# duprasi keepers?



## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Hi, I have a 3 foot exoterra currently empty and had established that it wouldn't be suitable for rats so had decided to sell it... buuut I've now heard of duprasi which sound like they may like it v much!

Wondering who keeps them and their personal experience of their behavior etc. Would you recommend them?! I really love the temperament of rats, docile, curious and willing to curl up with you on the sofa. Proper little personalities! I guess I'm hoping these little guys act like smaller versions. Online is a bit contradictory which is why I thought I'd ask some folk who keep them!

Thanks in advance!


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Hey! 
Well I have three (two girls and one boy and my girl should be giving birth this weekend:flrt
Overall I think they make great pets! they sort of have the boy rats attitude (willing to sit still and cuddle - two of mine roll onto there back and fall asleep whilst I'm holding them) although they lack the curiosity of other gerbil types. They hardly ever bite, an if they do its more of a nibble to see what you are and what you taste like lol.
However two of mine are territorial if you enter there cage but are fine once you get them out.
If I'm forgetting anything you'd like to know just ask, as I'm a little rushed at the moment so sorry if I haven't gone into detail enough or talked about everything  hope I helped though!


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Also forgot to add they're normally solitary animals, major nibblers, and I'm sure one would be very happy in your exo terra  they don't normally like height as they're very clumsy animals! :lol2:


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks Snowdrop - that was so fast!!

So do you keep your 3 all in seperate tanks then?

They are starting to sound more perfect. If I had gone for rats I would have picked males for those very reasons... Does any body keep more than one together though and how do they get on? I'd obviously ony keep one if that is best for them but I did read that males can live together as long as they have enough room. Snowdrop do you find they fight when together then?


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Yes hun, all of my dups live separately and only come together for breeding purposes only.
The lady that had my pair (boy and girl) before me kept them together for 6months or so and the boy was on deaths door (dups have been known to be cannibalistic sometimes) the female had bitten chunks from his tail and ears and wouldn't let him eat ect so took a bit of time to nurse him back to health.
So I personally wouldn't suggest keeping a pair together, however I have a friend who used to keep two boys (same litter) together and they were going great until one day they snapped and one killed the other (they had been living together for roughly a year)


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Woah, not worth the risk then! Looks like they might be hard to track down though... will keep my eyes peeled.


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

If you like I could let you know if/when mine are born? 
But yeah they're pretty hard to track down generally because there hard to breed I believe...


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks, I may take you up on that, although if your postcode is correct you might be a bit far from me...


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

I have one and she's lovely  I used to have her older brother, as well, but he passed away. My girl, Rosie, is territorial in her cage, but once she's out, she's fine  My Mojo, was perfect in every way and I could just pick him up no problem. Super snuggly and easy to keep. And since they are a desert critter, they don't pee much and have little to no odor. I keep Rosie on sand and just sift the sand every now and then to "clean" her tank. I rarely do a full sand change.


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

thanks amalthea! Good names by the way. They are gorgous little guys. I wish I could see some in the flesh. Looking at photos online and a name has come to me already. Harold! Erm not that I've convinced the OH yet mind. Does any body have a care sheet they would recommend? :whistling2:


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## Nicola McKay (Dec 28, 2009)

When I first got my Duprasi I kept her in an Exo-terra tank. I came downstairs one morning to discover she had chewed the inside of the lock off and had escaped. She also chewed the plastic that runs the length of the tank under the doors. Luckily I found her quickly but I now keep her in a 4 foot fish tank so just be aware that they can chew out of an Exo-terra. They really do like to chew!


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

But they can't climb glass  Rosie's tank doesn't even have a lid :lol: But I make sure all of her furnishings are wooden, so if she decides to chew, it's not dangerous in the least.


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Hmm thanks for the tip nicola. maybe if I provide more wood than you can shake a stick at (te he) I can distract him/her from the lock. I'll have to keep an eye out and try to do something creative if not!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Ive got 2 dups I used to have 5 but sadly lost 3, I bred Amaltheas 2 (Mojo and Rosie)
Mine are kept in glass cages, ones in a tank and the other in a Perfecto. They make great pets but most are very cage territorial, I wouldnt say they were as interactive as rats as they are quite happy with their own company.

Bob my male


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I luffs Bob! :flrt: :flrt: :flrt:


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Ok posting that picture of Bob was completely unfair.. how'my I supposed to make a rational decision faced with that level of fluff based cuteness :blush:

Does anybody know of any breeders or shops round my way who have these little fellas? Snowdrop may be a little too far out for me!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Maybe put a wanted advert on the classified section, quite a few of the breeders seemed to be down south when I was looking for mine


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## Igby (Jul 29, 2008)

Cheers, will do!


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