Moles? (subterranean mammals)

[Dark]

I was browsing the internet, researching animals when eventually I ended up looking up moles and wondered if anyone has ever kept them as pets.

So...

Has anyone ever kept moles as pets? Is it legal? How did it go? The idea must not be very common because I didn't find to much information on it.


All replies welcome.

If you currently have moles (in your background, as pets, or see them often) feel free to comment about them. I have never seen one in person and I am now quite curious.

Thanks folks,
Eric

 

[The Snark]

My father was a gardener of 5 acres of formal gardens for many years. The bane of his life was moles. They can dig up to 30 feet in a 24 hour period as they have a voracious appetite almost as ravenous as their cousins, the shrews. They slaughter and consume earthworms by the ton so what one would need would be along the lines of an Olympic size swimming pool filled with earth to keep the mole in and a sizable worm farm adjacent to keep it fed. They are also extremely photophobic and will go into a physiological decline, wasting and eventually dying if they are forced to live in a normal oxygen rich atmosphere as their unique hemoglobin properties both enable and restrict them to living in the low oxygen atmosphere of their tunnels.

Another oddity about them is their hearing. Apparently they utilize a normal ear, outer, middle and inner, but the outer ear is extremely under developed. In conjunction with this it is theorized the peripheral nerves throughout their body is a sympathetic hearing contributor. The upshot of this is it's hearing is so acute it can hear worms burrowing in the ground. So no unnecessary stomping around your former swimming pool unless you want your sunless wonders in a perpetual state of agitation.

So essentially they would be the perfect animal to keep if you want to keep an animal that you will rarely if ever see.

 

[Dark]

Perfect! Where can I buy one?

Hahaha, yea that's rough. I suppose if they did make ideal pets they would already be available.

- - - - - - - - - - On a separate note - - - - - - - - - - - -

This might be an impossible request but are there any low maintenance mammals or avian species that an individual can own that make little or no noise? Rodents are excluded because I am very allergic to them.

The following animals being disqualified: Hedgehogs, Ferrets, Chinchillas, STO's (Short Tailed Opossums), Sugar Gliders, or anything illegal.

I love the animals I have disqualified but I am trying to think of something that has yet to cross my mind.

I guess everyone is looking for the next low maintenance exotic that is also cute and fluffy. Or viscous and fluffy. Just something that isn't illegal, humane to own and is low maintenance.

I already have had bugs so I already know they win at being lowest maintenance and most diverse.

If for some reason there is a species of reptile that doesn't need specific heating or lighting that you think is a neat pet, feel free to suggest it.


Thanks folks!
Eric

 

[The Snark]

Not being funny here. A toad. Tolerant of a very wide variety of environments, highly disease resistant and very long lived.

 

[pitbulllady]

Perfect! Where can I buy one?

Hahaha, yea that's rough. I suppose if they did make ideal pets they would already be available.

- - - - - - - - - - On a separate note - - - - - - - - - - - -

This might be an impossible request but are there any low maintenance mammals or avian species that an individual can own that make little or no noise? Rodents are excluded because I am very allergic to them.

The following animals being disqualified: Hedgehogs, Ferrets, Chinchillas, STO's (Short Tailed Opossums), Sugar Gliders, or anything illegal.

I love the animals I have disqualified but I am trying to think of something that has yet to cross my mind.

I guess everyone is looking for the next low maintenance exotic that is also cute and fluffy. Or viscous and fluffy. Just something that isn't illegal, humane to own and is low maintenance.

I already have had bugs so I already know they win at being lowest maintenance and most diverse.

If for some reason there is a species of reptile that doesn't need specific heating or lighting that you think is a neat pet, feel free to suggest it.


Thanks folks!
Eric

Are you allergic to rabbits? They aren't technically rodents, but many people who are allergic to rodents, such as myself(being HIGHLY allergic to all types-rats, squirrels, Guinea pigs, you name it),do have problems with rabbits, too, but on the off-chance that you aren't, you might consider one of those. Pretty much all other small animal pets are either rodents or on your illegal list.
Most native US Colubrid snakes do not require specific heating or lighting except for desert species, which do need to be kept warm, and FL Kings seem to thrive best at around 85 degrees with fairly high humidity, too. Corns, rat snakes, Eastern kings, pines, garters and water snakes-those do fine at normal temps around 75 degrees. Most lizard, native or not, do require auxiliary lighting, both heat and UVB, as well as dietary supplements in the form of vitamins and calcium. Crested geckos and their close relatives do not, and can thrive on a commercial gecko diet which is easily prepared. Leopard geckos also do not need auxiliary UVB, but do need heat, and they are pretty much insect feeders so they will need crickets, roaches, mealworms, etc.
And of course, there are toads, as The Snark suggested. Just give 'em some moist substrate like Eco-Earth that they can burrow into, plenty of live insects, and they're good to go. They're a lot tougher than their frog relatives, even if they are a bit less colorful.

pitbulllady

 

[findi]

Hi, Glad to see interest in the under-appreciated! We tried a few species at the Bx Zoo but very hard to exhibit. However, star nosed moles are different....will forage on the surface and below water (really, amazing creatures!); and of course bizarre in appearance. One that I caught many yrs ago began feeding on earthworms 30 seconds after being placed in a bucket; kept for awhile (I had help from young campers who supplied bugs); have since learned that they will take non-living food; co-worked believes they were robbing the bog turtle nests she studied. Limited in distribution, habitat, however. let me know if you look into it further, best, Frank

 

[Dark]

Not being funny here. A toad. Tolerant of a very wide variety of environments, highly disease resistant and very long lived.

Toads eh? Hmmm, not a bad idea. I was considering purchasing a Surinam Giant Toad once but I figured it'd be too much work and I would have to breed them to see the whole babies in it's back thing. Not worth the effort and not too kind to the animals to go through all that trouble just for a mild curiosity. Plus I would have to do a ton of research on them because I don't really know much about their husbandry needs. Although toads are great in the aspects you describe, they aren't much fun to play with and I am sure it's not worth stressing the animal out. They might also make croaking noises which could be annoying to try and sleep through.

Thanks for the suggestion and information though!

Are you allergic to rabbits? They aren't technically rodents, but many people who are allergic to rodents, such as myself(being HIGHLY allergic to all types-rats, squirrels, Guinea pigs, you name it),do have problems with rabbits, too, but on the off-chance that you aren't, you might consider one of those. Pretty much all other small animal pets are either rodents or on your illegal list.
Most native US Colubrid snakes do not require specific heating or lighting except for desert species, which do need to be kept warm, and FL Kings seem to thrive best at around 85 degrees with fairly high humidity, too. Corns, rat snakes, Eastern kings, pines, garters and water snakes-those do fine at normal temps around 75 degrees. Most lizard, native or not, do require auxiliary lighting, both heat and UVB, as well as dietary supplements in the form of vitamins and calcium. Crested geckos and their close relatives do not, and can thrive on a commercial gecko diet which is easily prepared. Leopard geckos also do not need auxiliary UVB, but do need heat, and they are pretty much insect feeders so they will need crickets, roaches, mealworms, etc.
And of course, there are toads, as The Snark suggested. Just give 'em some moist substrate like Eco-Earth that they can burrow into, plenty of live insects, and they're good to go. They're a lot tougher than their frog relatives, even if they are a bit less colorful.

pitbulllady

I am very allergic to bunnies, horses, cats, dogs, and most other miscellaneous animals with hair / fur. I've had a hedgehog as a kid and I wasn't allergic to the minimal amount of fur on it's stomach (or at least to my memory) but since I bought it from a particularly crummy pet store it was very anti-social and possibly much older then I was told it was. We eventually ended up giving it away (sorry, I was young!).

Most common snakes don't really do it for me and the exotic ones that I think are pretty cool are still a lot more work then I have time for. I didn't want to rule reptiles out if there happened to be something extraordinary that just so happened to be easy to care for (clearly I'm delusional) but for the most part they don't do it for me. I think gila monsters and gaboon vipers are pretty awesome reptiles but the first one is highly expensive if they are even legal in Ny and the second is extremely deadly and highly illegal. Both deadliness and illegality are things I want to avoid, extreme price too! (and of course the maintenance required for most exotic reptiles is extensive)

I don't mind having a pet that needs insects, waxworms and juvenile crickets make no noise and are relatively odor free in small quantities.

For some reason I want something furry but I'm allergic to almost all non-marsupials. I have two hypoallergenic Maltese-poodles at home but even they will make me sneeze constantly and feel terrible if I pet them and then scratch my face (or bury my face into them).

I am also aware that most marsupials are extremely high maintenance, extremely expensive if available or highly illegal. I love opossums though and I love my STO (shot tailed opossum), shes perfect and has every quality I desire. I just want something that will sit still that I can pet and play with. Don't get me wrong, Lilah (my STO) lets me pet her but she never sits still. Plus, and I know this is hard for you guys to understand, for some reason I want more then one pet and a different kind of pet to boot... :O. lol just messing, but you guys know what I mean?

Thanks for the feedback! I've seen four eyed opossums for sale but I have no clue what they require or what sort of situation they bring. Mouse opossums are also extremely expensive when available and availability to little to non-existent.

I'd love sugar gliders but they are a full time job and I am not ready to be married to my pets yet. A hedgehog is on my future list so that's why they are ruled out (although ideal to all my criteria).

Hi, Glad to see interest in the under-appreciated! We tried a few species at the Bx Zoo but very hard to exhibit. However, star nosed moles are different....will forage on the surface and below water (really, amazing creatures!); and of course bizarre in appearance. One that I caught many yrs ago began feeding on earthworms 30 seconds after being placed in a bucket; kept for awhile (I had help from young campers who supplied bugs); have since learned that they will take non-living food; co-worked believes they were robbing the bog turtle nests she studied. Limited in distribution, habitat, however. let me know if you look into it further, best, Frank

Absolutely, the under appreciated are my favorite. My favorite animal of all time is the Virginia Opossum, it makes me highly depressed how often I see them on the side of the road. Unfortunately they are illegal and almost every state, have a highly specified diet, and need a ton of space (even an entire house is a bit small compared to the great outdoors).

Very cool information, glad to hear things went decently. I will certainly let you know if I come across any new / exciting news.


Thanks everyone for the info / feedback,
I will do some more research and pose questions about other obscure animals when I get a chance although I suspect most will not be pet material.

Eric

 

[JZC]

Coatimundi? Really fun curious animals that will bond to you if you raise them from birth. Kinda hard to care for though. My cousin has one that likes to rub cologne on its tail.

 

[The Snark]

Just a couple of things. Foremost, have you ever been tested for the broad spectrum of allergies? It's a sensitivity to certain (commonly) air born proteins. IE, the dander produced by most fur covered mammals. You might discover there is a quite simple and easy remedy for it in a drug or even food supplement.

Toads. While being one of the most boring animals on or under the face of this earth, they have a very unusual ability. Many can drastically alter their metabolism to accommodate incredible extremes in environment. Too hot or humid or too little food, the metabolism dials down accordingly. A friend had an unused cage about the size of a 100 gallon aquarium. On the bottom he put in a 2 foot long piece of 4 inch thick iron pipe. Nothing else. Bare wood floor. He installed the toad and the toad installed itself into the pipe. He tossed in crickets and meal worms when he had them. He went on several vacations where the toad wasn't fed for several weeks at a time. The temperature ranged from freezing in the winter to 100F in summer. The toad lived there for over 2 years then was released into heaven: the Descanso botanical gardens where it serenaded the occasional visitors in the evening for several more years. When asked what the strange sounds were they were told it was Pipe, singing his evening songs. (Sounds a little like an out of tune tuba)

 

[Dark]

Coatimundi? Really fun curious animals that will bond to you if you raise them from birth. Kinda hard to care for though. My cousin has one that likes to rub cologne on its tail.

I've seen them occasionally listed for sale, I'm not entirely sure if they are legal in New York and as you mentioned they are not easy to care for. They definitely are quite cool though. Thanks for the suggestion!

Just a couple of things. Foremost, have you ever been tested for the broad spectrum of allergies? It's a sensitivity to certain (commonly) air born proteins. IE, the dander produced by most fur covered mammals. You might discover there is a quite simple and easy remedy for it in a drug or even food supplement.

Toads. While being one of the most boring animals on or under the face of this earth, they have a very unusual ability. Many can drastically alter their metabolism to accommodate incredible extremes in environment. Too hot or humid or too little food, the metabolism dials down accordingly. A friend had an unused cage about the size of a 100 gallon aquarium. On the bottom he put in a 2 foot long piece of 4 inch thick iron pipe. Nothing else. Bare wood floor. He installed the toad and the toad installed itself into the pipe. He tossed in crickets and meal worms when he had them. He went on several vacations where the toad wasn't fed for several weeks at a time. The temperature ranged from freezing in the winter to 100F in summer. The toad lived there for over 2 years then was released into heaven: the Descanso botanical gardens where it serenaded the occasional visitors in the evening for several more years. When asked what the strange sounds were they were told it was Pipe, singing his evening songs. (Sounds a little like an out of tune tuba)

I believe I was tested as a child for a broad spectrum because my brother has a few severe allergies that require him to be very careful. I don't remember the results but I believe I am allergic to the common things like dust, pollen, dander, and all that jazz. My father, brother and myself all have little to no tolerance for furry animals and are reduced to red eyes and excessive sneezing very quickly in the presence of most furry creatures. Perhaps I should look closer into it. My skin gets itchy and I have small red hand and feet prints on me whenever Lilah (my STO) walks on my skin but after I wash the area with soap I feel fine again.

I believe it's a combination of fur, skin and saliva that gets me with most animals.

That's pretty crazy about the toad, is this intense adaptability only displayed within a few species or is this a common trait of most toads?

Thanks for the feedback folks

Eric

 

[The Snark]

I had a lot of allergies attributed to exposure to toxins. I've dialed them down to minor intolerance with the exception of freshly brewed coffee. Instant coffee doesn't bother me. The secret: Ultra broad spectrum nutrition diet. Essentially flooding the body with easily assimilable proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, all glopped together so complimentary nutrients are always available. The theory being if you give the body everything in sight and let it decide what it wants, then it balances and builds up resistances.
My weekly diet is usually 2-3 large carrots, 4 packed cups of dark green leafy veggies, 30 to 50 tablespoons of 7 to 10 kinds of nuts and seeds, 3 apples, 3 mangoes, 3 to 5 bananas, a large sheet of Nori type seaweed, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. The only meat I eat is skinless chicken without fat which adds any amino acids that may be missing. To this I add 2 hours or more low impact exercise every day to put as many muscles to work as possible to effectively distribute the nutrients. After 1 year of this regimen the chronic runny nose, watering eyes, itching, respiratory distress and rashes just faded away. Interestingly, I'm allergic to almonds and chemical B vitamin complex but when added to the other nutrients there is no allergic reaction. The bottom line is your machine is a pretty amazing self healing mechanism provided you give it what it needs and minimize or eliminate it having to scavenge garbage to find nutrients.

Toads. Many toads have that metabolism function. I believe it was Dr. Theodore Stephanides that reported finding 2 healthy toads that had been sealed inside the wall of a house for over a year.

 

[jecraque]

As PBL mentioned, crested geckos are about as low-maintenance as reptiles get. Mine gets only a bit more care than the spiders and was born in Dec. 2004 and still looking and acting healthful and dandy. He's not used to handling anymore, but was pretty chill once upon a time.

I don't know what I'd do without mammals in my life, but the combination of "low-maintenance" and "easily handleable" possessed by these guys, plus the cute factor and awesome color variation, would probably keep me busy for a while.

(At the very least, they're more exciting than toads...)

 

[The Snark]

As PBL mentioned, crested geckos are about as low-maintenance as reptiles get. Mine gets only a bit more care than the spiders and was born in Dec. 2004 and still looking and acting healthful and dandy. He's not used to handling anymore, but was pretty chill once upon a time.

I don't know what I'd do without mammals in my life, but the combination of "low-maintenance" and "easily handleable" possessed by these guys, plus the cute factor and awesome color variation, would probably keep me busy for a while.

(At the very least, they're more exciting than toads...)

They live that long?? I never imagined! Impressive.

 

[pouchedrat]

People who have kept moles and shrews will tell you that their metabolism is VERY VERY high. It's hard to keep them in captivity as a result and they can die within a day if they don't eat. It's not something you can feed once a day and forget about.

I had a shrew for about a week. I kept it in a tank with lots of moist dirt and such for it to dig under. That short week I had that shrew it ate ALL my discoid roaches, mealworm colony (was a small colony at the time), as well as cleaned out my freezer of all the frozen mealworms, grasshoppers, earthworms, and crickets I kept for my reptiles, STO, and inverts. I'd love to try keeping one again someday now that my insect colonies are a bit larger than before, but dang that thing was a trash disposal unit....

Also, EVERY SINGLE TIME I walked by the shrew's tank, it SHRIEKED at me LOUDLY! EVERY TIME! That thing was crazy, hyper, constantly eating, and insane. I did love the heck out of it, though, but I let it go (only reason I had it was because my cat caught it). Someday I'd love to try again, but only if the cat finds another and since they're indoor only, it's not likely.



I second the crested gecko suggestions, though, those are awesome and simple to keep.

 

[jecraque]

They live that long?? I never imagined! Impressive.

Nor did I, as there weren't many guesses at lifespan back then! Apparently they can live to be 15-20.

I had a shrew for about a week. I kept it in a tank with lots of moist dirt and such for it to dig under. That short week I had that shrew it ate ALL my discoid roaches, mealworm colony (was a small colony at the time), as well as cleaned out my freezer of all the frozen mealworms, grasshoppers, earthworms, and crickets I kept for my reptiles, STO, and inverts. I'd love to try keeping one again someday now that my insect colonies are a bit larger than before, but dang that thing was a trash disposal unit....

Also, EVERY SINGLE TIME I walked by the shrew's tank, it SHRIEKED at me LOUDLY! EVERY TIME! That thing was crazy, hyper, constantly eating, and insane. I did love the heck out of it, though, but I let it go (only reason I had it was because my cat caught it). Someday I'd love to try again, but only if the cat finds another and since they're indoor only, it's not likely.

Oh wow, that sounds adorable, but you must be a much more dedicated stray-keeper than I. Didn't it smell, or is that only a high-stress predator response thing?

 

[The Snark]

Yup. Moles stage a very successful underground warfare against healthy lawns and are the bane and torment of urbanites wherever they get a foothold. An established group of them means no earthworms in the vicinity. With the fops of southern California where having a greened up lawn is a major status symbol that equates to near constant watering and fertilizing. But I believe shrews are quite a bit worse. They have to eat every hour or so and must eat their weight in food every 24 to 48 hours. And that shriek of a shrew is the stuff of legends. Thus why high pitched voice bitchy grumpy women were called shrews.

 

[Miehrano]

I might have missed it, but have nobody mentioned Hedgehogs?
They might not seems very "cozy, but when they are relaxed, their spines lay flat and feels almost like rought fur, but the fur on theor underside is really soft.
Get em young from a good breeder, and they can be trained very vell, almost if not to the point of potty trained. A 100x50 cm floor area "the bigger the better" is all you need. Atleast 30 cm tall, and limit their ways to climb out of the cage. A good subtrate to dig and make nests in. Non dusty wood shavings(not aspen!) and dried hay(very good for nest making.
And a running wheel for excercise, as they are a bit known to get overweight. Also, train it to poop in a corner/box before giving it the wheel keeps them from shooting poo around as they run.
A dtandard diet of low fat, hig protein cat food available, and a bottle to drink from. (They cover waterdishes with substrate)
And a few treats, no more than once a day, a mealworm or some other insects, boiled potato(soft) or cooked meat, chicken or salmon, should be hamd/tong fed for easier bonding while handeling.

Keep in mind personalities change from hog to hog, some may be grumpy, other cozy and likes to snuggle, some may use the running wheel as the toilet even after potty trained.


Edit: on the allergy thing, im allergic to cats, dog, horses, rats, rabbits, chinchillas. But i am not reacting in any way to Hedgehogs.