# Emins VS Gambian



## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Apart from emins having the more sleeker sharper faces what other differences is there between the emins and gambian pouched rats, temprement, size, train/tameability etc.

Thanks alot

Joe


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> Apart from emins having the more sleeker sharper faces what other differences is there between the emins and gambian pouched rats, temprement, size, train/tameability etc.
> 
> Thanks alot
> 
> Joe


 
I better answer this :lol2:

I keep both species and find they have the same aloof and expressionless 'temperament'. They are very slow moving and if they do go anywhere at speed they kind of canter or trot. They have a very regal air of confidence about them but there is no discernable difference between GPR & EPR initially.

Size-wise there is a real cross over between sex and species. My EPR Mali was 2.1kg and a good 2.5ft long!!! Her mate was half the size again. Kololi is young but huge. Now this is thought to be the smaller of the species but I have seen adult GPR smaller than this. My other female Samori however is small and seems to be staying small. 

GPR are generally thought to be 0.5 - 1ft longer than EPR and they certainly look chunkier and bigger. The EPR are longer legged and not as beefy.

I did know someone else who kept both species, she actually had Kololi's sister who she kept with a female GPR... I believe she has now rehomed them (


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

thanks for that, is there a price difference, and a diet difference too?


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> thanks for that, is there a price difference, and a diet difference too?


 
There is a very slight diet difference in that Gambians seem to need a higher protein allowance than Emins. You wont find that info anywhere else, that was loulou & I liasing and finding her GPR take a lot of live/chicken whereas my EPR virtually never bother with mealies and never take chicken.

GPR are possibly slightly more omnivorous.

Price difference, not between the breeders currently in the UK. We are all currently set at £200 regardless of species. You can be sure you only need to contact one of us to get info on all babies because we love each other and work together like a bunch of giant rat loving hippies :lol2::lol2::lol2::flrt::flrt:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

and giant rat loving hippies you are! I suppose i better get saving, and not telling my dad how much! ill tell him its a fancy rat, haha, well i wont, but still! thanks alot, im sure it wont be the last time i pester you


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> and giant rat loving hippies you are! I suppose i better get saving, and not telling my dad how much! ill tell him its a fancy rat, haha, well i wont, but still! thanks alot, im sure it wont be the last time i pester you


 
You're welcome. *whispers* 'there are more giant rat loving hippies on my exotics forum in my sig' You are welcome to join : victory:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Yes, come and join us, the more the merrier :lol2:


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

Agreed! And god, I need all the help and experience I can listen to! Ben's a monster but he is beautiful and I respect his wild nature. The pouchie alliance is going from strength to strength. Farmercoop, if you will be a pouchie daddy then all us pouchie mamas will help you as much as we can :2thumb:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

I WILL be a pouchie dadda! Just need to save, have jus forked out for a new bator and a goose shelter so feeling a bit skint, will only take me a few weeks to save up though, so maybe in a couple of months i'll be ready! after ive researched as much as possible! haha. Ooh and pics are always helpfuk


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

jhave joined the exotickeepers forum, will definitly be posting on there as im reading the posts in awe!! just waiting to be administered


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> jhave joined the exotickeepers forum, will definitly be posting on there as im reading the posts in awe!! just waiting to be administered


 
:lol2: you have been 'administered' : victory:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Im now an EKF fanatic too! ill never keep up with all these forums! aha


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

farmercoope said:


> jhave joined the exotickeepers forum, will definitly be posting on there as im reading the posts in awe!! just waiting to be administered


Good stuff mate, it sounds like you'll be well prepared for the challenge. And I don't use that word lightly!! Ben has been a real handful but I've learned so much from him and I get a lot of joy just from watching him. 

When I was doing my reseach in advance of getting Ben, I looked at a lot of generic care sheets and stuff because I wasn't really aware of the Pouchie Alliance. You will get the best info from reading about our experiences, watching the YouTube clips of Matisse et al (the toilet rat!!), and asking us questions.

Also, depending on whichever rat you get - a Gambian or Emin - you might want to contact a breeder (like Pouchie or LouLou/Fixx) as soon as you're certain you want one/can afford one, because it seems that litters are small and some are spoken for even before they're a glimmer in a Gambian eye - Marie's been waiting a while for her Emin!!

Pouchie - get them Emins into the mood for luuurve:flrt:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Grumpymouth said:


> Also, depending on whichever rat you get - a Gambian or Emin - you might want to contact a breeder (like Pouchie or LouLou/Fixx) as soon as you're certain you want one/can afford one, because it seems that litters are small and some are spoken for even before they're a glimmer in a Gambian eye - Marie's been waiting a while for her Emin!!
> 
> Pouchie - get them Emins into the mood for luuurve:flrt:


:lol2: you aint kidding! Poor Kololi has a waiting list but she is hoping Samori will help her out before long....

I am hoping to add some more to the throng and replace poor old Dingo when a certain nice fellow takes a little trippy to Europe :whistling2::2thumb:


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> :lol2: you aint kidding! Poor Kololi has a waiting list but she is hoping Samori will help her out before long....
> 
> I am hoping to add some more to the throng and replace poor old Dingo when a certain nice fellow takes a little trippy to Europe :whistling2::2thumb:


:lol2: Kololi is going to be a busy lady soon (me hopes). I know Marie is chomping at the bit and it looks like you've got Farmercoope to deal with too. Oh yeah, spreadin' that pouchie love! :2thumb:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Yeah its those darn youtube videos of Matisse! lol They have given Marie & Coop the Emins bug :flrt:


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> Yeah its those darn youtube videos of Matisse! lol They have given Marie & Coop the Emins bug :flrt:


 I know! Matisse is like a poster-rat for giant pouchies everywhere! But I'm sure you'll agree with me that it makes them look like an easy pet when probably one in ten is like Matisse or Lesley's girl. Luckily they're hard enough to obtain, and there are enough respectable breeders, to screen potential buyers. 

But for every knucklehead out there, there's also a Marie or Coop who does all the research and will be proud pouchie-parents one day! :2thumb:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

EEEP! Haha, well i did it, i dove in and have reserved a girly from Pochie, so light them some candles, cook them a romantic meal ( roast banana is good for love, haha ) and drop them a few V's hahah. C'mon you emins!

Have to agree it does make them look easy to look after, and very socialable, which i KNOW isn't always the case, espeically with a few of them! as many stories as possible obviously always helps! even little smalll ones!!

have been doing marjor research today and going to make like a factfile sheets for me! haha


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

There are lots of fab links on this page Page Title

although I am still adding to it!!!


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> EEEP! Haha, well i did it, i dove in and have reserved a girly from Pochie, so light them some candles, cook them a romantic meal ( roast banana is good for love, haha ) and drop them a few V's hahah. C'mon you emins!


 
...ahem.... you mean your 'dad' has reserved a girly from Pouchie *cough*


:2thumb:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Thank you everyone for saying that I will be a good pouchie owner. :notworthy:

I cleaned out Ben's cage again last night, as it had to be used by our new little girlie chinchilla, until she was introduced to Ozzy. Had read that it takes about three weeks, we had them together in three days :lol2:

So now Ben's cage again lies in wait :flrt:

Then hopefully, if all goes well, we will have a pair of them next year, to help Pouchie with the breeding side :2thumb:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Ratatouille said:


> Then hopefully, if all goes well, we will have a pair of them next year, to help Pouchie with the breeding side :2thumb:


LOL You really have got the bug havent you? :whistling2:

Glad to hear you got the chins together so quickly. Me thinks you should post some pics :2thumb:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

if you get ben by next year! haha, jj Pouchie!

Im sure you'll be a very good pouchie


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Would also like pics of the chins!

And if you've got the bug already then eek! when you've got ben youll be running a sanctuary! haha


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

farmercoope said:


> if you get ben by next year! haha, jj Pouchie!


Don't tease her! :whip: Just remember, she's ahead of you in line for an Emin, Coop! :Na_Na_Na_Na:

You'll both be so happy when you get your little ones. Ben is a beautiful creature, you can't imagine how stunning they are until you see them in the flesh. :flrt:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

stop it, my dads getting even more impatient! hahaha.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> stop it, my dads getting even more impatient! hahaha.


 
:lol2:

you dont have to keep pretending its for your dad lol .... or have you got your dad hooked now to? :whistling2:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

it is for my dad, remember!! haha. Dads not quite the animal type, he doesn't mind letting the chickens out though


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Just been building the new Explorer for the chins and degus, will take pics of them all in it tomorrow :2thumb: Too tired just now.

I did take some pics a couple of nights ago of Ozzy and Charlie :flrt:

Ozzy








Charlie just after she went into the cage with Ozzy and the degus








Two of the degus


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## Grumpymouth (Jun 28, 2007)

Aw, Marie they're lovely. :flrt: I think chinchillas are beautiful but I've never had any. They'll keep you busy until you get your Ben. 

Pouchers, I think you need to tell Kololi that she has an order on - one boy and one girl in her first litter. I do believe that Marie and Joe's heads will explode if they have to wait too much longer...no pressure there, Kololi! :whistling2:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Grumpymouth said:


> Aw, Marie they're lovely. :flrt: I think chinchillas are beautiful but I've never had any. They'll keep you busy until you get your Ben.
> 
> Pouchers, I think you need to tell Kololi that she has an order on - one boy and one girl in her first litter. I do believe that Marie and Joe's heads will explode if they have to wait too much longer...no pressure there, Kololi! :whistling2:


Yeah, come on Kololi :notworthy:

The chins belong to Kaz really, as do the degus. :whistling2:


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## chris1978 (Nov 19, 2008)

*I keep several exotic animals and recently was lucky enough to be able to purchase a female gambian pouched rat through a friend. 
Unfortunately after having her in our care for approximately 5-6 months she passed away this morning, she was put to sleep by a vet after suffering what the vet suspected to be a stroke or heart attack. 
I did not know the exact age of the rat but it was estimated at less than 12 months when we took her on. 
She was kept in a large cage 6ft high, 1 metre long and around 30'' front to back. We fed her on a quality rat mix and gave her fruit and veg regularly as well as mealworms and cooked chicken. 
The vet admitted to having little knowledge of the species so i am hoping some members on here may know of any potential health problems with this species. 
I discovered her late evening yesterday, she emerged from her hide box and appeared to be having some sort of fit, she lost all coordination and colapsed on the floor, she was still able to move but only barely, she could not regain her balance, just move her limbs slightly. 
We consulted a vet via the phone who just advised to keep her warm and as comfortable as possible, by this morning she was alive but clearly on her way out as she did not move and did not respond at all to being touched, the only signs of life was the fact she was still breathing, the only option was to have her euthanased. 
We would love to purchase another but i am concerned as to if heart problems or strokes/brain disorders are common with this species and if their was anything we had done wrong that maybe contributed to her untimely death. 
Any advice would be much appreciated. * 
*I also notice people on here discussing emins pouched rats, are these the ones known as cane rats by any chance? Ive have seen these available but they do not seem as popular as the gambians, any info on them would also be appreciated. *


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Hi Chris

Sorry to hear about your GPR. There have been a few problems with nut allergies that have caused death in pouched rats lately. You will find much more info on my forum which I noticed you have joined : victory:

Cane Rats are the same as Grass Cutters. Very large, beaver like rodents.

Emins Pouched Rats are very similar to Gambians but a lot rarer. They look the same to the untrained eye.

I have had the honour of five of these and am doing my level best to get them breeding and established in the UK. Again, you will find more info on them in the pouched rat chat section of my forum.

There should be a little more info here on RFUK too if you pop it into the search.

Again, sorry for your loss. It is devastating but we are still learning about pouched rat health.


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