CARE SHEET - MADAGASCAR TENREC

The Madagascar Tenrec resembles a miniature hedgehog, but is more closely related to the shrew or mole family. Apart from their faces and their stomachs, tenrecs are covered with quills (bristles), which vary in colour from very pale, almost white, to a dark grey.

In their natural habitat, tenrecs are nocturnal and insectivorous.

Tenrecs are unable to thermoregulate, so during the winter months they will enter a state of semi-hibernation or torpor. During this time, they emerge very occasionally to eat or drink water, but spend most of their time asleep.

Feeding

• Live insects (crickets, mealworms, small hissing cockroaches, etc).
• Cat kibble (very good for their teeth – if you can get them to eat it!).
• “Wet” cat food, such as Whiskas Singles.
• Grated carrot.
• Finely chopped, boiled chicken.
• Chopped boiled egg (yolk only).
• Raw mince (topside) – small quantities to avoid stomach upsets.
• Raw chicken liver.

I normally feed once a day (in the evening), although youngsters, pregnant and/or lactating females do better with being fed twice daily. It’s a good idea to keep a bowl of cat kibble in your cage so that the tenrecs always have access to food.

Fresh water should be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – no exceptions. I always use boiled water.

Housing

A glass fish tank is good, although I keep my tenrecs in wooden, glass-fronted reptile cages so that they have more room to walk around. They like to climb, but be careful that they don’t fall from a height (they are not the most agile of creatures!) Shavings (such as those used for hamster cages) are ideal, although the live insects do tend to hide in the shavings. I also use newspaper (nice and absorbent).

During the winter months (when the tenrecs are in their semi-hibernating state) it is essential to provide a heating pad (such as those used in reptile tanks). I provide my tenrecs with a box (2 litre ice cream tub is ideal) in which I place shavings and a small polar fleece blanket. I put the nest box onto the area above the heating pad and leave the rest of the cage unheated. When the weather warms up, the tenrecs will gradually become more active during the evening and will start to eat regularly again. Fresh drinking water should still be available at all times – feeding during the winter months is a bit of a hit and miss affair, but I usually offer food every couple of days or so. It’s a good idea to leave a bowl of cat kibble in the cage, so that the tenrecs always have access to food, should they require it.

As previously stated, tenrecs are unable to regulate their body temperature, so use your discretion as to when and if the heating pad is needed. They will indicate to you when they are feeling the cold – they eat less, and are reluctant to leave the sleeping quarters. This obviously only applies to cold snaps during the year – the heating pad is essential throughout the winter months.

Sexing

This is a difficult one! When a mature male tenrec comes into contact with a female, he exudes a milky secretion from his eyes. Males also have a characteristic “musky” odour. It is very difficult to sex tenrecs before they are mature (which is usually after their first over-winter hibernation). Male tenrecs also have visibly enlarged rings around their eyes. Another possible pointer as to sex determination is that the males tend to have broader faces, as opposed to the longer, more pointed face of the female. Adult males are aggressive towards one another and will fight quite viciously. There again, there are always exceptions to the rule – I have kept one female together with two males, and never had any problems. It’s probably better to err on the side of caution, however.