Housing and enrichment
As always, bigger is better!
The minimum cage size is 100cm x 50cm x 50cm for 4-6 adults however this is the very minimum size and we would definitely recommend getting larger than this. Any bars needing to be mouse spacing (1cm or less).
ASFs can be chewers, so cages with plastic or wooden parts should be used with caution and inspected for damage and potential escape holes regularly. Barred floors should be avoided or covered. Tank style enclosures are ideal. Ideas on cages at the bottom of this care sheet.
Length and deep substrate are more important than a lot of height. They enjoy digging and floorspace more than climbing but they do enjoy branches and lots of clutter like tunnels, hides, cork bark etc.
Like all rodents they enjoy digging and will take great pleasure in rearranging their cage to suit them! Provide a minimum depth of 20cm for an area at least 50x50cm or as much of the cage as possible. Ensure the substrate is something that will hold tunnels and chambers and provide a mixture of substrates and bedding materials in different areas for stimulation. Hemp/ megazorb/ aspen/ paper/ cardboard/ soft hay/ coconut chip and more all make good options. Avoid pine, sawdust, anything scented and fluffy bedding. (Same advice for all rodents).
A sand bath is not needed however they do enjoy it and providing hamster safe sand is another possible source of enrichment, some seem to prefer the sandpit as a toileting area.
A wheel should be provided, more than one for larger groups, with the minimum size 28cm, it should be solid not barred and be long tail safe (back mounted not A-frame).
Multiple levels created with shelves are a great way to add useable areas. They do climb and are agile enough to use ladders, branches and ropes to move between levels but they are more clumsy than rats and mice so care should be taken to ensure no long drops are possible.
