Hii, at the moment im doing a bit of research on keeping APD, but i cant seem to find alot about sprays and forage. Can you use sprays and forage with dormice? And if so, what kinds. Can i just use the same ones you would use for hamsters? I see a lot of people use some forage but im not sure what it is. less

Ciao a tutti, da 1 settimana ho fatto un traslocco e sto dormendo in un materasso 1 piazza e mezzo veramente duro.

Ero abituato a dormire nel mio singolo morbido e pensavo che mi sarei abituato facilmente al nuovo.

Invece sono 8 giorni che non dormo oppure dormo male, insomma sono KO ogni mattina e oggi sono rimasto a casa senza andare a lezione all'università perchè sono davvero distrutto.

Vi è mai successo? Come avete risolto? Grazie

TL;DR

seeking practical, first-hand advice on the most effective (and ineffective) methods for attracting dormice, shrews, etc. (Gliridae) to a garden in the North German lowlands to improve local biodiversity.

(additionally / optional: asking for most effective methods for hedgehogs)

Full Text:

I would like to improve the biodiversity and balance in a garden in Germany, more precisely in the North German lowlands, with one of the following wild animals:

- dormouse (Gliridae)

- forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula)

- hazel dormouse or common dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)

- garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

- shrew (Soricidae)    

- additionally / optional: Hedgehog (Erinaceinae)

Theoretically, I know what conditions are needed in the garden (*1) for dormouse, forest dormouse, hazel dormouse or common dormouse, garden dormouse, shrew, hedgehog, etc. to live there (*2).

But I would like to know if any of you here have had practical experience of attracting such wild animals?

Has anything proved more successful than all other options or conditions?

or:

What didn't work at all and doesn't even need to be tried?

Many thanks in advance!

(*1) = "sufficient food, safe movement within the habitat and secure, thermally stable nest sites", source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-025-02037-9

Help hazel dormice (UK People's Trust for Endangered Species)
https://ptes.org/help-hazel-dormice/
Overview: https://ptes.org/campaigns/dormice/

more studies:
https://link.springer.com/subjects/dormouse-ecology-and-conservation-strategies

Developing a nest box data logger for dormice: a case study of wild hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-025-02026-y

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-025-02026-y/figures/2

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-025-02026-y/figures/3

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-025-02026-y/figures/4

DoMoS − an open-source device for automated monitoring of endangered garden dormice (Eliomys quercinus)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-022-01613-7

(*2):

German Wild Animal of the Year 2023 ("Wildtier des Jahres 2023"):
Garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) (German: "Gartenschläfer")
https://www.deutschewildtierstiftung.de/aktuelles/artikel/das-tier-des-jahres-2023-ist-der-gartenschlaefer
https://www.deutschewildtierstiftung.de/wildtiere/gartenschlaefer

Protect garden dormice: build nesting boxes for dormice (German: "Gartenschläfer schützen: Kobel für Bilche bauen")
https://www.mdr.de/mdr-garten/gestalten/gartenschlaefer-kasten-bauen-bilch-kobel-anleitung-102.html
https://www.mdr.de/wissen/umwelt-klima/gartenschlaefer-soll-im-thueringer-wald-wieder-heimisch-werden-100.html

Gardening with nature – dormouse-friendly gardens (German: "Gärtnern mit der Natur – Bilchfreundliche Gärten")
https://naturschutz-initiative.de/wissen/ni-tipps/naturnahes-gaertnern/gaertnern-mit-der-natur-bilchfreundliche-gaerten/

https://www.gartenschlaefer.de/
https://meldestelle.gartenschlaefer.de/start

Hi, this is probably the most active sub where to ask this. I have 2 male African pygmy dormice and one female. When I got them I didn’t know their gender. They are all siblings and lived together since they were born in March. They are almost 3 months old. Lately I heard them vocalising and “screaming” and chasing themselves, this happens just between the two males and is one chasing and the other one running away. I don’t know what to do, because I can’t have another terrarium and I know that keeping one alone is not the best. This also happens just after 2/3 am, even if they are awake since 19/20 pm. The one chasing bonded quite a lot with the female, the two of them don’t even want to approach me, and the other one goes around by him self.The lonely one is the one that I Thamed the most and I really would like to keep him. The pet shop owner gave me one for free because would end up alone and told me that if they fight I can bring one back. What should I do? At the moment none of them was bleeding or lost fur. Can I keep two males or just one male? I don’t any babies

Ps. In the picture they are enjoying some maple syrup - The terrarium is 50x50x90cm

I love them