# Agouti - Dont worry I dont have Plans!



## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Hello Hello Hello,

Ive been looking around at exotic pets, and even though i have not found it in the many exotics I have looked at, It struck me, Agouti, they look like an Ideal exotic pet, Ive seen people with pet Capybara and Virginia Opossums, why not Agouti???

Now, I have no plans to keep them as pets (well not yet :whistling2 but are they kept as exotic pets in the UK and are there many breeders??? Are they hard to keep and thats why people dont have them, or heck, do people have them and its my bad Google skills! All I could find was Agouti Rats & Guinea Pigs...










Just added a photo!


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

I do not know any private keepers of Agoutis personally but I dont doubt there are some. 

When I read the title of your thread, I thought "eh up". But if you can provide the right care for Agoutis, then why shouldn't you acquire some? If they are what you fancy, if you have researched lots & if you know you can give them what they need, then go for it I say!


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Oh Zoo-Man, nothing stops you with exotic pets... :no1: Good on you, the fact is I have looked for Care Sheets and Agouti's for sale and I cant find anything, I dont even know how much a pair would cost...

I would love some but over all there will be something that stops me, I dont have plans but maybe in a few years... : victory:


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

Zoo-Man said:


> I do not know any private keepers of Agoutis personally but I dont doubt there are some.
> 
> When I read the title of your thread, I thought "eh up". But if you can provide the right care for Agoutis, then why shouldn't you acquire some? If they are what you fancy, if you have researched lots & if you know you can give them what they need, then go for it I say!


 
well said i agree :2thumb:

although i also have no idea if these are kept as pets in the uk but i'm sure there is someone


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

I saw them first at Shaldon Widlife Trust, then I saw them at Newquay Zoo, I thought the enclosure doesnt look to hard, but its about food, temps etc. Dreams "o" Dreams... :2thumb:


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

When I first started researching Marmosets, the only info I could find on the net was pages from zoo websites - I imagine its the same with Agoutis. You could try emailing some of the zoos that exhibit Agoutis (Blackpool Zoo do) & asking for some info on how they keep them, diet, etc.


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Thats true, Im sure Zoo's would definatly provide information on how to care for them, the wouldnt want animals to be miss-cared for or uncared for, not that I would!!! But then again they might also be against people having exotic pets...

Just out of interest how do you care for your Marmosets eg. Housing..


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

If you emailed the zoos & said you were a student doing a project on keeping exotic mammals in captivity & you had chosen the Agouti, you should get a good response.

My Marmosets are housed in an aluminium framed aviary 9 ft long x 3 ft wide x 6 ft high. They are a breeding pair. They are fed a diet of fruit, veg, baby food, seeds, nuts, & bugs.


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

A good idea but somehow I can see it back firing in my face! :lol2:


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## Reaper941 (Mar 21, 2008)

Is that not just a big rat?


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

Are they related to guinea-pigs, looks very much like one.

Like the Hare of the rabbits


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

They are part of the Cavioidea Super-family... This includes Agoutis, Paca, Pacarana, Cavies, Capybara and Mara...

They are quite closely related to Guinea Pigs but like I say, they are part of the Rodent Family which in some point in history were obviously on the "Growth Hormones" and got a bit big!

Id love one, Its a dream!


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## fern (May 25, 2008)

newquay zoo have hundres of the things, they breed and breed by the looks of it lol. they have them in alot of the enclosures. 

they are stunning and i have often thought about finding out about keeping them, as i think they seem really interesting.


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

I know Newquay Zoo has hundreds, Including an Enclosure about half the size of my backyard :roll2: and this is why I though it would be best to ask them!!! :2thumb:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

@ Reaper: More like a long-legged guinea pig!:lol2:


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

agouti are kept in the uk and ive seen them for around £800 each before, infact i think there is somebody on this forum who has kept them before, just have to wait and see if they add to the thread, ive never kept them so cant comment on how to keep them but most zoo enclosures are indoors and heated so im guessing it would have to be an enclosed warm enclosure.
stu


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Well I know Chesters are kept indoors, well sort of, I dont know about blackpool, but Newquays and Shaldons are kept outside with indoor sleeping area's...


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Edinburghs are housed with the Pudu next to thr Cassowary, so I presume thats outside...


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

J-Williams said:


> Well I know Chesters are kept indoors, well sort of, I dont know about blackpool, but Newquays and Shaldons are kept outside with indoor sleeping area's...


Blackpool's are in the Amazon walk-through thing, with Squirrel Monkeys, Goeldis Monkeys & Red Titi Monkeys, so outside with indoor sleeping areas.


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## Erinaceinae (Mar 26, 2007)

are they like mini deer things?
If they're what i'm thinking of, Bristol Zoo have/had a pair in an outdoor enclosure and you had to stand there in silence for 10 mins to see one peep a head round a bush. Annoyingly timid wee things. I may be wrong 

I like the capybaras


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Elsa said:


> are they like mini deer things?
> If they're what i'm thinking of, Bristol Zoo have/had a pair in an outdoor enclosure and you had to stand there in silence for 10 mins to see one peep a head round a bush. Annoyingly timid wee things. I may be wrong
> 
> I like the capybaras


They are like a mini Capybara, there is a pic of one on the first page. They are pretty shy & wary creatures though.


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## Erinaceinae (Mar 26, 2007)

Maybe? I haven't been there for years, but i'm fairly sure they were called agouti.
Probably alot more interesting for a private keeper to work closely/interact with than for a small(ish) child to attempt to see in a zoo!
They look sort of dainty and cute


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

There is also a species called Acouchie I beleive, or something very similair to Agouti....


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

J-Williams said:


> There is also a species called Acouchie I beleive, or something very similair to Agouti....


Do you mean the Acouti? This is very similar to the Coatimundi.


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

No, Im pritty sure its Acouchi, without the "e" at the end sorry, They are very closely related to Agouti's and look pritty much exactly the same, but two different families...

Eg. They are both in the Dasyproctidea Family...

Although Agouti's are in the Genus of Dasyprocta which includes the 11 species...

_Dasyprocta ruatanica 
Dasyprocta guamara 
__Dasyprocta azarae_ 
_Dasyprocta cristata_ 
_Dasyprocta fuliginosa_ 
_Dasyprocta leporina_ 
_Dasyprocta mexicana_ 
_Dasyprocta prymnolopha_ 
_Dasyprocta punctata_ 
_Dasyprocta coibae_ 
_Dasyprocta kalinowskii_ 

And the Acouchi is from the Myoprocta Family which includes the 2 species...

_Myoprocta pratti_ 
_Myoprocta acouchy_ 

Please correct me if I am wrong... :lol2: I went of on a bit of a....


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

J-Williams said:


> No, Im pritty sure its Acouchi, without the "e" at the end sorry, They are very closely related to Agouti's and look pritty much exactly the same, but two different families...
> 
> Eg. They are both in the Dasyproctidea Family...
> 
> ...


Ah yes, just googled it, you are right :2thumb:


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Why don't you contact Rory or Nerys on here and see if they know of any breeders in this country?? This is their website tskaexotics.co.uk - TSKA 2010


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

i havent heard of much happening through TSKA at the moment although looking at the website looks like theres been a shake up and a few different brokers working alongside each other.
look forward to hearing about the new TSKA if anyone wnats to shed some light : victory:
stu


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

Slow Slow Slow Slow, I would love one and maybe in a few years but Im really not going into it, I was simply curious, extremely curious, so dont worry about care sheets and breeders, im really not ready... Sorry if i have caused a bit of confusion, maybe in a few years...


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## J-Williams (Apr 7, 2010)

one* Ofcourse I would have a pair...


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