# Good pet Mammal.



## dragon ranch (Dec 1, 2008)

Hello,

I am currently investing in a Snake but in future I would love an exotic Mammal of some kind.

It would need to live in the house as I dont have a garden (rules out most then)
I would get as many or as little as they need to socialise.
I can sort any kind of diet they need, used livefood before so doesnt bother me.

So far I can only think of Chinchillas, Ferrets, Chickmunks or Degus that fit the description.

I'd love Genets, Skunks or Marmosets but these need to be outside.

So any ideas?


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Skunks live inside! They make fabulous pets-so long as youre fully prepared and have nerves of steel :lol2: 

Chinchillas are loooovely! Cuddly, soft and make the weirdest noises :lol2:
Chipmunks are great so long as their tame. They're fast and the room you let them run around in needs to be escape proof, but theyre so goddamn cute!

I think what you need to consider before you decide, is what you want from your pet. It'd make things a lot easier : victory:


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

If you are dedicated, sugar gliders make fantastic pets (my avvie). If they interest you, join www.sugar-glider.co.uk/forum and have a look around  The hardest part of their care is their diet


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## bilzo (Jan 14, 2009)

Chipmunks are great, but a total pain to catch and put back in their cage if they don't want to be caught... one got inside an old 1960's jukebox we had once and caused havoc very quickly by gnawing wires!!!

Coatis are awesome too, can live inside if you're dedicated (ours lived outside) but think they need DWA these days.


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## Tristan (Oct 5, 2008)

Get an African pygmy hedgehog. Something small if it's your first exotic mammal.


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## RoninUK (Aug 30, 2007)

bilzo said:


> Chipmunks are great, but a total pain to catch and put back in their cage if they don't want to be caught... one got inside an old 1960's jukebox we had once and caused havoc very quickly by gnawing wires!!!
> 
> Coatis are awesome too, can live inside if you're dedicated (ours lived outside) but think they need DWA these days.


Nope Coatis came off DWA at the same time as Kinkajous. My girl lived inside but did love to go our in the garden on a harness and leash to hunt snails. Coatis should only be kept in groups though wherever possible as they are so social (impossible in my case as she was an adult rescue).

Gambian Pouched rats might be a good choice.

Mark


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## dragon ranch (Dec 1, 2008)

I like the idea of all of them so far.

Aren't Coatis hard to look after?

Skunks wouldnt bother me if I need nerves of steel. Are they aggressive or something?

I love sugar gliders but what put me off is I read when you are preparing food you need like 10% protein, 10% sugar 10% fruit etc and thats just way too much isnt it?

What do I want out of a pet?

I do want something inside but something that can sleep in a cage then come out for exercise Nothing like a dog or cat which are out all the time.

I want something that can be held and made tame, not cuddled but stroked and affectionate in a sense.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Gliders need a diet that consists of about 75% fruit/veg and 25% protien, but the difficult part is the Ca rotios... A perfect diet is 2:1


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

have you got any limit financially on what you can spend on a new animal? as coaties are very expensive, skunks are like £500 each average

as for the sugar glider diet what do you mean thats way too much? way too much hassle to work out do you mean?

Also size wise what you lookin at? ground squirells for example are small, have to live in an enclosure but providin you get a tame pair are lovely to cuddle n come out and play on you. 
Skunks are like the size of a big cat so do need a substancial amount of space. Our 2 free roam 24/7 now mainly in the kitchen but come out in the livin room aswell, some people do cage them but others have quite strong ideas against it....... im undecided now that we have them free roamin


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## bilzo (Jan 14, 2009)

RoninUK said:


> My girl lived inside but did love to go our in the garden on a harness and leash to hunt snails.


Yeah, ours used to go nuts for snails too, they loved them!


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## dragon ranch (Dec 1, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> have you got any limit financially on what you can spend on a new animal? as coaties are very expensive, skunks are like £500 each average
> 
> as for the sugar glider diet what do you mean thats way too much? way too much hassle to work out do you mean?
> 
> ...


Price doesnt matter too much but prefer less than £600.

Ground Squirrels look good if I got them young and tamed them.

I guess sugar Gliders be easier once you know what % to use for the diet.


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

dragon ranch said:


> Price doesnt matter too much but prefer less than £600.
> 
> Ground Squirrels look good if I got them young and tamed them.
> 
> I guess sugar Gliders be easier once you know what % to use for the diet.


 Ground squirrels are lovely :flrt:


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

for info on why u need nerves of steel to own skunks have a read through this.. they are ALOT of hardwork but rewarding for teh right sort of person..

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/exotic-mammals/268314-its-confirmed-i-love-skunks.html


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## glidergirl (Nov 27, 2006)

dragon ranch said:


> I like the idea of all of them so far.
> 
> I love sugar gliders but what put me off is I read when you are preparing food you need like 10% protein, *10% sugar* 10% fruit etc and thats just way too much isnt it?
> 
> ...


Although Sugar Gliders have the word sugar in their name they don't actually require sugar as part of the diet . 

Suggies are indoor animals, a large cage is required, once bonded to you they can be wonderful pets, they like out of cage time which is so much fun.


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## RoninUK (Aug 30, 2007)

dragon ranch said:


> I like the idea of all of them so far.
> 
> Aren't Coatis hard to look after?
> 
> ...


Coatis are not hard to look after in the sense of keeping alive and healthy - their dietary needs are easy to meet - though they do like variety and you have to make sure that they do not get too fixed on favourite foods and treats - but happy is something else. They are hugely social animals and really do best living in colonies in large enclosures with lots of furnishing to let them dig, climb, play and generally nose around. I only kept a solo girl because she was an adult rescue who could not be introduced to a group.

They are incredibly smart and need huge amounts of interaction and enrichment. My girl had a large cage - just to give her a home territory to feel secure in but had the run of the house whenever someone was in. I would spend an hour or more each day actively playing games with her , take her out for half an hour or more each day (weather permitting) to search round the garden and then she would play games with my cats before settling down with me on the couch for the evening to be fussed and groomed while I watched TV.

Bungle was tame, could be cuddled and fussed and would show loads of affection but then we (and my cats) were her substitute family. I have known coatis in colonies who were friendly and social with humans but they tend to bond less with people if they have a proper coati social group to belong to.

I would not recommend them to anyone who is not prepared to devote a huge amount of time and effort to keeping them interested and amused. I don't think either coatis or Kinkajous would really match the criteria you set out.

Mark


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## laura-jayne (Feb 15, 2009)

im quite "un exotic" here in saying get a ferret!! Their soo pritttyy!!:2thumb:

i want a skunk =[ but the other half needs convincing!


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## dragon ranch (Dec 1, 2008)

Any other surgestions? I'm leaning mroe towards the smaller species I can keep in a cage such as Degus, Chinchillas, Pygamy Hedgehogs and Ground Squirrels.

I'd like something I can keep 3 of, probably 3 girls or 3 boys but no fighting or mating.


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