# What uncommon mammals do you keep (not dogs, cats, horses...)



## Cirith Ungol (Feb 8, 2005)

What uncommon mammals do you keep (not dogs, cats, horses...)

How are they kept? Do you have any funny stories to tell? What about personality, social behaviour shown towards you? Do they know any tricks?
Just come up with something to describe your pet and tell me why its a good pet to have arround...


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## LPacker79 (Feb 8, 2005)

My only "unusual" pet besides the snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, and roaches are my crayfish. But they're not mammals 

2 _Procambarus alleni_....


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## OldHag (Feb 9, 2005)

I have a goat...that is sort of oddish..I guess.  The neighbors all think so  anyway.  
Meet Cootie!! My Nigerian Dwarf Goat
He rides on my 4wheeler with me. Goes hiking with us and carries our lunches.
He protects me from neigborhood kids by knocking them down and standing on them.  He follows me everywhere I go and sits on my lap and sleeps.  He goes down slides at the park and plays tag with the kids.   Hes awesome!!


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 10, 2005)

The crayfish from outer space look really nice, but in this thread so far the little goaty takes home the prize!   Too sweet!

Anybody there with possibly some rat stories? Chinchillas? Just trying to inspire the shy posters... there MUST be more mammals out there? Btw, I'm not really a bunny or hamster guy either bu if you have something interesting to say about them go ahead!


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## Beastmaster (Feb 10, 2005)

Well, I've got a bunch of mice, that started out as food for my ball python, Clyde, but has grown into a messy sort of amateurish genetics experiment, as I've been enjoying watching various color patterns evolve through generations of snake food.  I also have two cats, but I think you already said no cats - too mundane.  I'll take my l.parahybana's urticating hairs over the scratches from my cat any day! He's the wildest pet  I have...
Anyways, the mice make nice enough pets as they are slightly more interactive than a tarantula, but not nearly as cool.  They have a sort of cockroach that you can pet with out feeling icky til it craps on you cool value, as opposed to a 9" tarantula that eats mice cool value... 
Wrong site to be looking for mammal lovers... I love to watch my mice....get eaten! ;P


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## MilkmanWes (Feb 10, 2005)

Sugar gliders and hamsters.

And my girlfriend, she is one of a kind and a mammal too!


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## Melmoth (Feb 10, 2005)

I've always fancied keeping an armadillo. Has anybody on AB ever kept one of these armour plated cuties?


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## Immortal_sin (Feb 10, 2005)

phew...armadillos STINK! They smell like rotten dead flesh, I would not want one for a pet lol
My weirdest mammal pet is a pot belly pig named Saucie. He does a couple of tricks, but mainly just hangs out.


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## Zombie (Feb 10, 2005)

OldHag said:
			
		

> I have a goat...that is sort of oddish..I guess.  The neighbors all think so  anyway.
> Meet Cootie!! My Nigerian Dwarf Goat
> He rides on my 4wheeler with me. Goes hiking with us and carries our lunches.
> He protects me from neigborhood kids by knocking them down and standing on them.  He follows me everywhere I go and sits on my lap and sleeps.  He goes down slides at the park and plays tag with the kids.   Hes awesome!!



I'm green with envy.....I want a goat!


I have 1 ferret, Neitzche, who steals everything that, well, anything that isn't securely fastened to a surface....it's ok though, I know all of his hiding places....but then again, who's fooling who? I may have to aquire a crack habit in order to keep up with his antics.
I also have a cat, Norman, but she certainly wouldn't ever condescend to hang with the likes of me.


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 10, 2005)

Thanks for your stories folks! It's really fun to hear such things, yes even if this is the wrong place to look for mammals   .

But Wes, where did you get the girlfriend? I want one! What size tank do you use, what do you feed her and with what hum and temp do you go?


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## Spider-man 2 (Feb 10, 2005)

I own a ferret, Lil Girl, who tries to eat chunks out of my siamese kitty.  Also, she is psycho, curious, and nosey.

Here's a pic of her











I also half-own a squirrel, who lives at my brother's girlfriends's mom's house.

Here's Shelby,the squirrel


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## Melmoth (Feb 10, 2005)

Immortal_sin said:
			
		

> phew...armadillos STINK! They smell like rotten dead flesh, I would not want one for a pet lol
> My weirdest mammal pet is a pot belly pig named Saucie. He does a couple of tricks, but mainly just hangs out.


                   Well Holley,that's put me off armadillos. Thanks  

                                         George


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 10, 2005)

I bet the ferret is quite the little tornado!    Are the ferret and cat playing on that center pic? The cat seems to enjoy itself, that much (I think) I can tell   

Very cute all of them. Especially the three on the bottom pic! What kind are the ones that try to eat the squirrel?   

(I DO AM in a jokey mood right now... had a few newkies, so no offense   )


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## Spider-man 2 (Feb 10, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> I bet the ferret is quite the little tornado!    Are the ferret and cat playing on that center pic? The cat seems to enjoy itself, that much (I think) I can tell
> 
> Very cute all of them. Especially the three on the bottom pic! What kind are the ones that try to eat the squirrel?
> 
> (I DO AM in a jokey mood right now... had a few newkies, so no offense   )



Yea, my ferret is nutty.  They are just play biting in the picture.  Sometimes they get too rough and I have to seperate them.

LOL, I don't eat squirrels!  I am on the right (the one kissing the squirrel) and my brother's girlfriend on the left.  We are Homo sapiens, btw   .


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 10, 2005)

Wes... btw, what are shugar gliders????



> Spider-man 2: LOL, I don't eat squirrels! I am on the right (the one kissing the squirrel) and my brother's girlfriend on the left. We are Homo sapiens, btw   .





How is the squirrel kept? Wouldn't it fall under some "wild animal" protection guideline? I dunno personally, am just curious. I guess squirrels too are rather speedy and wild. They look really cute tho! I'd love to have one, if I could train it to be nice to my furniture and other stuff (like if that was ever to happen   )
Really nice!

Cirith


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## Beastmaster (Feb 10, 2005)

Yeah! Milkman Wes, Show us your sugar gliders!! aren't they like some sort of flying squirel/marsupial? and don't they live like 20 years and need constant attention? I bet they're super cute!


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## OldHag (Feb 10, 2005)

Eleven said:
			
		

> I'm green with envy.....I want a goat!
> 
> 
> I have 1 ferret, Neitzche, who steals everything that, well, anything that isn't securely fastened to a surface....it's ok though, I know all of his hiding places....but then again, who's fooling who? I may have to aquire a crack habit in order to keep up with his antics.
> I also have a cat, Norman, but she certainly wouldn't ever condescend to hang with the likes of me.



Well, after the "Mouse" incident in the petstore....what self respecting cat would!!!!???

P.S. I love my Female A. braunshauseni she eats like a WILD WOMAN!! shes great!!  Thanks again

Michelle


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## Zombie (Feb 10, 2005)

OldHag said:
			
		

> Well, after the "Mouse" incident in the petstore....what self respecting cat would!!!!???
> 
> P.S. I love my Female A. braunshauseni she eats like a WILD WOMAN!! shes great!!  Thanks again
> 
> Michelle



Hey!
I should be revered in the feline community for that! There should be statues, parades, a key ceremony, and a holiday named for....

And I didn't know that was you who bought the _A. braunshauseni_, speak up next time!


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## Ishkabibble (Feb 10, 2005)

I used to have a Racoon, then a couple of Ferrets, and the best "unusual" pet was a... Skunk. Descented. It was found by itself and my niece was a wildlife rehabilitationist and asked my older sister if she wnted it because she didn't have room for it, My sister moved and I cared for it for about 6 months before my sister got a permit to keep it where she moved to. Great animals, curl up on your lap just like a cat. Just don't mess with their food!


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## Pheonixx (Feb 11, 2005)

well is a Chinchilla unusual?  if so then i have one.  

nah i really DO have one, and he is a crazy SOB.


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## druid8783 (Feb 11, 2005)

I used to have African pixi mice.  They are these little teeny mice that only get about an inch long.  I loved them!  I started with four and ended with 12.  They were eventually banned from here because of that whole disease/prairie dog thing.  I gave them to a wild life center.

I also had a goat.  I don't know what kind it was.  Her name was Maddie.  She was black and white.  Ate everything.  One time she managed to get into the loft in the barn.  We thought she ran away till we heard her in the loft.  It was quite entertaining.  I would love to have a goat again.

Currently the weirdest thing I have is 2 rats (my third died two months ago RIP Bearski).  Two females Marbles and Sable.  I love them to death.  Marbles rides around on my shoulder and Sable gives kisses


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 11, 2005)

It's funny really. I've had my cat for almost 10 years. I've always loved it and enjoyed it. In late summer I got my first tarantula and scorpion. When I started to get to know them my enjoyment of the cat increased a great lot - because I started to see how different all the animals are! I started to realize how smart cat's, or mammals in general really are... I started to very slowly realize in what way the arachnids are smart. I am really in awe of what nature has acomplished. I am in awe at with how little resources arachnids have managed to live and thrive for more than 300.000.000 years and I am in awe at how intelligent mammals are, how social they are and all that! 

There are so many wonders arround us. All we need to do is to take us the time to look and observe and we will be stunned by the beauty and variety of evoution! I'm happy to be a part of this thing called life


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## pitbulllady (Feb 11, 2005)

*Skunks*



			
				Ishkabibble said:
			
		

> I used to have a Racoon, then a couple of Ferrets, and the best "unusual" pet was a... Skunk. Descented. It was found by itself and my niece was a wildlife rehabilitationist and asked my older sister if she wnted it because she didn't have room for it, My sister moved and I cared for it for about 6 months before my sister got a permit to keep it where she moved to. Great animals, curl up on your lap just like a cat. Just don't mess with their food!



I used to have a chocolate skunk, which of course was captive-bred on a fur farm(the source of most pet skunks-those with aberrant markings that can't be matched up with other pelts get sold as pets, the rest get skinned).  He was a neat pet-he'd play tug-of-war like a dog, use a litter box, sleep on my feet at night, and had the softest, densest fur.  Like you said, though, they get psycho over anyone messing with their food, especially if they get ahold of anything sweet!  Mine ripped a chunk out of my best friend's arm while she was "skunk-sitting" him.  He'd found a candy bar one of her kids had stashed under a bed, and she tried to take it from him.  Fortunately, she is a very reasonable person and knew that there'd be no chance of him having rabies, since he'd been in captivity his entire life, kept indoors, since if she'd filed a report the Health Dept. would have decapitated him.  The worst thing you have to be careful of in skunks is obesity, due to their eating habits.

pitbulllady


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## MilkmanWes (Feb 11, 2005)

You can see the Sugar Gliders on my album -

http://www.weshoward.com/album/Animals/index.html

They are in the Fuzzy category.

They are pretty high maintenance. The boy is in a very bitey phase right now. In early adulthood they can really test their limits. He actually latched onto my girlfriends face twice (once on the chin and one on the lip) and my hand several times. We are trying to find a vet to neuter him since he doesnt seem to be inclined to grow out of it on his own.

The girl appears to have joeys in her pouch. We had planned on having one litter with her, but it came sooner than we expected. I'll let everyone know when they start comming out.

They are marsupials, they can live 10 - 15 years. Most health problems they encounter are diet related. They are so high energy and such finicky eaters that they are prone to malnutrition or obesity when they get too much sweets.


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 11, 2005)

Nice!! I've never seen Sugar Glider!  They look nocturnal!


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## Stardust (Feb 21, 2005)

I like sugar gliders too...they are so cute ~


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## Scorpendra (Feb 25, 2005)

sugar gliders are cute, i wish i had one...

but, i DO have a short-tailed possum. she is very lazy, and only gets out of her nest for the basics: eat, drink and run on her wheel. she l;oves to eat mealworms, and when she smells them, she jumps out of her nest and eat them ravenously and noisilly. so much for girls being polite and dainty. but she is rather cute.
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL760/2846696/6164391/86064540.jpg

and incase you are wondering about her right ear, i got her from a shop where _all_ of the possums were in _one ten gallon tank_. and the only other female (i didn't want to deal with bloated gonads when i handled the possum) had a stumpy tail.


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## jmadams (Feb 25, 2005)

I have two chinchillas, a standard grey, and a mosaic, tanish and grey.  Very cute little guys.

edit to make that 4.  Two females purchased two days ago.


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## Sheri (Feb 25, 2005)

I keep two humans, juveniles.

They are a lot of effort, and require huge amounts of time. Feeding schedules are erratic, and enclosure cleaning is nutty. They are prone to biting, at times, and they require care 24/7. Humidity doesn't seem as issue, and room temp works well. And they prefer dead food which makes it a little easier as well. They grow quite tame with lots of handling, if you have the patience for it. 

A lot to put up with, I know, but they carry my DNA around so I've decided to keep them.


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## Atalanta (Feb 26, 2005)

Brave, Sheri, very brave; I've heard those can be venomous.

Me - I just have a bunny and a hedgehog.  It's quite enough.


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## Cirith Ungol (Feb 26, 2005)

I finally found out more about sugar gliders. Arn't they native ozzies?

Sheri, your post woke me up from my hangover, which is something really hard to accomplish. Good work


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## Ravnos (Feb 27, 2005)

I keep a few different things: african pygmy hedgehogs, sugar gliders, steppe lemmings, short-tailed opossum, prairie dogs, african dormice and a dwarf mongoose. I have a fascination about working with various species and seeing the differences in diet, care and interaction. 

Rav


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## Rob1985 (Mar 3, 2005)

Do Step-Brothers count??? :?


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## Heartfang (Mar 4, 2005)

I have a couple anoles, a regular boring sleepy hamster, a dwarf hamster, a beta fish, and... I guess "Blue", a bluejay that visits out house everyday for some grub.  Used to have a few lovebirds and 4 chinchilas.


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## senor ocho (Mar 4, 2005)

I have 5 Guinea Pigs. They absolutely rock, and never fail to cheer me up if the day eats at me. Yeah, I know, a spider-dealer with Guinea Pigs. I always say "Own one, and you'll get it."  
Here's an old picture of Mr Futzy, the ringleader.


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## Spider-man 2 (Mar 4, 2005)

senor ocho said:
			
		

> I have 5 Guinea Pigs. They absolutely rock, and never fail to cheer me up if the day eats at me. Yeah, I know, a spider-dealer with Guinea Pigs. I always say "Own one, and you'll get it."
> Here's an old picture of Mr Futzy, the ringleader.


OH OH OH, I love guinea pigs!!!  I have owned about 8 in my life.  Don't have any currently. 

Mr. Futzy is a cutie!  What a cute shot!


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## senor ocho (Mar 4, 2005)

Yeah,
I was lucky enough to get him in mid-chuff. 
Here's another pic of him and his GREEN sister Corker. 
Dwayne, you're good people. If you come to the ATS this year, I'll slam 2 beers in your mitts. 
-chris
www.krazy8sinvertebrates.com


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## Spider-man 2 (Mar 4, 2005)

senor ocho said:
			
		

> Yeah,
> I was lucky enough to get him in mid-chuff.
> Here's another pic of him and his GREEN sister Corker.
> Dwayne, you're good people. If you come to the ATS this year, I'll slam 2 beers in your mitts.
> ...


I'm people? COOL!  I could always use more of me.  ;P   Why am I good? :? 

I am definately at the ATS confernce this year.  MMM beer....  See ya there Chris!


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## senor ocho (Mar 4, 2005)

You're people on the basis that you can comprehend why Guinea Pigs rock in the manner that they do. 
You shoulda hung out with me last year at the ATS. I had beer, spiders, beer, beer, Glennfiddich, and more beer. This year will be no different. 
Mr Futzy (He got his name because he can't stop futzing) recently answered us. My girlfriend told Corker No, No, No!, cause she was screwing around. Mr Futzy co-signed with an "Oink-Oink-Oink!" The damndest thing. Mr Futzy "Thinks he's people." Get that right and you can share the Scotch I bring this year. Man, will it be a fun time!!!  
-chris
www.krazy8sinvertebrates.com


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## Spider-man 2 (Mar 4, 2005)

senor ocho said:
			
		

> You're people on the basis that you can comprehend why Guinea Pigs rock in the manner that they do.
> You shoulda hung out with me last year at the ATS. I had beer, spiders, beer, beer, Glennfiddich, and more beer. This year will be no different.
> Mr Futzy (He got his name because he can't stop futzing) recently answered us. My girlfriend told Corker No, No, No!, cause she was screwing around. Mr Futzy co-signed with an "Oink-Oink-Oink!" The damndest thing. Mr Futzy "Thinks he's people." Get that right and you can share the Scotch I bring this year. Man, will it be a fun time!!!
> -chris
> www.krazy8sinvertebrates.com


HAHA!

I wasn't at the conference last year.   This will be my first   I am excited to meet everyone and have a great time away from Washington and school.

I had this one guinea pig that would try to make love to my hand and give me those funning giggling mating call sounds whenever I feed her.  EVERY morning, she would squeak over and over and over at the very first sound made in the morning.  Even if the sound wasn't made by a person she would wake up the whole house.  What she wanted was her whole carrot every morning. If she didn't get it all HELL would break loose.  Don't wanna be around Goldie (her name), when that happened!    haha


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## senor ocho (Mar 4, 2005)

Ours oink and teeth-clack at us generally between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Mr Futzy starts the oinking, and the others just follow suit. Funny stuff.  Try as you may to ignore them, they just don't relent. 
If you can identify the quote I left in the previous post, PM me. You'll get your Scotch infusion. If you've never imbibed the wondrous Scotch, you're in for a treat. 
-chris
www.krazy8sinvertebrates.com


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## Cirith Ungol (Mar 4, 2005)

Hey! Mr Futzy looks very much like my first guinea pig! ...WAIT! I might even have a picture! 
*Runns off and jumps into the nearest closet*
Ha! Got one!


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## jmadams (Mar 4, 2005)

I had one a few years ago.  He was super cute, but boy did he stink.  I'm on to Chinchillas now.  we currently have 4.  Two males and two females.


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## Cirith Ungol (Mar 4, 2005)

How are chinchillas kept and how would you describe them as pets? What is "their thing" so to speak, what makes them fun having?


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## Malkavian (Mar 4, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> How is the squirrel kept? Wouldn't it fall under some "wild animal" protection guideline? I dunno personally, am just curious. I guess squirrels too are rather speedy and wild. They look really cute tho! I'd love to have one, if I could train it to be nice to my furniture and other stuff (like if that was ever to happen   )
> Really nice!
> Cirith


In North Carolina there are laws about keeping native animals as pets (largely I think to cut down on possible rabies transmissions from "tame" raccoons and squirrels, as well as to prevent depletion of native species (box turtles! for one)) I'm sure at least some other states have similar provisions.


Re: Chinchillas, they are SOFT. and kinda cute, and fun to watch. If I was ever going to have fur lined gloves, it would be chinchilla (Please no one kill me for that, and yes I am serious) 
I've not had good experience with them personally, the ones at the petstore are rarely acclimated and the last one that was there bit every male it came in contact with.  

Personally I'm off of mammals except as food for other critters. Kept hampsters and gerbils for years, now I can't stand them.


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## Scorpendra (Mar 4, 2005)

that mentality of wanting to wear chinchilla fur for it's softness is why chinchillas are _endangered_ in the wild...

if you get a mammal, i suggest a short tailed possum. they are cute, fairly easy to take care of, soft, unique, and almost disease resistant. also, they can be litterbox trained!


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## edesign (Mar 4, 2005)

guinea pigs ARE awesome! Haven't owned any since i was about 10-11, but we had at one point 8 or 9 in one of those kiddie pools. We kept the pool in the garage (heated...lived in Alaska at the time) and put wood shavings in it and set it up with water and food. You're right...they're always good for cheering you up because of their sounds and behavior 

My cat liked to jump in the pool/holding tank with them and sleep with them...never hurt a single one of them. You'd walk out in to the garage to get in the car or something and she'd be sleeping with 3 or 4 guinea pigs passed out right next to her/half on her 

maybe i'll have to see about getting a couple whenever i live some place I can have pets...


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## 8 leg wonder (Mar 4, 2005)

Melmoth said:
			
		

> I've always fancied keeping an armadillo. Has anybody on AB ever kept one of these armour plated cuties?


my GF used to have one when her and her mother did wildlife rehab. they named it arminhammer, it eventually died of old age


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