The prairie dog, which I thought was a wild animal, is becoming popular as a pet. The prairie dog has an appearance that resembles a rodent that grows for a lifetime of teeth, is active, playful, and has a strong stamina. And if you adopt a young prairie dog and give proper social education and pay much attention, you can grow up as a nice and friendly pet.
The prairie dog was named because he made a "barking" sound. The voices of the prairie dogs are said to be 'horses' that can communicate with each other in a way similar to human language. In 2003, prairie dogs were banned as pets for five years after being identified as the culprit of the virus. Then, in 2008, the FDA resumed its sanctions and returned to the pet system.
Prairie dog in the wild
Wild prairie dogs have five species - black tailed, white tailed, utah, guinea, and Mexican. Blacktail is the most common breed in the pet trading market. This breed is widely distributed from Canada to Mexico, including the western United States. However, the population has been reduced by 98% due to the recent indiscretion of people. Prairie dogs live in large communities as one of the few on-board rodents. They mainly hunt prey in the grasslands and return to their oysters at night. This animal does not fully hibernate in winter, but activity is reduced. The next day to save energy to hunt for food to reduce metabolism, heart rate, breathing is reduced. And in the rainy season, summer and winter, it does not move on the ground. Generally, prairie dogs are difficult to breed as pets. These animals are caught and not kept for long periods of time, so their wild instincts remain. It is not suitable for everyone because it requires considerable care and attention. It is not suitable for families with young children because it is difficult to handle and aggressive unless regularly administered. But if it is managed properly, it can live up to 8 to 10 years like a rabbit.
Male and female
Male prairie dogs are larger than females. Weighs about 1.5 ~ 3.5lb on average. A female lays a child after 35 to 40 days of gestation. Pregnant females are aggressive to other prairie dogs and should be isolated from the group. Both males and females have anal lines and it is better to do a neutralization surgery to avoid serious complications. If female prairie dogs do not undergo neurosurgery, they show aggression at every estrous cycle and change their behavior temporarily.
Pet Prairie Dog Management Act
Prey : Prairie dogs are herbivorous animals, but sometimes eat insects when they need to cope with environmental changes. Wild prairie dogs mainly feed on shrubs, roots, and grasses. About 75% of the wild prairie dog food is dominated by grass. However, depending on the season, the food also changes. If nuts, dog food, or sugar give a lot of food, it becomes abnormally obese. At the same time, the situation gets worse if there is a lack of exercise.
Cage: Since Prairie Dog likes to chew, he needs to choose a cage with strong steel bars and can change bedding. And because there is a habit of digging oysters, you need to have enough room to sell oysters to make you feel comfortable. Prairie dogs do not need high ladders because they basically live on the ground. You should also provide exercise wheels that can give you physical stimulation.
Health : Prairie dogs are social animals. Therefore, if only one is raised, it can lead to depression and may lead to physical illness. And if you do not get enough attention from your owner, other problems may arise. Prairie dogs need enough exercise because they tend to gain weight when they breed. And other medical problems can also occur with exotic animals. These include intestinal parasites, heart disease, and oral diseases.
If you want to know more about prairie dogs, it is best to consult an exotic pet veterinarian. And this particular animal needs annual health screening and proper feeding and care.
