Prairie Dogs as Pets

Prairie dogs are gaining immense popularity to be kept as pets all over the world, especially in the regions of America, Canada and Mexico. It is important for you to gain some basic information about these exotic pets. Firstly, the trade and selling of prairie dogs in the United States and Europe was banned after the spread of monkey-flu in 2003. In September 2008, the ban was removed, however, there are still some states in the United States that consider keeping pet prairie dogs as illegal. Therefore, your first and foremost step should be to check with your local state authorities if you are allowed to do that!

Secondly, prairie dogs should be kept as pets from the time they are young pups. This helps them bond with their owner and makes it a lot easier for the owner to take care of them. Considering the fact that they are wild animals, prairie dogs tend to bite at times, the experience of which can be really painful. Therefore, if you have small children in your house, getting prairie dogs wouldn't be a good idea. Although, if taken proper care of, they can be one of the most loving and affectionate pets you can ever have.

Points to Considered Before Keeping Prairie Dogs as Pets

Prairie dogs are very energetic and socializing creatures. If you are aware of their natural habitat, you would know that they live in huge colonies which can spread to almost 100 acres of land. They love a lot of attention and care and cannot be kept isolated. They are usually 12-16 inches long in height and weigh approximately between 1-3 lbs. The males appear bigger than females and have a stronger scent.

The usual lifespan of prairie dogs vary from 8-12 years. Also, every year they enter the rut period wherein they are highly active, sexually. It really doesn't matter if they are neutered or not, their behavior tends to change drastically during this period and they become very aggressive and prone to biting. This is why it is discouraged to keep them as pets if you have kids in your house. Apart from this, mentioned below are some more factors that need to be considered before keeping them as pets.

Attention
Prairie dogs are very socializing creatures and cannot live in isolation. Which is why, only those people who can give a lot of care and attention to this pet, should consider keeping it. Also, if you leave this pet alone in the cage for hours altogether, the pet might develop behavioral symptoms and get into depression. This can also make the pet sick and at times may lead to death. So bring the pup prairie dog and make it an active part of the family. It craves for love and attention and will give you loads of it in return.

Living Area
Prairie dogs require a decent amount of space to live. They would need a spacious cage which should be ideally around 24x24x36 inches and have 2 floors. They should have a lot of room to play. Including some chewable toys or a rope dog chew may be a good idea as prairie dogs love to bite! There another all time favorite hobby is to dig, therefore adding a sand box in a corner would also make the prairie dog feel at home. The placement of the cage is also very important. You should place the cage in an important area of your house and not in any random corner. As I said earlier, include the prairie dog as an important family member. Do not place the pet cage under direct sunlight. Also make sure that you keep untreated wooden nesting box and keep the cider, perfumes and other chemical concentrates away from them.

Food
You also need to take proper care of the nutrition and diet of the prairie dog. Include a lot of hay grass like oat, timothy or orchard. Not only do these have a nutritional value but they also cater to the chewing needs of the prairie dogs for the normal wearing of the teeth. You can also give them some extra treats in between which may include some fresh green leafy vegetables, timothy hay cubes, mulberry, rose petals, etc. Avoid feeding too much of cauliflower or broccoli, as these food items may cause gas in the pet's stomach.

Health
Before you get a prairie dog as pet, you must also be sure that you have a good vet in your locality to take care of your pet's health. Isolation can result in severe depression, so don't get a prairie dog in the first place if you can't devote some quality time to your pet. Prairie dogs are also prone to suffer from respiratory problems. Therefore, you must be sure about the dust and humidity levels in the surrounding. Clipping off the toenail tips of the prairie dog is important to avoid many health issues. Another thing to take care of is the front teeth. The front teeth of the prairie dogs continue to grow throughout their lifespan. Therefore, you must allow the pet to gnaw as much as possible for the natural wearing off. The prairie dogs are also prone to get bubonic plague and zoonosis. So make sure you have a vet available to take care of these issues.

Due to their aggressive behavior, it is advisable to spay or neuter them at the young age itself. This is known to curb the aggressive habits to some extent. If you think you are ready to take up the pet care responsibilities mentioned above, then the rewards are well guaranteed! Once the prairie dog has developed an ease and bonding with you, they can be very adorable as well as entertaining pets. Experts believe that they also speak in a certain language of their own. They will play with you, respond when you call out their name, and run all over the house showing their adorable cute selves. So do you still think you would keep a prairie dog as pet? Feel free to post your comments.