The kangaroo rat is undoubtedly a curious, beautiful and unique little mammal at least, for this reason many people consider having a kangaroo rat as a pet. It is a tiny rodent similar to a kangaroo due to its long hind legs and its enormous tail, which it uses to maintain its balance.
We can find up to 22 species of this rodent that lives in arid and desert areas, although they all look a lot alike.
Is it possible to have a kangaroo rat as a domestic pet?
The kangaroo rat is a rodent with a different morphology than the one we are used to. Its striking and unique appearance is what leads many people to consider keeping a kangaroo rat as a pet, but, Is it okay to have a kangaroo rat as a pet?
The kangaroo rat is undoubtedly a very resistant animal that adapts easily to arid and dry climates by feeding on small insects and seeds. This little animal enjoys traveling long distances, washing itself in the sun-kissed sand and digging deep shelters strategically distributed to protect itself from predators.
This means that it is an animal that requires high doses of exercise, a lot of available space, concrete heat and natural light during the day. Ask yourself if you can meet these requirements because, the kangaroo rat is not a pet.
Where can I get a kangaroo rat?
our site considers that the kangaroo rat is an animal that should not be kept in captivity since we will only manage to keep the small rodent stressed, sad and listless. An animal that will never be able to reproduce or learn what it means to live in the wild. Still, if you're hell-bent on getting a pet kangaroo rat you'll need to be clear about a few things:
These are sensitive and small animals, never try to catch a wild one, it could have a heart attack at that very moment or when caught in a cage
If you think about buying, it must be essential that the seller has the CITES certificate (International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species) since it is threatened. In addition, without this certificate you can receive a sick rodent that can transmit any disease to you
Beware of particles, do not finance the animal trade
Look in shelters, these types of animals that are difficult to maintain properly are often abandoned
Kangaroo rat care
Having a kangaroo rat as a pet means that you have to take care of it as it deserves. Whoever has an animal just to enjoy watching it without paying attention to its specific needs as a living being should not consider having any.
For this reason and so that, together with us, you understand that it is not a suitable animal to have in a home, we are going to explain what you would need to have a kangaroo rat as a pet:
The kangaroo rat needs a large piece of land where it can run and dig without limits, for this and to prevent escapes you should consider fencing off the land, a complicated task since it is a very small rodent. The ground substrate must be soft and fine, so that it can develop its natural instinct digging and being able to make its "nests"
Its diet is complicated as it is based on roots, leaves and seeds such as quenopodium or pipe. Perhaps it will be difficult to obtain flora endemic to the United States
You will need other kangaroo rats to hang out with
Behaviour
Unfortunately our site does not know in detail the behavior of the kangaroo rat but the truth is that while hamsters or domestic rats have been domesticated for generations, the kangaroo rat has not.
We can assume that the kangaroo rat, being a wild animal (and even more so if we are talking about an adult specimen) will not willingly accept being touched and "trained" by humans.
Do you know the kangaroo rat? Comment us and tell us what you think of this article.
