic foot-trapping accident. First fix the wheel so it cannot turn, cover the animal with a cloth to darken and calm it, then check how the foot is caught and ease it out gently. Press any bleeding with clean gauze and see a vet the same day to check for fractures or tendon damage. Pulling by force can break the bone or sever the foot. Leaving it lets the struggling spread the injury and cause shock. Dousing with antiseptic and treating at home misses fractures and infection.

IssuesAn old wheel with mesh and gaps was in use. The owner did not know the safety rule of choosing a seamless wheel for small animals and had not checked its size. How to calm the animal in an accident, and the danger of pulling it free by force, were also not understood.

ImprovementReplace the wheel with a seamless one at least 15 cm in diameter with no gaps or mesh to trap feet. Check the wheel and branches monthly for wobble and gaps. Learn the routine of covering with a cloth, darkening and calming before freeing the animal. Decide that bleeding or any foot abnormality means a same-day vet visit.

A summer-holiday afternoon. Your 5-year-old child took the sleeping 1-year-old African dormouse out of its nest box and squeezed it tightly so it would not escape. You hear the shouting and have the child let go; the animal lies limp on the palm, breathing fast and shallow. Its eyes are open but it does not move, and there is a little blood at the corner of its mouth.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Without stimulating it, place it in a small box, keep it dark and warm, and see a vet now
2. Give it water and see if it perks up
3. Return it to the cage and watch until tomorrow
4. Scold the child while squeezing the animal repeatedly to check its response

AnswerA. Without stimulating it, place it in a small box, keep it dark and warm, and see a vet now

ExplanationSqueezing a 20–30 g body easily fractures ribs and damages the lungs and internal organs. Blood at the mouth with fast, shallow breathing signals chest or organ injury, which can be fatal even with no visible wound. Without stimulating it, place it in a small box, keep it dark and warm and see a vet now. Giving water to a semi-conscious animal causes aspiration. Waiting until tomorrow lets internal bleeding progress until it is too late. Squeezing it repeatedly to check worsens the injury. Rest the animal first; teach the child calmly afterward.

IssuesThe child could open the cage alone and take out the animal while it slept by day. Small children cannot judge grip strength, and the family had not shared that an African dormouse is not an animal to be held. The cage was not locked.

ImprovementUse a lockable cage and keep it where a child cannot open it alone. Teach children 'look only' and 'touch only with an adult, inside a cup.' Make a rule not to wake it during the day when it sleeps. Have a vet and transport box ready in case.

A November night. During free-roam time, your 2-year-old African dormouse climbed the curtain and fell from the curtain rail, 2 m up, onto the hardwood floor. When you pick it up at once, blood is seeping from its nose and it holds its head slightly tilted. Its limbs move, but it wobbles and cannot walk straight. After a while the nosebleed stops.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. The nosebleed stopped, so decide it is fine and return it to the cage
2. Give plenty of sugar water to fix the wobbling
3. Suspect head trauma, rest it in a dark, quiet small box and see a vet now
4. Make it walk on the floor repeatedly to check its gait

AnswerC. Suspect head trauma, rest it in a dark, quiet small box and see a vet now

ExplanationA 2 m fall onto hardwood is a serious impact for such a small body. Bleeding from the nose, a head tilt and wobbling are signs of head trauma or brain injury, and bleeding may continue inside the skull even after the nosebleed stops. Rest it in a dark, quiet small box and see a vet now. Relaxing because the nosebleed stopped risks a sudden crisis with seizures or loss of consciousness hours later. Giving sugar water with suspected head trauma risks aspiration. Making it walk strains the brain and invites another fall. Avoid vibration in transit.

IssuesDuring free-roam time the animal had access to a curtain it could climb. An arboreal dormouse easily scales vertical fabric and walls, so free-roam should be in a small space with high points blocked off. Supervision was lax: the climbing was seen but not stopped.

ImprovementUnderstand that free-roam time is not required; if you do it, set up a small space with no curtains, shelves or cords. Use a pen or the bathtub and limit heights to 50 cm or less. Never take your eyes off it; return it the moment it starts climbing. Decide that wobbling, bleeding or a head tilt after a fall means seeing a vet now.

Late on an April night, your 1-year-old African dormouse, climbing the cage wire, tears a front claw off at the base and the toe is bleeding. A trail of blood spots runs across the bedding, and it keeps licking the foot. The bleeding is light, but after 5 minutes it shows no sign of stopping.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It is only a little, so let it lick and wait for it to stop on its own
2. Press the toe with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes, and see a vet if it does not stop
3. Tie a rubber band tightly around the toe to stop the bleeding
4. Pour rubbing alcohol directly on the wound

AnswerB. Press the toe with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes, and see a vet if it does not stop

ExplanationA claw torn off at the base bleeds readily, and in a 20–30 g body a few drops is major blood loss. Press the toe with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes without moving it. If it stops, see a vet by the next day; if it does not stop or the animal goes limp, go the same day. Letting it lick and leaving it means continued bleeding and bacterial infection. A rubber band cuts off blood flow and kills the toe; never do this. Alcohol damages tissue and the pain makes it struggle and bleed more. Also review the climbable wire and cage structure that caused the torn claw.

IssuesThe environment let claws snag while climbing the wire. African dormice climb vertical mesh, so claws catching in the wire is a common accident. The owner lacked knowledge that even light bleeding is dangerous in a tiny body, and of the correct way to stop it.

ImprovementBuild climbing routes with branches and cork bark so the animal does not need to climb the wire. Keep clean gauze and a small-animal styptic on hand and learn to stop bleeding by pressing. Decide that bleeding not stopped in 5 minutes, or a limp animal, means a same-day vet visit. Check the claws weekly.

A July night. Just as you close the wire lid of the tank after putting in food, your 2-year-old African dormouse leaps up and the middle of its tail gets pinched in the edge of the lid. You open the lid immediately; the pinched part is dented and red, and the animal runs off dragging its tail and hides in the nest box.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pull the animal out of the nest box to examine the tail
2. Do not touch the tail; let it settle, watch for swelling, color change and movement over several hours, and see a vet the same day if anything is wrong
3. Stick a human pain-relief patch on the tail
4. Pull the tail straight to correct the bend

AnswerB. Do not touch the tail; let it settle, watch for swelling, color change and movement over several hours, and see a vet the same day if anything is wrong

ExplanationA pinched tail can be fractured or lose blood flow. Dragging it out of the nest box right away can trigger tail slip or another injury through panic, so let it settle first. Then watch the tail's swelling, color and movement for several hours; if swelling increases, the tip turns white or black, or it does not move the tail at all, see a vet the same day. A human pain patch is toxic when licked and irritates the skin. Pulling the tail worsens any fracture and can cause tail slip. Keep watching daily afterward and see a vet if anything changes.

IssuesThe owner did not check where the animal was before closing the lid and did not anticipate its habit of leaping up. Many animals get excited and try to bolt after feeding, so pinched tails and toes are common. The danger of chasing it in a panic afterward was also not understood.

ImprovementAlways check where the animal is before closing a lid or door; if it tends to leap, lure it to the back with food first. Close the lid slowly and check nothing is touching the edge. After a pinch, do not chase; observe, and decide that swelling, color change or no movement means a same-day vet visit.

2 a.m. in February. A noise wakes you: your 1-year-old African dormouse has squeezed out through a gap of about 5 mm at the door of its wire cage and is somewhere in the room. The cat is asleep in the next room and the door is slightly open. The room has gaps behind furniture and a bookshelf, and the animal is nowhere to be seen.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Turn on the lights, move all the furniture and search thoroughly right now
2. First shut the door to isolate the cat, then darken and quiet the room, put the nest box and food on the floor and wait
3. Figure it will come back on its own, leave the cage open and go back to sleep
4. Let the cat find it for you

AnswerB. First shut the door to isolate the cat, then darken and quiet the room, put the nest box and food on the floor and wait

ExplanationThe top priority with an escaped African dormouse is protecting it from predators such as cats. Shut the door to isolate the cat, darken and quiet the room, and set the familiar nest box and favorite food on the floor; being nocturnal, it usually comes out on its own. Lights and moving furniture frighten it into even narrower gaps and risk crushing it with furniture. Leaving the cage open and going back to sleep risks a cat attack or escape outdoors through the front door or a window. Letting the cat search is a death sentence. When you find it, do not grab the tail; cup it in both hands.

IssuesThere was a 5 mm gap at the door, and the owner did not know an African dormouse can slip through a gap of a few millimeters. There was no habit of shutting off the adjoining room, and isolation plans were lax for a home shared with a cat. Cage locking and gap checks were inadequate.

ImprovementAdjust door and lid gaps to 5 mm or less, secure with clips or locks and check every night. In a home with cats or dogs, keep the animal's room door closed at all times and set an isolation procedure for escapes. Share the capture method using favorite food and the nest box with the family, and keep a flashlight by the bed.

An August night. During free-roam time a family member walks into the room unaware and steps on your 2-year-old African dormouse. It was through a sock and not with full weight, but the animal lies on its side without moving, breathing with its mouth open. Its limbs twitch now and then. The family member who stepped on it is crying and distraught.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It is not moving, so decide it cannot be saved and leave it
2. Rub its body to stimulate it and see if it gets up
3. Without touching it, slide it into a box, keep it warm and head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now
4. Cool its body with a chilled towel to ease the pain

AnswerC. Without touching it, slide it into a box, keep it warm and head for the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now

ExplanationA small animal that has been stepped on very likely has fractures, internal organ damage or lung injury, and open-mouth breathing is a sign of respiratory distress. Without lifting it, slide it into a box using paper or a thin board, keep it warm and go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now. Giving up because it is not moving is premature; treatment may save it. Rubbing worsens fractures and organ injury. Cooling sends a tiny body into hypothermia fast and deepens shock. Keep it dark and quiet in transit and avoid vibration. Give the distraught family member a task to help them calm down.

IssuesFamily members could enter unaware during free-roam time; there was no sign on the door or verbal warning. The family had not shared the awareness that a small animal running on the floor is easily stepped on. The free-roam area was not fenced off.

ImprovementUnderstand that free-roam time is not required; if you do it, tell everyone in the family and put a sign on the door. Fence off the area with a pen and enforce a rule of shuffling your feet. Keep the after-hours hospital's number and a transport box ready, and practice moving the animal into a box without touching it.

A May night. Your 1-year-old African dormouse, playing on your hand, suddenly leaps from the 75 cm high desk onto the hardwood floor. It runs off immediately after landing and hides under the desk. When you find and check it, it walks holding its right front foot slightly off the ground and resists being touched. There is no bleeding, and it seems to have an appetite.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Without touching the leg, place it in a small box to rest and see a vet the same day
2. It can walk, so decide it is fine and keep playing
3. Bend and straighten the leg yourself to check for a fracture
4. Soak the leg in cold water to prevent swelling

AnswerA. Without touching the leg, place it in a small box to rest and see a vet the same day

ExplanationAfrican dormice habitually leap from heights, but hardwood absorbs no impact, and landing from 75 cm can fracture or dislocate a leg. Holding a foot up and resisting touch are signs of bone or joint injury; without touching the leg, place it in a small box to rest and see a vet the same day. Even if it can walk, the bone may be cracked, and continued play makes it worse. Bending the leg to check moves the fracture and damages nerves and vessels. Cold water chills the small body quickly and the stress makes it struggle and injure itself further.

IssuesThe animal was being handled on a hand at desk height. Because African dormice leap suddenly, handling on a desk or shoulder leads straight to fall accidents. The basic rule of handling only in low places such as the floor or a bed was not followed.

ImprovementWhen handling, always sit on the floor or do it on carpet or a bed; never on a desk or shoulder. Confine play to a pen or the bathtub so any jump is 30 cm or less to the floor. Decide that holding a foot up or resisting touch after a fall means a same-day vet visit, and know a small-animal clinic in advance.

An October night. During free-roam time the door opens and the family cat comes in, grabs your 2-year-old African dormouse in its mouth and runs into the hallway. You chase it and recover the animal after the cat drops it; the only visible wounds are two small punctures on the back, with little bleeding. The animal is trembling but moving on its own.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. The wounds are small, so disinfect and watch
2. Scold the cat, then return the animal to the cage to calm down
3. It is moving well, so decide no vet visit is needed
4. Even though the wounds are small, treat it as a cat bite and see a vet now in a warmed box

AnswerD. Even though the wounds are small, treat it as a cat bite and see a vet now in a warmed box

ExplanationA cat's fangs are thin and penetrate deep; even when the visible wound is tiny, it often reaches muscle or internal organs. Bacteria from the cat's mouth enter the depth of the wound and can cause a fatal infection or sepsis within hours. The pressure of being carried in the mouth can also damage internal organs. Do not be reassured by movement; see a vet now in a warmed box. Disinfecting and watching misses the internal infection. Time spent scolding the cat delays treatment. Apparent liveliness is temporary, from shock and adrenaline, and many cases crash hours later.

IssuesFree-roam time was held in a home with a cat without considering that the door could open. The danger of putting predator and prey in the same space was underestimated, and there was no procedure to shut the cat in another room first. The owner also did not know a cat bite is dangerous no matter how small the wound.

ImprovementIn a home with cats or dogs, skip free-roam time or first shut the cat in another room and lock the door. Keep the cage in a room the cat cannot enter, with the lid fully secured. Decide that any cat or dog bite, regardless of size, means seeing a vet now, and confirm the after-hours hospital's contact details.

A March night. You discover your escaped 1-year-old African dormouse with its body pinned in the gap at the back of a closed drawer. It apparently crept in as the drawer was shut. When you pull the drawer slightly, it squeals; its belly is being pressed hard and it is breathing fast. It may have been stuck for more than 30 minutes already.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pull the animal out by hand
2. Remove the drawer completely to open up the space, let it move on its own without touching it, then transfer it to a box and see a vet now
3. Leave it and wait for it to get out by itself
4. Yank the drawer open to free it in one go

AnswerB. Remove the drawer completely to open up the space, let it move on its own without touching it, then transfer it to a box and see a vet now

ExplanationPulling a trapped animal worsens fractures and organ damage. First slowly pull the drawer all the way out or remove it to open up the space, let the animal move on its own, then slide it into a box with paper. If the body has been compressed for more than 30 minutes, organ and lung damage and circulation problems from the pressure can occur, so see a vet now even if it can move. Leaving it means continued compression leading to suffocation or tissue death. Yanking the drawer can drop the animal or cut it on the drawer's edge. Tell the vet how long and where it was trapped.

IssuesThe escape went unnoticed, and nobody checked for the animal when opening and closing drawers. African dormice habitually squeeze into furniture gaps and the backs of drawers, so care with furniture was needed during the escape. Escape prevention itself was inadequate.

ImprovementDuring an escape, minimize opening and closing drawers and doors until the animal is found, and check inside before moving anything. Adjust cage gaps to 5 mm or less and secure with locks. Learn the routine of opening up the space and letting it come out on its own, and decide that a compressed animal sees a vet even without symptoms.

A June night. During free-roam time your 1-year-old African dormouse falls into a basin of water left on the floor. When you notice, it is thrashing at the surface; you scoop it out at once, but it is soaked through, limp and breathing weakly. It brings up a little water from its mouth and its body has gone cold. Room temperature is 25°C.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Dry it in one go with a hair dryer on high heat
2. Put it, still wet, in a dark box and wait for it to settle
3. Lower its head to drain the water, towel off the moisture, wrap it in your hands to warm it, and see a vet now if breathing stays weak
4. Swing it upside down to empty the lungs

AnswerC. Lower its head to drain the water, towel off the moisture, wrap it in your hands to warm it, and see a vet now if breathing stays weak

ExplanationIn near-drowning the priorities are clearing water from the airway and preventing hypothermia. Hold the head slightly lower than the body so water drains from the mouth, towel off the moisture and warm it wrapped in your hands or a towel. A wet 20–30 g body chills rapidly into torpor or hypothermia. If breathing stays weak or it remains limp, water in the lungs can cause pneumonia hours later, so see a vet now. A hair dryer on high risks burns and dangerous temperature swings. Left wet, it dies of hypothermia. Swinging it upside down injures the neck and brain.

IssuesA basin of water had been left on the floor during free-roam time. The owner did not realize a tiny animal cannot climb out of even shallow water and drowns, and the pre-free-roam safety check was inadequate. The rapid hypothermia of a wet small animal was also not understood.

ImprovementBefore free-roam time, clear or cover every source of water: filled containers, plant saucers, the toilet lid. Keep it out of the bathroom and washroom. Learn how to dry and warm a wet animal and keep a dry towel nearby. After any near-drowning, see a vet by the next day even without symptoms.

A November night. After returning your 2-year-old African dormouse to its cage following an escape, you find tooth marks on an extension cord in the room: the insulation is torn and copper wire is exposed. Looking at the animal's mouth, the upper lip is slightly red and it is drooling. It seems lively, but drops food as soon as it takes it in its mouth.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Force the mouth open and check the injury yourself
2. It seems lively, so mention it at next week's routine checkup
3. Give it cold water to cool the mouth
4. Unplug the cord, suspect an electrical burn in the mouth and see a vet the same day

AnswerD. Unplug the cord, suspect an electrical burn in the mouth and see a vet the same day

ExplanationChewing a live cord causes an electric shock in the mouth and burns to the lips and tongue. The burn swells over time until the animal cannot eat, and the shock can cause pulmonary edema, fluid in the lungs, hours to a day later. First cut power to the cord to prevent a repeat, then suspect an electrical burn and see a vet the same day. Forcing the mouth open widens the injury and causes severe stress. Waiting a week means it cannot eat, weakens and may crash from pulmonary edema. Cold water chills a small body and does not treat the burn. If breathing speeds up, go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital.

IssuesDuring the escape the animal had free run of a room with exposed cords. Rodents habitually chew electrical cords, so escape and electric shock go hand in hand. Noticing the mouth problem after its return was good, but the owner did not immediately connect it to electric shock.

ImprovementCover cords in the animal's room or route them behind furniture, and unplug anything not in use. When you notice an escape, check around power sources first. Remember that a red mouth, drooling and dropping food signal electric shock or mouth injury, and decide that means a same-day vet visit. Enforce escape-proof locks.

January. Your 2-year-old African dormouse escaped three days ago. You darkened the room and put the nest box and food on the floor, but it has not returned. Room temperature drops to 12°C at night when the heating is off. You have searched the corners of the house and behind furniture without finding it; it may have moved to another room under a door gap. There is no sign the pellets in the dish have gone down.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Turn off the heating in every room and leave things silent until it is found
2. Keep the nighttime temperature at 20°C or above, put food and water in every room to track what is eaten, and search behind the fridge and in furniture gaps with a flashlight
3. Decide it must have died and stop searching
4. Set out rodenticide traps to catch it

AnswerB. Keep the nighttime temperature at 20°C or above, put food and water in every room to track what is eaten, and search behind the fridge and in furniture gaps with a flashlight

ExplanationAn escaped animal can slip into torpor from cold and become unable to move. At 12°C at night that risk is high, so first keep every room at 20°C or above, and place food and water in each room to narrow down its location by what is eaten. Check warm, narrow spots such as behind the fridge, furniture gaps and inside shoes with a flashlight. Turning off the heating kills it through torpor. Three days is too soon to give up; with food and water, animals have survived for weeks. Rodenticide or glue traps injure and kill it. Dusting the floor with flour to track footprints is also effective.

IssuesThe animal could move between rooms under door gaps, and its range was not restricted in the first few hours. A winter escape leads directly to torpor, but temperature management was only considered for the animal's own room. The method of tracking location by food consumption was not used from the start.

ImprovementThe moment you notice an escape, shut every door and block the gaps beneath them with towels to limit its range. In winter keep the whole house at 20°C or above. Put food, water and flour in each room to narrow its location, and search warm, narrow places first. Have a nest box and a deep container ready for capture, and cup it in both hands without touching the tail.

A February night. The wrapper of a chocolate bar left on the desk is torn, with gnaw marks from your escaped 2-year-old African dormouse. There is chocolate around its mouth, and you have no idea how much it ate. For now it is lively and racing around, but seems a bit overexcited and restless.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It seems fine, so decide it ate nothing and watch
2. Give salt water to make it vomit
3. Estimate the amount eaten from what is left, take the packaging and see a vet now
4. Give milk to dilute the poison

AnswerC. Estimate the amount eaten from what is left, take the packaging and see a vet now

ExplanationThe compounds in chocolate are highly toxic to small animals; in a 20–30 g body even a tiny amount can cause heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures and death. Excitement and restlessness may be early symptoms. Estimate the amount eaten from what is left, take the packaging and see a vet now. Treatment before symptoms appear is most effective. Rodents cannot vomit, so trying to induce vomiting with salt water causes salt poisoning. Milk does not dilute the toxin and causes diarrhea from lactose. Even if it looks fine, symptoms appear hours later, so waiting is dangerous.

IssuesFood was left on a desk within reach of an escaped animal. The owner did not understand that African dormice are drawn to sweets, that chocolate is lethal in tiny amounts, and that home vomiting induction is impossible because rodents cannot vomit.

ImprovementStore food in sealed containers or cupboards; never leave it on desks or tables. Enforce the cage lock to prevent escapes. Post a list of dangerous foods such as chocolate, onions, avocado and alcohol on the fridge. Make the rule for any ingestion: do not induce vomiting; take the packaging and see a vet immediately.

An August night. You fed your 3-year-old African dormouse grasshoppers and moths caught in the garden. It ate them eagerly, but two hours later it is wobbling, drooling and showing small seizure-like movements. The garden was sprayed with pesticide by a neighbor the day before, and the insects may have carried residue.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Give lots of water to flush out the poison
2. Put it in a low box to prevent falls, keep it warm, and see a vet now with details of the insects fed and the pesticide spraying
3. Hold and rock it until the seizures stop
4. It is just unfamiliar insects, so let it sleep it off overnight

AnswerB. Put it in a low box to prevent falls, keep it warm, and see a vet now with details of the insects fed and the pesticide spraying

ExplanationWild insects can carry pesticide or insecticide residue and parasites. Wobbling, drooling and seizures are classic signs of pesticide poisoning, which progresses rapidly in a small body. Put it in a low box so it cannot fall, keep it warm, and see a vet now with details of the insect species and the pesticide spraying. Giving water to an animal with unstable consciousness causes aspiration. Holding and rocking worsens seizures and risks a fall. Leaving it overnight can end in respiratory arrest. With the information, the vet can choose the right treatment.

IssuesWild-caught insects were fed. The owner did not know the rule that wild insects carry risks of pesticides, parasites and pathogens and that small animals should get commercially bred feeder insects. The neighborhood pesticide spraying was also unknown.

ImprovementAlways use feeder crickets and mealworms from a pet shop; never feed wild insects. Dust insects with calcium before feeding. Decide that wobbling, drooling or seizures are signs of poisoning or neurological trouble that mean seeing a vet now, and keep a record of what was fed.

December. You put cotton nesting material in the nest box for warmth. Three days later, your 1-year-old African dormouse has passed almost no stool and its belly is distended. It nibbles food but stops at once, and sits hunched and still. The cotton in the nest box has clearly decreased, and there are cotton fibers around its mouth.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Remove the cotton and see a vet the same day with the cotton and a record of the stool
2. Massage the belly to push the stool out
3. Give cooking oil as a laxative
4. Give lots of fruit to soften the stool

AnswerA. Remove the cotton and see a vet the same day with the cotton and a record of the stool

ExplanationCotton fibers are indigestible and, when swallowed, block the intestine. No stool, a distended belly and a hunched posture are signs of intestinal obstruction, which can be fatal within a day or two in a small body. Remove the cotton and see a vet the same day with the cotton and a record of the stool. Massaging the belly of an obstructed animal risks rupturing the gut. Cooking oil does not clear a blockage and causes pneumonia if aspirated. Fruit adds load to the blocked gut and causes diarrhea and dehydration. If it eats nothing at all or goes limp, go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital.

IssuesCotton was added for warmth, but the owner did not know cotton is dangerous both for ingestion and for tangling claws. The principle that warmth comes from a heater, not nesting material, was not understood. With no habit of checking stool daily, three days passed unnoticed.

ImprovementUse nesting material that is relatively safe if swallowed, such as shredded paper or paper towels; never cotton, terry cloth or yarn. Provide warmth with a panel heater and insulating cover. Check the number and shape of droppings daily and see a vet the same day if they decrease. Check that any new product is safe for small animals beforehand.

A May night. During free-roam time you find your 2-year-old African dormouse up in the houseplant by the window, chewing a leaf. You do not know the plant's name, and several leaves have tooth marks. The animal's mouth is a little red and it keeps rubbing it. No vomiting or wobbling yet, but it has started to drool.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. It was only a little, so return it to the cage to sleep
2. Rinse the mouth with water, then watch
3. Spend time identifying the plant before deciding whether to see a vet
4. Take a leaf and a photo of the plant, report the mouth symptoms, and see a vet now

AnswerD. Take a leaf and a photo of the plant, report the mouth symptoms, and see a vet now

ExplanationMany houseplants irritate the lining of the mouth or are toxic to the heart or kidneys. A red mouth, rubbing the mouth and drooling are signs that irritation or poisoning has already begun. Take a leaf and a photo of the plant and see a vet now; if the vet can identify the plant, the right treatment follows. Even a small amount can be a toxic dose for a 20–30 g body, so waiting is dangerous. Rinsing a small animal's mouth is impractical and risks aspiration. Spending time on identification delays treatment; look it up on the way.

IssuesA houseplant was within the free-roam area, and the owner did not anticipate an arboreal animal climbing it and chewing. Nobody had checked whether the household plants were safe for small animals, or even knew their names. The pre-free-roam environment check was inadequate.

ImprovementRemove houseplants from the animal's room and the free-roam area, or move them to a room it cannot reach. Look up the names of plants in the house and their toxicity to small animals. Fence off free-roam time with a pen. Remember that a red mouth, drooling and mouth-rubbing are signs of poisoning, and make an immediate vet visit the rule.

A July night. A cockroach appeared in the room with the cage, and a family member used insecticide spray near the cage. Thirty minutes later, your 1-year-old African dormouse comes out of the nest box rubbing its nose, drooling and trembling. The smell of the chemical lingers in the room.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Cover the cage and seal it until the smell is gone
2. Move the animal to a room with clean air, note the product name of the spray and see a vet now
3. Wash its body with water to remove the chemical
4. It was just startled by the smell, so ventilate and watch

AnswerB. Move the animal to a room with clean air, note the product name of the spray and see a vet now

ExplanationThe ingredients in insecticide spray act on the nervous system of a tiny body, causing drooling, trembling and seizures. First move the animal to a clean room free of the chemical, note the product name and see a vet now; knowing the ingredients lets the vet choose treatment. Covering and sealing the cage traps the contaminated air and makes it worse. Washing the body advances symptoms through chilling and stress and can spread chemical on the skin. Trembling and drooling are the start of poisoning; ventilation alone is not enough. Ventilate the room thoroughly and wash the cage and accessories before returning it.

IssuesThe family did not understand the danger of using insecticide spray in the room with the cage. Small animals are especially susceptible to chemicals because of their size. The rule of moving the animal to another room before using any pest-control chemical had not been shared with the family.

ImprovementAgree as a family not to use insecticide sprays, foggers or air fresheners in the animal's room. If one must be used, move the animal to another room and ventilate thoroughly before returning it. Prefer chemical-free pest control such as glue traps. Share the signs of poisoning and the thresholds for seeing a vet with the family.

An August afternoon. You come home to find the room at 34°C; the air conditioner has broken down. Your 2-year-old African dormouse lies sprawled on the cage floor with limbs stretched out, breathing fast. Its body is hot to the touch and its mouth is wet with drool. The water bottle is empty.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Submerge it in ice water to cool it rapidly
2. Blow a fan directly on it continuously and watch
3. Move it to a cool room, wipe its body gently with a damp cloth to cool it gradually, and see a vet now
4. Force it to drink cold water

AnswerC. Move it to a cool room, wipe its body gently with a damp cloth to cool it gradually, and see a vet now

ExplanationAbove 30°C is the danger zone for heatstroke, and sprawled limbs, fast breathing and a hot body mean severe heatstroke. Move it to a cool room, wipe its body with a damp cloth to cool it gradually, and see a vet now. Ice water causes shock through sudden cooling and overcools a tiny body. A fan alone does not lower body temperature, and organ damage progresses while you watch. Forcing water into an animal with unstable consciousness causes aspiration. Even if it seems to recover, kidney and other organ damage can appear days later, so always see a vet.

IssuesAn air-conditioner failure while out in midsummer was not anticipated, and no backup cooling was in place. The water bottle was empty, so checking water levels was also inadequate. There was no remote temperature monitoring or way to check on the animal while away.

ImprovementIn summer set the air conditioner to 28°C or below and prepare backup cooling such as ice packs wrapped in a towel inside the cage. Fill the water bottle before going out and install two. Introduce a thermometer you can check from your phone and arrange for family or neighbors to respond in an emergency.

10 p.m. on a January night. Heavy snow has caused a power outage, stopping the heating and the panel heater. There is no word on when power will return; the room has dropped from 18°C to 15°C in an hour and looks set to fall further. Your 3-year-old African dormouse is in its nest box, still moving for now, but pacing restlessly.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Put disposable hand warmers directly inside the cage
2. Cover the cage with a blanket, apply hand warmers or a hot-water bottle to the outside of the cage to hold about 20°C, and check with a thermometer
3. Place a candle near the cage for warmth
4. Do nothing and wait for morning as things are

AnswerB. Cover the cage with a blanket, apply hand warmers or a hot-water bottle to the outside of the cage to hold about 20°C, and check with a thermometer

ExplanationRoom temperatures of 15°C or below are the danger zone for torpor in African dormice. In an outage, cover the cage with a blanket or cardboard to retain heat and apply disposable hand warmers or a hot-water bottle to the outside of the cage to hold around 20°C. Check the thermometer every 30 minutes and watch for overheating as well. Hand warmers inside the cage risk poisoning if chewed open, low-temperature burns and oxygen depletion. A candle is a fire hazard, and carbon monoxide is dangerous in an unventilated room. Doing nothing until morning can mean torpor it never wakes from.

IssuesNo non-electric heating was prepared for a winter power outage, a foreseeable event. There was no stock of hand warmers, a hot-water bottle, blankets or a battery thermometer, and no understanding of what temperature to maintain during an outage.

ImprovementKeep disposable hand warmers, a hot-water bottle, blankets, cardboard and a battery-powered thermometer together as an outage kit. Write the cage-covering procedure and target temperature on paper and post it. Consider a USB heater that runs on a power bank. Share how to recognize and rewarm torpor during an outage with the family.

Late on a March night, a strong earthquake knocks the glass tank off its shelf and it shatters on the floor. The room is dark, and your 2-year-old African dormouse is nowhere to be seen among the glass. Aftershocks continue and the family is preparing to evacuate. Shards of glass and bedding are scattered across the floor, and the animal may be injured.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Prioritize evacuation over searching and look for it after returning
2. After securing your own safety, put on shoes, light the area around the shards with a flashlight, and when you find the animal put it in a small box and check for injuries
3. Call its name loudly and wait for it to come out
4. Search while clearing the glass with bare hands

AnswerB. After securing your own safety, put on shoes, light the area around the shards with a flashlight, and when you find the animal put it in a small box and check for injuries

ExplanationIn a disaster, secure your own and your family's safety first. Then put on shoes, light the area around the glass with a flashlight and search for the animal. When found, cup it in both hands without touching the tail, place it in a small box, check for bleeding and leg injuries, keep it warm and prepare to evacuate. Leaving it to evacuate first means an animal cut by glass may die of blood loss or hypothermia, or escape. Calling loudly only frightens it into hiding and wastes time amid aftershocks. Clearing glass bare-handed injures you and delays the rescue. Take the carrier, food and water when evacuating.

IssuesThe glass tank sat unsecured on a shelf. In an earthquake it falls and shatters, injuring the animal and letting it escape. No evacuation carrier or go-bag had been prepared, and there was no means of safely searching for the animal in the dark.

ImprovementPlace the cage low and on a stable surface, secured with anti-tip gel or straps. Consider an acrylic or plastic enclosure instead of a glass tank. Pack a small carrier, food, water, hand warmers and gauze in one evacuation bag, and keep a flashlight and shoes in the bedroom. Go over the disaster procedure with the family.

A September typhoon has triggered an evacuation order. You head to the local shelter with your 1-year-old African dormouse. The shelter is a gymnasium, and pets are kept in a designated area. It is 25°C but will get chilly at night. You have a small plastic carrier, pellets, disposable hand warmers and paper towels.

What is the most appropriate way to manage it at the shelter?

1. Cover the carrier with a cloth to keep it dark and quiet, stick hand warmers on the outside and check with a thermometer, and inspect the lid fastening against escape every time
2. Seal the carrier and block the air holes to keep it out of sight
3. Let it walk freely around the shelter to reduce stress
4. Share a cage with another evacuee's pet to save space

AnswerA. Cover the carrier with a cloth to keep it dark and quiet, stick hand warmers on the outside and check with a thermometer, and inspect the lid fastening against escape every time

ExplanationAt a shelter, noise, people moving about and temperature swings are the biggest stressors. Cover the carrier with a cloth to keep it dark and quiet; against the night chill, stick hand warmers on the outside of the carrier and verify 20°C or above with a thermometer. African dormice escape through gaps of a few millimeters, so check the lid fastening every time you change food or water. Blocking the air holes kills it through suffocation or overheating. Letting it roam the shelter leads to escape, trampling or predation by other animals. Sharing a cage with other pets invites bites, infections and severe stress.

IssuesThere was no preparation regarding shelter pet rules or managing a small animal's stress. Supplies were on hand, but a thermometer, escape-proof fasteners and a water supply were lacking. The awareness that escape and temperature change are the biggest risks during evacuation was also needed.

ImprovementPack an evacuation bag with a small carrier with a locking lid, a cloth cover, a battery thermometer, hand warmers, a week's pellets, a water bottle and gauze. Check your municipality's shelter pet policy in advance. Write the heating procedure for outages and cold on paper and keep it in the bag.

An early afternoon in May. Direct sunlight falls on the glass tank by the south-facing window, and the glass is too hot to touch. The room is 26°C, but the thermometer inside the tank reads 33°C. Your 2-year-old African dormouse has left the nest box and lies stretched out in a corner of the tank, breathing somewhat fast. It is still fully alert.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. The room is 26°C, so decide it is fine and leave it
2. Put lots of ice inside the tank to cool it
3. Block the sun, move the tank into shade, place a towel-wrapped ice pack inside, watch breathing and behavior for an hour, and see a vet if it does not improve
4. Fill the tank with water so it can cool itself

AnswerC. Block the sun, move the tank into shade, place a towel-wrapped ice pack inside, watch breathing and behavior for an hour, and see a vet if it does not improve

ExplanationA glass tank traps heat like a greenhouse; even at a comfortable room temperature, the inside can exceed 33°C. Stretched-out limbs and fast breathing are early signs of heatstroke. Immediately block the sun, move it into shade and cool gradually with a towel-wrapped ice pack. Observe for an hour; if breathing does not settle or it goes limp, see a vet. Judging by room temperature alone misses the heat inside the tank. Ice placed directly inside overcools the animal through sudden chilling and condensation. Water risks drowning and hypothermia from getting wet.

IssuesThe glass tank was placed by a south-facing window in direct sun. The owner did not understand that the temperature inside a tank differs greatly from the room, or that direct sun creates lethal heat within a short time. A thermometer was installed, but it was checked too late.

ImprovementPlace the cage away from direct sun, air-conditioner airflow and drafts, and recheck regularly since the sun's angle changes with the seasons. Keep the thermometer inside the cage and log it morning, noon and night. Use blackout curtains on summer days and get in the habit of placing a towel-wrapped ice pack.

An April evening. Your 7-year-old child helped clean the cage of your 1-year-old African dormouse and then ate a rice ball without washing their hands. There was a lot of stool in the cage, and the child had cleared the bedding bare-handed. The next day the child complains of stomach pain and diarrhea and has a slight fever.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Assume the child's illness is unrelated to the animal and treat it as an ordinary cold
2. Take the child to a doctor and explain the symptoms followed cleaning a small animal's cage
3. Blame the animal and give it up immediately
4. Give the child over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine and send them to school

AnswerB. Take the child to a doctor and explain the symptoms followed cleaning a small animal's cage

ExplanationSmall-animal droppings can contain Salmonella and other bacteria, and eating without washing hands after cleaning leads to oral infection. Children are especially susceptible, and stomach pain, diarrhea and fever are classic symptoms of salmonellosis. Taking the child to a doctor and explaining that the symptoms followed cleaning a small animal's cage leads to the right tests and treatment. Assuming it is unrelated risks severe illness and spread to the family. Giving up the animal does not identify the cause; improving hygiene is the real fix. Anti-diarrhea medicine and sending the child to school stops the bacteria being cleared and makes things worse.

IssuesThe child cleaned the cage bare-handed, and hand washing afterward was not enforced. The basic zoonosis rules of washing hands with soap after cleaning and before eating were not shared in the household, nor was the awareness that children are at higher risk.

ImprovementClean with disposable gloves and wash hands with soap for at least 30 seconds afterward. When a child helps, an adult supervises through to hand washing. Wash cage items in a dedicated place, not the kitchen. Keep the cage away from where meals are eaten. Make it a habit to tell the doctor about animal contact whenever a family member falls ill.

June. Your 2-year-old African dormouse has a round bald patch about 5 mm across on its back, with a flaky, slightly red edge. It scratches now and then. At the same time, the family member who cares for it has developed an itchy red ring-shaped rash on their arm. The cage is humid, and the bedding is changed once every two weeks.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Apply human athlete's foot cream to the animal's patch
2. Assume the hair loss is normal shedding and leave it
3. Assume the family member's rash is an insect bite and take only the animal to the vet
4. Take the animal to the vet and the family member to a dermatologist, handle it with gloves and disinfect the cage

AnswerD. Take the animal to the vet and the family member to a dermatologist, handle it with gloves and disinfect the cage

ExplanationA round bald patch with flaking and redness is classic ringworm (a fungal skin infection), which spreads to people; the ring-shaped rash on the arm is that very symptom. Take the animal to the vet and the family member to a dermatologist so each gets diagnosed and treated. To stop the spread, handle with gloves, disinfect the cage and accessories and replace all bedding. Human athlete's foot cream is not necessarily safe for small animals and can poison it when licked. Normal shedding does not produce round patches with flaking. Dismissing the rash as an insect bite delays treatment and spreads it to the rest of the family.

IssuesHigh humidity and bedding changed only every two weeks made an environment where fungus thrives. Ringworm is a zoonosis, but the owner lacked the knowledge to connect the animal's and the person's symptoms. There was no routine skin check or weekly inspection.

ImprovementKeep humidity at 40–60% and replace all bedding weekly. Check the skin for hair loss, flaking and redness during the weekly hands-on check. Handle an animal with skin problems with gloves and wash hands thoroughly after care. If a family member develops a skin problem, tell the doctor about the animal contact. Isolate from other pets during treatment.

A November night. Trying to take your sleeping 3-year-old African dormouse out of its nest box, you get a deep bite on your index finger. It was a small wound, so you left it alone. The next day the finger is red, swollen, hot and throbbing. It is hard to bend, and a little yellow fluid is oozing from the wound.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. The wound is small, so put on a bandage and watch
2. Lance the swollen finger yourself to drain the pus
3. See a doctor today and tell them you were bitten by a small animal
4. Apply veterinary antiseptic to the wound and leave it

AnswerC. See a doctor today and tell them you were bitten by a small animal

ExplanationAn African dormouse's small, sharp teeth penetrate deep, carrying Pasteurella and other mouth bacteria into the wound. Redness, swelling, heat and pus are signs of bacterial infection; left untreated it can spread to tendons and bone and require surgery. See a doctor today and tell them you were bitten by a small animal. A bandage and waiting lets the infection advance. Lancing it yourself spreads infection and damages tendons. Veterinary antiseptic is not suited to human wounds, and surface disinfection does nothing for an infected wound. Right after a bite, the basic step is washing under running water for 5 minutes.

IssuesThe owner tried to force a sleeping animal out and got bitten. The bite was not washed under running water right away. Not knowing that small-animal bites are deep and easily infected by mouth bacteria, the owner delayed until the swelling the next day. People with diabetes or weak immunity are especially prone to severe infection.

ImprovementDo not force a sleeping animal awake; wait for it to come out on its own during its active hours. To take it out, move the whole nest box or guide it into a cup. If bitten, wash under running water for 5 minutes, disinfect and watch the wound. Decide that swelling, heat or pus means seeing a doctor the same day; anyone with an underlying condition should go as soon as they are bitten.

September. To give your 2-year-old African dormouse a companion, you bring home a 4-month-old from a pet shop. The new animal's nose is a little wet and its stool is somewhat soft, but the shop staff called it transport stress. The family wants to put it in the same cage tonight so it will not be lonely.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. House them together tonight to reduce stress
2. Quarantine it in a separate cage in a separate room for at least two weeks, see a vet during that time to confirm its health, then consider an introduction
3. Put them in the same cage and decide it is fine as long as they do not fight
4. Divide the same cage with a partition so they share air and accessories to get used to each other

AnswerB. Quarantine it in a separate cage in a separate room for at least two weeks, see a vet during that time to confirm its health, then consider an introduction

ExplanationA new animal can bring in respiratory infections, parasites and skin disease, and the wet nose and soft stool may already be signs. Quarantine it in a separate cage in a separate room for at least two weeks, see a vet during that time to confirm its health, and only then consider an introduction. Care for the resident animal first, washing hands in between. Immediate cohousing spreads infection, and housing a mature animal with a young one causes bite injuries. Judging by whether they fight misses infectious disease. A partition in the same cage still transmits infection through shared air and accessories.

IssuesThe shop staff's explanation was taken at face value and the new animal's signs of illness were dismissed. The owner lacked knowledge of the need to quarantine a new animal and that African dormice should be introduced cautiously. The decision was driven by the human notion that it would be lonely.

ImprovementTake a new animal to the vet on the day it arrives and quarantine it in a separate room for at least two weeks. Care for the resident animal first and wash hands in between. Introduce only after a health check, in a large cage with multiple nest boxes and feeding spots, and separate immediately if they fight. Understand that African dormice live perfectly well alone.

Early on a December morning, room temperature 14°C. Your 3-year-old African dormouse lies on the bedding, cold, with no visible chest movement. A fingertip on the chest finds no heartbeat. It was lively last night. The body is not yet stiff, the eyes are half open, and the whiskers seemed to twitch slightly.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Warm it in your hands while rechecking chest movement; if there is no breathing, press the chest lightly with a fingertip 2–3 times per second while calling the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital
2. Press the chest hard as you would for a person and blow into its mouth
3. No heartbeat can be felt, so declare it dead and leave it
4. Keep doing chest compressions on the cold bedding

AnswerA. Warm it in your hands while rechecking chest movement; if there is no breathing, press the chest lightly with a fingertip 2–3 times per second while calling the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital

ExplanationA cold animal at low temperature may be in torpor or severe hypothermia, with breathing and heartbeat so slow and weak they seem to have stopped. First warm it in your hands while rechecking chest movement; as body temperature returns, breathing and heartbeat often resume on their own. If there is still no breathing, press the chest with the pad of your index finger 2–3 times per second, only 1–2 mm deep, while calling the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital. Human-level force breaks ribs and damages the lungs. Declaring death while the body is not yet stiff is premature. On a cold floor, body heat drains away even further.

IssuesThe animal spent the night at 14°C, within the danger zone for torpor. Because it was lively the night before, winter nighttime temperature control was neglected. The owner also needed to know that a small animal's heartbeat and breathing are hard to feel with a finger and easily mistaken for death.

ImprovementKeep the room at 20°C or above at night in winter and verify with a max-min thermometer. Make 'warm first' the rule for a cold, motionless animal, with a threshold of one hour of warming without response before heading to the emergency hospital. Learn chest compressions for small animals and make sure the whole family knows the after-hours hospital's number.

Late on an August night, your 1-year-old African dormouse suffers tail slip as you reach into the cage. Blood flows from the tail, now bare bone, and a patch of blood the size of a large coin spreads across the bedding. The animal races around, spattering blood. The nearest emergency (after-hours) animal hospital that sees small animals is a 40-minute drive away.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Let it run around until the bleeding stops on its own and see a vet in the morning
2. Wrap the animal in a cloth to calm it, press the tail wound with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes, and head for the emergency hospital while keeping pressure on
3. Tie a thread tightly around the base of the tail to stop the blood
4. Pack the wound with flour or tissue to stop the bleeding

AnswerB. Wrap the animal in a cloth to calm it, press the tail wound with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes, and head for the emergency hospital while keeping pressure on

ExplanationIn a 20–30 g body, a coin-sized patch of blood is a large share of total blood volume, and left alone it leads to shock from blood loss. First wrap the animal in a cloth to calm it and stop the bleeding from increasing as it runs around. Press the tail wound with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes without moving it. The shed skin will not return and the bone will die, so head for the emergency hospital while maintaining pressure and have it amputated. Letting it run keeps the bleeding going and can be fatal by morning. Tying off the base kills the whole tail. Flour or tissue stays in the wound, causes infection and gets in the way of treatment.

IssuesThe owner reached into the cage without anticipating the animal's movement and caused tail slip. The basic rule of never holding or grabbing the tail was not followed. The seriousness of blood loss in a tiny body, and the sequence of calming first and then stopping the bleeding, were not known.

ImprovementMove the animal to a small box before working inside the cage. To catch it, cup it in both hands or guide it into a cup; never touch the tail. Keep clean gauze, a cloth and a small transport box on hand and learn the sequence: wrap to calm, press to stop bleeding, emergency hospital. Confirm the hospital's location and travel time in advance.

Late on a January night, your 2-year-old African dormouse develops respiratory distress and you must take it to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital. It is below freezing outside. You have a plastic carrier, disposable hand warmers, a towel and paper nesting material. The animal is limp and seems unable to hold its own body heat. The drive is 30 minutes.

What is the most appropriate way to prepare for transport?

1. Put nesting material in the carrier with the animal, stick hand warmers on the outside of the carrier, cover the whole thing with the towel and carry it in the dark
2. Put the animal straight in your pocket and warm it with your body heat
3. Put hand warmers inside the carrier in direct contact with the animal
4. Leave the lid open and run holding the carrier to get there faster

AnswerA. Put nesting material in the carrier with the animal, stick hand warmers on the outside of the carrier, cover the whole thing with the towel and carry it in the dark

ExplanationA limp animal in respiratory distress cannot maintain its body heat, and in sub-zero conditions hypothermia during the trip is fatal. Put nesting material in the carrier so it can burrow, stick hand warmers on the outside and cover the whole carrier with a towel, then carry it dark and quiet. This holds the temperature and keeps stimulation minimal. A pocket risks crushing or dropping it and you cannot monitor its breathing. Hand warmers in direct contact cause low-temperature burns and poisoning if chewed open. Running with the lid open risks escape, falls and worsening from the icy wind.

IssuesThe transport supplies were on hand, but the owner did not know how to use them. The danger of direct contact with hand warmers, and the importance of darkness, quiet and temperature to a small animal in transit, were unknown. No transport practice or preparation had been done beforehand.

ImprovementKeep the transport carrier, towel, hand warmers and paper nesting material together in one place, and post a written procedure: nesting material inside, hand warmers outside, towel over the top. Confirm the emergency hospital's location and parking in advance and hold the carrier on the passenger seat to limit jolting. Phone ahead before setting off.

11 p.m. on a March night. Your 2-year-old African dormouse has eaten nothing since last night, and the water bottle has not gone down. It comes out of the nest box and walks a little but soon goes back. Its body is not cold, breathing is normal, and there is no bleeding or injury. It has passed almost no stool. Your regular vet opens at 9 tomorrow morning. The emergency (after-hours) animal hospital is an hour's drive.

What is the most appropriate decision about seeking care?

1. Watch until tomorrow night and see a vet if it still is not eating
2. If it is limp, cold or breathing abnormally, go to the emergency hospital now; if not, keep it warm, give sugar water and see your regular vet first thing in the morning
3. It is just a loss of appetite, so mention it at next week's checkup
4. Offer its favorite nuts and decide it is fine if it eats them

AnswerB. If it is limp, cold or breathing abnormally, go to the emergency hospital now; if not, keep it warm, give sugar water and see your regular vet first thing in the morning

ExplanationA 20–30 g animal not eating for a full day is abnormal and needs a vet the same day. But with normal breathing, temperature and consciousness, and a vet available at 9 a.m., it is reasonable to keep it warm, replace sugar and fluids with sugar water, and see your regular vet first thing, rather than subject it to an hour's stressful night drive. If it is limp, cold, breathing abnormally or breathing through its mouth, go to the emergency hospital now. Waiting until tomorrow night means two days without food, with liver strain and weakness past the point of rescue. Next week's checkup is far too late. Even if it eats nuts, skipping the vet with the cause unknown is dangerous.

IssuesHad the leftover food been noticed last night, the regular vet could have been seen during the day. With no criteria for choosing between the emergency hospital and the next morning, the owner is left dithering at 11 p.m. Daily records of stool and water intake would have allowed an earlier response.

ImprovementPost written criteria: 'not eating for a day or fewer droppings' means a same-day vet; 'abnormal breathing, cold, limp or bleeding' means the emergency hospital now. Check leftovers and droppings every night and see a vet first thing the next morning for anything abnormal. Keep the sugar-water recipe and heating supplies ready, and note the numbers of both the emergency hospital and your regular vet.

Late on a July night, your 2-year-old African dormouse has fallen from a height and is not moving, and you cannot tell whether it is breathing. On your palm, the chest seems to move ever so slightly, but you are not sure. You want to check for a heartbeat but it is so small you do not know where to touch. Room temperature is 27°C and the body is warm.

What is the most appropriate way to check and respond?

1. Without a stethoscope you cannot check, so give up and wait until morning
2. Press hard on the blood vessels in the neck to find a pulse
3. On your palm, check the rise and fall of the chest and the vibration on the left side; if present, put it in a box without touching it and go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now; if absent, head there while giving light chest compressions
4. Shake its body to see if it responds

AnswerC. On your palm, check the rise and fall of the chest and the vibration on the left side; if present, put it in a box without touching it and go to the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital now; if absent, head there while giving light chest compressions

ExplanationCheck a small animal's breathing by placing it on your palm and watching the chest rise and fall. Normal is fast and shallow, over 100 breaths per minute. For the heartbeat, touch a fingertip to the left side of the chest and feel for a fine vibration; normal is extremely fast, over 300 per minute. If breathing and heartbeat are present, put it in a box without touching it, so as not to worsen fractures or organ damage from the fall, and go to the emergency hospital now. If absent, head there while pressing the chest with the pad of your index finger 2–3 times per second, 1–2 mm deep. Waiting until morning loses the chance to save it. Pressing hard on the neck blocks the airway, and shaking worsens injuries.

IssuesNot knowing how to check a small animal's breathing and heartbeat cost time in an emergency. The owner also did not know the rule of not touching an animal after a fall to avoid worsening injuries, or the normal breathing and heart rates. The after-hours hospital's contact details had not been checked in advance.

ImprovementWhile the animal is healthy, practice feeling chest movement and heartbeat vibration on your palm and learn the normal rates. Write down the procedure for checking breathing and heartbeat and for chest compressions and keep it handy. Share the emergency hospital's location and number with the family and keep a small transport box ready. Lay thick bedding to prevent falls from heights.

An October morning. Your 3-year-old African dormouse has had diarrhea and no appetite since last night, and you are heading to an animal hospital for the first time. At reception you are asked to describe the situation, but you are flustered and unsure what to say. You have your phone and the notes on weight and room temperature you started keeping last week.

What is the most appropriate way to provide information at the visit?

1. The vet will figure it out by examining it, so say nothing in particular
2. Report when symptoms began, the diet and how often insects are fed, the weight and room temperature records and photos of the stool, and if possible bring an actual stool sample or the affected area
3. Give the diagnosis you found online and ask for that treatment
4. Describe only the symptoms, and answer about diet and environment only if asked

AnswerB. Report when symptoms began, the diet and how often insects are fed, the weight and room temperature records and photos of the stool, and if possible bring an actual stool sample or the affected area

ExplanationSmall-animal consultations are short, and the owner's information is key to diagnosis. Report when symptoms began, the diet (pellets, insects and how often fruit is given), the weight and room temperature records and photos of the stool or affected area, and if possible bring an actual stool sample in a plastic bag. This narrows down whether the diarrhea is dietary, infectious or environmental. Saying nothing leaves the vet guessing. Pushing a diagnosis from the internet biases the assessment. Diet and environment matter especially for African dormice, and volunteering them before being asked speeds the consultation. List what to bring in a memo, and keep the animal dark and warm in transit.

IssuesNothing had been prepared about what to tell the vet at a first visit. On the other hand, starting to log weight and room temperature last week was good and will help the diagnosis. There was no habit of recording diet and stool routinely and bringing those records to the vet.

ImprovementKeep a simple routine log of weight, room temperature, diet and stool, and take photos when something is wrong. Write a memo of what to report at the vet and tape it to the transport box. Bring stool or the affected area's sample in a plastic bag or wrap. Phone a new clinic beforehand to confirm they see African dormice.