# "Best" medium/large exotic mammal...



## nino_rojo (Sep 16, 2010)

Ok, admitedly the title has all sorts of thing wrong with it. Firstly, the word "best" obviously depends on who/where/why etc... but stay with me...

Basically I'd love to keep something a little different to the usual cat or dog, but something around that sort of size, so nothing like a sugar glider, hedgehog etc. I'd like something that could be left alone for from 8-6 mon-fri with no problems, is handleable, not too messy, not destructive and not expensvie to keep (and preferably to buy).

I've grown up my entire life (I'm 25) around multiple cats and dogs and own a snake, so am used to handling creatures and getting bitten/scratched (mainly by the cat).
Is there any such suitable creature out there? :lol2:


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

well exotic = expensive but sounds like it would be best to go for something nocturnal as you are out during the day.


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## Bobby D (Sep 30, 2008)

your looking for the perfect animal lol so when you get a few ideas ill ask you what u have gone for!!
but honestly there is a massive reason why dogs are so popular lol They are the perfect pet lol and are a perfect pet for most people! x


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## bampoisongirl (Mar 28, 2008)

Bobby D said:


> your looking for the perfect animal lol so when you get a few ideas ill ask you what u have gone for!!
> but honestly there is a massive reason why dogs are so popular lol They are the perfect pet lol and are a perfect pet for most people! x


But not for when you are out 8-6, unless you hire a dog walker!


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## slugsiss32 (Nov 14, 2010)

V.Opossum! I'm dying to get one or two next year  Just need to save up the money and i can't wait!  Not too pricey either! Well...i guess they are expensive, but not compared to say Kinks at a couple of grand each! I think about £500 is what you would expect for one of these.  And they are nocturnal  Bad things...i believe they live for about 4 years maximum. And they have a reasonably difficult diet to follow. But other than that from what i've heard they harness train and litter train pretty well. Skunks, *****, and Kinks and Fennec Fox are nocturnal too, but i think ***** are pretty hard to care for unless you are fully prepared, well i think all of them are, so obviously you'd need to be prepared anyway  I'd love all of these if i had the room   Good luck with choosing something!


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## nino_rojo (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the continuing comments! I really would love a V. Opposum which in an ideal world would be one of my first choices, but was told they are very expensive to care for, so not sure about them at the mo. Would love a **** but v destructive. Would also love a skunk but not sure about the smell haha! I've been very tempted by a ferret, but have read they need food available 24/7 and so guess they would get through a LOT lol... I think a ferret is possibly the best option currently tho, so I'll do some more research into them. I didnt know what a Kink was (other than the band ) but just read that they dont really toilet train, which doesnt appeal to me :lol2:


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

nino_rojo said:


> Thanks everyone for the continuing comments! I really would love a V. Opposum which in an ideal world would be one of my first choices, but was told they are very expensive to care for, so not sure about them at the mo. Would love a **** but v destructive. Would also love a skunk but not sure about the smell haha! I've been very tempted by a ferret, but have read they need food available 24/7 and so guess they would get through a LOT lol... I think a ferret is possibly the best option currently tho, so I'll do some more research into them. I didnt know what a Kink was (other than the band ) but just read that they dont really toilet train, which doesnt appeal to me :lol2:


In what way have you heard they are very exspensive to care for ?.

We have them and many other exotics and are no more exspensive than the others and infact cheaper to care for than quite a few.

Their diet is pretty easy veg, fruit, eggs, crickets, locusts, moreoworms, small amounts of protein in the form meat products.

Best Wishes

Neil


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

nino_rojo said:


> Thanks everyone for the continuing comments! I really would love a V. Opposum which in an ideal world would be one of my first choices, but was told they are very expensive to care for, so not sure about them at the mo. Would love a **** but v destructive. Would also love a skunk but not sure about the smell haha! I've been very tempted by a ferret, but have read they need food available 24/7 and so guess they would get through a LOT lol... I think a ferret is possibly the best option currently tho, so I'll do some more research into them. I didnt know what a Kink was (other than the band ) but just read that they dont really toilet train, which doesnt appeal to me :lol2:


Having food constantly available doesn't mean they eat a lot. They have a very quick digestive rate (approx. 4 hours) and so need food available to keep re-stocking. Using a good quality kibble and raw (raw should make up at least 50% of the diet), or simply raw, they will usually only eat 1cup-1.5 cup/daily, obviously this differs throughout the year, they eat barely anything through the Summer, relative to their body weight. And also... Can't just have 'a ferret', you should have at least 2, regardless of how much time you will spend with it. :2thumb:


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

Should put my above reply was in regards to V.O's

Neil


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

*V.O.*

Have a lovely `possum.......not really expensive to feed, provide a broad diet range as stated above along with protien input (fresh meat/eggs/low fat kibble/insects/rodents/chicks etc) and supplement veg with leaves from garden in Spring/summer (rose petals/hips/edible flowers/herbs). I also give our fella a little noni juice/beetroot juice a few times a week.
Occasionally dust his protien with calcium/crushed eggshell.
I probably go a bit far but just want him to remain healthy!

Whatever you decide upon, make sure you get a young un and good luck!

Dave.


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

Wallaby


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Always makes me laugh when someone says that a skunk is too smelly, so they might get ferrets instead!!!! Ferrets are far smellier on a daily basis that a skunk! You don't smell of skunks after cuddles either!


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