# Giant spotted Genets?



## Noofy (Oct 22, 2009)

Anyone here had any experience with these beauties?
Just started to look into exotic mammals such as these and was wondering how people find their temperments and house-training abilites..
Thanksss!

Exotic Animals as Pets - The Spotted Genet - YouTube


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

I don't have any experience but I've been reaserching these a lot. They are my all-time favourite animal, soooo beautiful. :flrt:

A few people on here keep them (not large spotted though I don't think) Most keep them outdoors in a naturalistic environment, I know American's keep them as house pets and they are litter-trainable.


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## Jooooshy (Dec 6, 2009)

If brought up from a young age in a home environment then genets can be kept somewhat like cats. They can be easily litter trained and do okay on a harness (getting one to fit tends to be the big problem!). They are "in to everything" and will go adventuring and exploring around the house, slightly more clumsy and destructive than your average house cat (from personal experience anyway...).

Most genets available in the UK are common genets, and rarely do they become available as hand-reared.


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## kodakira (Jul 11, 2008)

We have the Large Spotted Genet ( Genetta tigrina ) and Pardine Genets ( Genetta padina ).

However ours are not kept in the home enviroment.

Ours are quite placid animals but not tame.

Neil


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## Noofy (Oct 22, 2009)

Thanks for all the feedback.
Someone told me that they aren't the nicest smelling animals?


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

I have heard 'they stink' too but when I've cuddled them, they don't smell, I did't think their enclosures smelled either. Apparently it's only the spray (and their litterbox lol), but I'd like to know whether that's only males scent marking (or whether females do it too) and if neutering makes a difference? or is it a deffence thing like a skunk? :hmm:


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## Noofy (Oct 22, 2009)

Well I'm looking after a male skunk at the moment and his litter tray stinks but his actual body smell is very similar to a ferret which isn't that bad. 
Also been looking into kinkajous...


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

I don't think anything could smell worse than my dog already does, bless him XD


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I've only come across the small spotted genets. Quite tame in that they didn't attack you but fairly aloof as is the way with most genets - not really cuddle monsters in my experience. The ones I've met were in outdoor enclosures. No real smell other than general furred animal.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

em_40 said:


> I have heard 'they stink' too but when I've cuddled them, they don't smell, I did't think their enclosures smelled either. Apparently it's only the spray (and their litterbox lol), but I'd like to know whether that's only males scent marking (or whether females do it too) and if neutering makes a difference? or is it a deffence thing like a skunk? :hmm:


when we got our small spotted genets the first thing we could smell was popcorn really strongly, now haven got used to the smell cant so much now but the only thing smelly about them is their poo really. although ours are kept in an outside enclosure and were parent reared they can all be stroked and will take food from hands and climb on you when being cleaned(couple of ours seem to love hair?!) having had to grab one of them cause he thought it would be fun to try and escape their not to fond of being restrained, but have never been bitten. hand reared are like house cats as has been said 

also the scent marking wiffs abit and our males do it EVERYWHERE lol


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## Noofy (Oct 22, 2009)

Would you say that you need an outdoor enclosure for them? Ive spoken to a couple of people that house them indoors..?


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

Noofy said:


> Would you say that you need an outdoor enclosure for them? Ive spoken to a couple of people that house them indoors..?


im sure it would be fine but then our genets are all really chilled out around people even though their parent reared, others could get stressed in that sort of enviroment. the enclosure would have to be BIG though and set up right ,places to hide etc.


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

You reckon parent reared could make good house pets with a large 5x3x8foot lxwxh cage and let out every evening?


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

em_40 said:


> You reckon parent reared could make good house pets with a large 5x3x8foot lxwxh cage and let out every evening?


you could let them out every night but they probably wouldnt want to come out lol! if you get them from a very young age parent reared would probably be fine in an indoor environment, would just take patience getting it like a "house pet" if you like. whats wrong with hand reared, they make easy house pets?


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

liam.b said:


> you could let them out every night but they probably wouldnt want to come out lol! if you get them from a very young age parent reared would probably be fine in an indoor environment, would just take patience getting it like a "house pet" if you like. whats wrong with hand reared, they make easy house pets?


lol I was concerened about not being able to get them back IN again lol!

Nothing neccassarily 'wrong' with hand reared but in some animals they hit maturity and then 'rebel'. Though not all animals and it's usually the males. Most reputable breeders parent rear though as far as I've seen, I've only seen hand reared available from a broker and they were very expensive.


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

em_40 said:


> lol I was concerened about not being able to get them back IN again lol!
> 
> Nothing neccassarily 'wrong' with hand reared but in some animals they hit maturity and then 'rebel'. Though not all animals and it's usually the males. Most reputable breeders parent rear though as far as I've seen, I've only seen hand reared available from a broker and they were very expensive.


haha yeah could be a problem, when mine got out i grabbed him and all he did was wriggle alot although ive heard of parent reared being bitey aswell.

ive never heard of genets "turning" when they mature, civets yes. they are usually alot more expensive than parent reared but atleast you know the animal will be comfortable with you from day one and they are of different nature to the parent reared, we are hoping to have some available in the next year too


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

I have had genets and i know people that have them ,they can get stressed very easy ,they get bitey when mature ,they smell of popcorn ,i would like to know what popcorn you have ,they are the smelliest animal i have ever owned


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

In your experience is there a difference in hand and parent reared or do they both get stressed easily and become bitey as adults?


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## Evilshiddenclaws (May 25, 2010)

Noofy said:


> Anyone here had any experience with these beauties?
> Just started to look into exotic mammals such as these and was wondering how people find their temperments and house-training abilites..
> Thanksss!
> 
> Exotic Animals as Pets - The Spotted Genet - YouTube


they are beautiful animals, i'd love to get into exotic mammals but i don't have the money,time or resources for it as of yet, i love that video clip, i was more fascinated by the dobermann pup acting daft through the fence! haha


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

They both get stressed easily ,the parent reared more so than the hand tame ,and they are both quite bitey ,the parent reared you wont be able to pick up easy as they riggle a lot ,and the hand reared ones when they reach sexual mature or i have known ones before that ,will see your fingers as food


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

animalsbeebee said:


> I have had genets and i know people that have them ,they can get stressed very easy ,they get bitey when mature ,they smell of popcorn ,i would like to know what popcorn you have ,they are the smelliest animal i have ever owned


We have adults none have bitten or even attempted to bite us, the genets themselves arent smelly at all. the scent marking and poo Is, and a few people that have seen them also commented on the popcorn smell.


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

We have lynx ,snow leopard ,raccoons ,civets etc they have never tried to bite us ,they might if you try and pick them up ,it depends on what you are looking for ,we have experience with a lot of animals ,they dont smell like popcorn ,there scent marking /smell is the worst smell i have ever smelt


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

i would say out of what we keep the raccoon dogs smell alot worse, it might be because they are kept near them that we dont smell it as much but they certainly dont smell bad, i was cleaning their enclosures thoroughly yesterday and came face to face with them a few times and didnt notice a smell, but then i can keep saying they dont smell and you can say they do. im not trying to start anything but ours really aren't bad. again ive had picked a couple of ours up for one reason or another and never been bitten just alot of wriggling. when we enter the enclosures for cleaning a few of them will jump on your back and play in your hair their not vicious at all, mostly just cautious.


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## DiLam (Mar 30, 2008)

Genets we have kept are pretty chilled out have seen no aggression towards. I got a tail in the eye whilst i was kneeling down and she jumped up and her tail went in my eye lolol. They dont really smell bad compared to raccoon dogs! Skunks dont smell compared to raccon dogs. Also depends on there diet!! Different things they eat give them different poos


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## liam.b (Sep 2, 2006)

DiLam said:


> Genets we have kept are pretty chilled out have seen no aggression towards. I got a tail in the eye whilst i was kneeling down and she jumped up and her tail went in my eye lolol. They dont really smell bad compared to raccoon dogs! Skunks dont smell compared to raccon dogs. Also depends on there diet!! Different things they eat give them different poos


:2thumb:


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## Noofy (Oct 22, 2009)

animalsbeebee said:


> We have lynx ,snow leopard ,raccoons ,civets etc they have never tried to bite us ,they might if you try and pick them up ,it depends on what you are looking for ,we have experience with a lot of animals ,they dont smell like popcorn ,there scent marking /smell is the worst smell i have ever smelt


LYNX! :flrt:


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

animalsbeebee said:


> there scent marking /smell is the worst smell i have ever smelt


I would second this. Their civet is as bad as skunk spray.

I had a genet litter tray in the house during severe weather and although I enjoyed having him in the house, the smell of his faeces was pretty unbearable and luckily he didn't spray. I have however had genet civet let off in my van and it was like some kind of army grenade that made my eyes water and the fumes went to my throat. 

Noxious!!! :notworthy:


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

Do only males spray? 
Are they easy to litter train? 
Do you breed yours?


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## DiLam (Mar 30, 2008)

Pouchie said:


> I would second this. Their civet is as bad as skunk spray.
> 
> I had a genet litter tray in the house during severe weather and although I enjoyed having him in the house, the smell of his faeces was pretty unbearable and luckily he didn't spray. I have however had genet civet let off in my van and it was like some kind of army grenade that made my eyes water and the fumes went to my throat.
> 
> Noxious!!! :notworthy:


Well weve got 5 never been sprayed by one they do it on the branches cant really smell it. I only smell the poo when i have to pick it up and the piss is strong but still nowhere near raccoon dogs lolol. Maybe there overpowering it all lol


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