Streaked Tenrec
(Hemecentetes s. semispinosus)
Interview with Mary Simon
Positives of Hemecentetes s. semispinosus as pets?
These tenrecs can't be considered "Pets" in any sense of the word. Handling must be kept to a minimum to reduce stress. I did handle mine enough to keep them from being too afraid of me when I cleaned and fed them.
Negatives of Hemecentetes s. semispinosus as pets?
Probably, the most important would be the lack of interaction most people expect from a "pet." People who want an animal that they can handle often should stick with the more common pet shop varity. These tenrecs have quills rather than spines. (quills have hooks on the end, spines don't) Some of the quills are thicker and easily seen, others are fine like those you'd find on a cactus.
Anecdotes/stories about Hemecentetes s.semispinosus?
Let me preface this with, this is only humorous if it didn't happen to you. My husband is less than an animal person, but he does love to say "Come look at 'OUR' animals." Well, he had no clu”e what he was getting into when he reached into the tank and woke up a sleeping tenrec. This poor little creature was frightened awake to find a huge hand with a strange scent in his tank, and assumed his defensive posture. That is, head lowered and his crown of quills positioned at a forward angle. When this foreign appendage came forward and tried to pick the tenrec up, he charged and rammed his head into the monster with his head leaving MANY quills in the monster hand. As if that weren't bad enough, my husband pulled back, rubbed the spot with the quills in it(because it hurt) and made things twice as bad. It took me a looooong time to get all of the quills out. His cousin had a real good laugh. Since then, my critters have been referred to as 'HER' animals.
Do they have scent glands or an offensive smell?
No. Their feces isn't pleasant but then...
What is their average lifespan?
30 months.
Do they tolerate interaction?
VERY little, as stated above.
What is their general personality, disposition, and attitude?
They are inquisitive but very defensive. They will learn to cautiously trust the one who handles them.
Are they hyper, or more sedate when being handled?
Almost always hyper. When I picked them up, I always knew there was the possibility of being stuck with the quills, even if they weren't trying. Just having them back up in your hand, they could leave quills. I never used gloves. Each time I picked them up, I wanted to be able to feel for abnormalities that would be missed wearing gloves.
How destructive are they in their tank?
Not very. They like to dig and hunt for worms but don't 'destroy' anything.
Are their any problems associated with their claws?
No
How messy are their droppings?
Very gooey.
Can they be litter box trained?
Yes, I seeded the fresh litter box with a fresh dropping and from then on, they used it for urine and feces.
Can they be trained?
No, these are NOT 'pets' and DON'T do tricks.
What size cage do they need?
I kept mine in a 40 gallon breeder tank. (36" x 18" x 16"). No top was required. The substrate was peat moss mixed with clean top soil, kept slightly damp.
What is the best diet for them?
Their food of choice, is earthworms. Each one ate between 8 and 12 large nightcrawlers per day. If I'd fed regular redworms or even smaller nightcrawlers, they'd have eaten MANY MORE. When they were young, they'd occasionally eat 'ocean fish' flavored, canned cat food and Zophobus mealworms.
What vaccinations/vet care do they require?
None.
At what age would it be best to get one?
IF they are 'available' and are CAPTIVE BORN, the just weaned stage is best.
Are they difficult to breed?
Yes. I know the National Zoo in Washington D.C. bred them at one time but the colony died out. Although I tried, mine did not breed. I learned that if they don't breed in their first year, they probably won't. We are not Madagascar. I'm sure they require certain nutrients in their earthworms that we don't have. The plant life and soil in the United States is different and the earthworms content wouldn't wouldn't be the same. Hence, they may not be inclined to breed as readily.
Other Consideration for owners of Hemecentetes s.spinosus?
They are costly to feed. Cat food is NOT a good choice as a food source, only an occasional treat and Zophobus mealworms were offered very seldom because they're very fatty. Their food of choice is earthworms/nightcrawlers. You MUST be able to provide the worms 12 months a year, not just when they are available from a bait store. Here in the northern U. S., where I live, most of the bait stores are not open in the winter months. I was able to order them over the internet from worm farms in Canada in winter. During the warmer months, I purchased them locally. The average cost was $45 to $55 per 500 worms over the course of a year. I had 4 Hemecentetes s. spinosus. At an average of 10 worms each per day, 500 worms was less than a two week supply. So, consider you'd have to spend over $25 per month per animal to keepone animal fed. And, since they are social animals, they do better in groups. I started with 5 H. s. spinosus. They were captive born from wild caught animals. One died with in 2 weeks from using 'city' water. The chemicals in the water poisoned it. It was pointed out to me by a friend that I should use bottled water, distilled water, or filtered water. I chosethe filtered water. Of the remaining 4 animals, one lived for 26 months, 2 for 28 months and the last for 34 months.
What kind of person should own these animals?
One who is serious about breeding this rare species. One who can afford to feed them. One who is willing to observe but not interact with this species.
