Steppe Lemming
Encyclopedia
The steppe lemming or steppe vole (Lagurus lagurus) is a small, plump, light grey rodent, similar in appearance to the Norway lemming
(Lemmus lemmus) but not in the same genus. The steppe lemming eats shoots and leaves and is more active at night though it is not strictly nocturnal. In the wild it is found in Russia
and Ukraine
in steppe
s and semi-arid
environments. Fossil
remains of this species have been found in areas as far west as Great Britain
.
, forest-steppe and semi-desert parts of western Mongolia
and Northwest China
and in many parts of the former USSR, Kazakhstan
, Ukraine
, the southern and middle Ural
, western and eastern Siberia
.
In captivity
they can live from 2 to 2.5 years, however they are usually mistreated with small cages (a 10-gallon tank is best for a colony) and improper diets. Although the steppe lemming is social by nature and should not be held in captivity alone, if a colony of steppe lemmings is held together for a long period of time (2 or 3 months) they may become hostile to each other (mainly to the subordinate members of the colony). If there is only one, separate nesting area, two entrances or exits should be placed, due to the attack style of the more impetuous lemmings. They also tend to be very territorial
animals, so it is best that there be a low male population in captivity. Overall it is best to keep between 3 to 8 steppe lemmings in one cage or aquarium
with no more than 1 male for every 2 or 3 females.
It is important not to feed them standard rodent food containing bits of dried fruit. As their natural diet does not contain much sugar
, steppe lemmings are somewhat diabetic and become sick or even die from overdosing on sugar. A sugar-free, non-molasses food that does not contain dried fruit and little sunflower and other oily seeds should be used; laboratory rodent foods may be a cheap alternative. Additionally, steppe lemmings need grass and other leafy greens such as alfalfa to thrive.
Grass gathered outdoors may harbor parasites and toxins and should not be used unless gathered from meadows that are away from uninhabited areas, roads and not frequented by dogs or used for grazing. No matter where any grass or moss has been obtained, and even if it is only intended for bedding, it should be kept in a freezer for three days to eliminate parasites like lice and mites.
Clean water should be always available; the amount actually drunk varies with the food consumed. Willow
twigs need to be provided for abrading the continuously-growing teeth. Lemmings can drink from a shallow dish, but since they typically track their bedding into the water it is generally best to use a bottle with a ball valve.
Lemmings enjoy any kind of running or climbing; however, as their habitat is essentially flat and rather featureless terrain, they have a poor sense of height and danger, so their enclosures should not be high enough to allow them to fall more than 10 or 15 cm and should, of course, be lined with wood chips and hay. An exercise wheel is the best way to keep the animals busy and trim, and if the wheels affords enough space, they will often race in it together. (However, fights can often develop around wheels - with males, particularly, it is helpful to have several wheels, perhaps even one for each lemming.)
Fights (as well as unintentional accidents) can also occur in and around exercise wheels.
Once a male has become aggressive - even with an outsider - he should be considered dangerous, watched very closely and - if possible - be neutered and placed with a group of females. Although neutering a lemming is a difficult operation typically attempted only by veterinary hospitals, it is possible. A neutered alpha male will generally not become less aggressive toward other males.
Since lemmings like to nest in small, narrow enclosures (like boxes the size of a fist) it is important that the enclosure have a second exit so that the defender can escape into another part of the terrarium. Lemming fights sometimes leave no exterior signs of violence but nevertheless cause fatal internal bleeding. More often, fights result in lacerations, often around the hind legs, bottom and genitals.
Lemmings that have been hurt in a fight should be placed in separate terraria or cages from the aggressor as soon as possible. Also, their natural tendency to scratch and lick at wounds can slow healing. A veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics and infection retardants to help an injured lemming, generally at reasonable costs. While it can be very difficult to convince an injured lemming to drink its medicated drops or eat food laced with medicine, a good trick is to place drops of medicine on the lemming's nose. Through licking itself clean, the lemming will ingest the medicine.
Norway lemming
The Norway lemming , Lemmus lemmus, is a common species of lemming found in northern Scandinavia and adjacent areas of Russia. It is the only vertebrate species endemic to the region. The Norway lemming dwells in tundra and fells, and prefers to live near water. Adults feed primarily on...
(Lemmus lemmus) but not in the same genus. The steppe lemming eats shoots and leaves and is more active at night though it is not strictly nocturnal. In the wild it is found in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
s and semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
environments. Fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
remains of this species have been found in areas as far west as Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Description
The steppe lemming has a body length of up to twelve centimetres and a tail of two centimetres, a little shorter than the hind foot. It weighs about thirty grams. The eyes and ears are small and the fur is a uniform shade of brownish grey with a black dorsal stripe.Distribution
This lemming is found in steppeSteppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
, forest-steppe and semi-desert parts of western Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and Northwest China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and in many parts of the former USSR, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, the southern and middle Ural
Ural (region)
Ural is a geographical region located around the Ural Mountains, between the East European and West Siberian plains. It extends approximately from north to south, from the Arctic Ocean to the bend of Ural River near Orsk city. The boundary between Europe and Asia runs along the eastern side of...
, western and eastern Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
Ecology
The steppe lemming is a colonial species digging lengthy burrows. It has a semi-underground mode of life, being active during the day but only going above the surface for short periods. It feeds on various parts of plants including seeds. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of six weeks and can produce up to six broods in a year, with five or six young in each. Under favourable conditions, reproduction continues throughout the year. The numbers of steppe lemmings vary greatly according to climatic conditions and the availability of food. Migrations are observed during years of mass outbreaks.Steppe lemmings as pets
It is the most common domestic vole, being particularly well-known in Europe. (In the US and Canada it is still considered an exotic animal.)In captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
they can live from 2 to 2.5 years, however they are usually mistreated with small cages (a 10-gallon tank is best for a colony) and improper diets. Although the steppe lemming is social by nature and should not be held in captivity alone, if a colony of steppe lemmings is held together for a long period of time (2 or 3 months) they may become hostile to each other (mainly to the subordinate members of the colony). If there is only one, separate nesting area, two entrances or exits should be placed, due to the attack style of the more impetuous lemmings. They also tend to be very territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
animals, so it is best that there be a low male population in captivity. Overall it is best to keep between 3 to 8 steppe lemmings in one cage or aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
with no more than 1 male for every 2 or 3 females.
It is important not to feed them standard rodent food containing bits of dried fruit. As their natural diet does not contain much sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, steppe lemmings are somewhat diabetic and become sick or even die from overdosing on sugar. A sugar-free, non-molasses food that does not contain dried fruit and little sunflower and other oily seeds should be used; laboratory rodent foods may be a cheap alternative. Additionally, steppe lemmings need grass and other leafy greens such as alfalfa to thrive.
Grass gathered outdoors may harbor parasites and toxins and should not be used unless gathered from meadows that are away from uninhabited areas, roads and not frequented by dogs or used for grazing. No matter where any grass or moss has been obtained, and even if it is only intended for bedding, it should be kept in a freezer for three days to eliminate parasites like lice and mites.
Clean water should be always available; the amount actually drunk varies with the food consumed. Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
twigs need to be provided for abrading the continuously-growing teeth. Lemmings can drink from a shallow dish, but since they typically track their bedding into the water it is generally best to use a bottle with a ball valve.
Lemmings enjoy any kind of running or climbing; however, as their habitat is essentially flat and rather featureless terrain, they have a poor sense of height and danger, so their enclosures should not be high enough to allow them to fall more than 10 or 15 cm and should, of course, be lined with wood chips and hay. An exercise wheel is the best way to keep the animals busy and trim, and if the wheels affords enough space, they will often race in it together. (However, fights can often develop around wheels - with males, particularly, it is helpful to have several wheels, perhaps even one for each lemming.)
Motives for fighting
In general steppe lemmings are friendly animals and prefer to live in colonies. Even small groups of males (preferably from the same litter) can live quite peacefully. However, males do tend to be territorial and a mature alpha-male will nearly always attack a stranger and will often mistreat other members of his own litter, particularly if the nest is over-crowded. A large, well filled terrarium (about 5–10 cm wood chips covered by about 10 cm hay) can allow a group to live far more peacefully; altercations should be expected in smaller spaces with little bedding.Fights (as well as unintentional accidents) can also occur in and around exercise wheels.
Once a male has become aggressive - even with an outsider - he should be considered dangerous, watched very closely and - if possible - be neutered and placed with a group of females. Although neutering a lemming is a difficult operation typically attempted only by veterinary hospitals, it is possible. A neutered alpha male will generally not become less aggressive toward other males.
Fights, wounds and necessary precautions
The aggressor will try to trap the defending lemming in a corner and then attack with his teeth and short claws. Excited chirps, chattering and running typically accompany a fight - in most cases, the whole colony will be disturbed. (While activity of this kind is amusing for new owners it should be observed very carefully, since peaceful lemming colonies are much quieter than ones characterized by aggressive behavior.)Since lemmings like to nest in small, narrow enclosures (like boxes the size of a fist) it is important that the enclosure have a second exit so that the defender can escape into another part of the terrarium. Lemming fights sometimes leave no exterior signs of violence but nevertheless cause fatal internal bleeding. More often, fights result in lacerations, often around the hind legs, bottom and genitals.
Lemmings that have been hurt in a fight should be placed in separate terraria or cages from the aggressor as soon as possible. Also, their natural tendency to scratch and lick at wounds can slow healing. A veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics and infection retardants to help an injured lemming, generally at reasonable costs. While it can be very difficult to convince an injured lemming to drink its medicated drops or eat food laced with medicine, a good trick is to place drops of medicine on the lemming's nose. Through licking itself clean, the lemming will ingest the medicine.
