The term spiny mouse refers to any species of rodent within the genus Acomys. Similar in appearance to mice of the genus Mus, spiny mice are small mammals with bare, scaled tails. However, their coats are endowed with unusually stiff guard hairs similar to the spines of a hedgehog; this trait is the source of the common name, spiny mouse. Despite their anatomic similarity to members of the genus Mus, genetic evidence suggests that the African spiny mice may be more closely related to gerbils than to common mice. Classification Genus Acomys – spiny mice Western Saharan spiny mouse, Acomys airensis Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus Chudeau's spiny mouse, Acomys chudeaui Asia Minor spiny mouse, Acomys cilicicus Gray spiny mouse, Acomys cineraceus Eastern spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus Fiery spiny mouse, Acomys ignitus Johan's spiny mouse, Acomys johannis Kemp's spiny mouse, Acomys kempi Louise's spiny mouse, Acomys louisae Crete spiny mouse, Acomys minous Mullah spiny mouse, Acomys mullah Muze spiny mouse, Acomys muzei Cyprus spiny mouse, Acomys nesiotes Nguru spiny mouse, Acomys ngurui Percival's spiny mouse, Acomys percivali Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus Seurat's spiny mouse, Acomys seurati Southern African spiny mouse, Acomys spinosissimus Cape spiny mouse, Acomys subspinosus Wilson's spiny mouse, Acomys wilsoni As exotic pets Though African spiny mice originated in the deserts of Africa, they are frequently kept as exotic pets in other parts of the world, particularly Western nations such as the United States. In the pet trade, they are most commonly referred to as Egyptian spiny mice or, more simply, spiny mice. Though these animals are similar to pet mice and rats, the tail of a spiny mouse is much more delicate. Therefore, the spiny mouse should never be picked up by its tail and should be handled with care to avoid a degloving injury. Their diet is also rather hard to maintain because their bodies have odd reactions to certain foods. Housing Due to their desert origin, spiny mice thrive at hot temperatures and should be maintained around 27 °C (81 °F). These animals are very social and should always be housed in groups when possible. As spiny mice are prone to obesity, it is important to provide ample space and environmental enrichment to encourage exercise. Reproduction Gestation length is between 38 and 42 days. Litters normally consist of 2 to 3 pups, but females may have up to 6 pups in a single litter.