# Muntjac



## Johnson1 (May 8, 2015)

Are there any suppliers in the uk?


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## harry136 (Aug 2, 2012)

I take it your after some for xmas lunch? If so, go on to pigeon watch or contact a local game dealer.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

Not for much longer. There are breeders, though they are not widely kept, some zoos have them. Many kept privately are rescues from the wild rather than captive bred, but they have been added to the invasive species banned list so will no longer be able to be bred, traded etc.


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## Johnson1 (May 8, 2015)

corvid2e1 said:


> Not for much longer. There are breeders, though they are not widely kept, some zoos have them. Many kept privately are rescues from the wild rather than captive bred, but they have been added to the invasive species banned list so will no longer be able to be bred, traded etc.


When does that come in to play? 

Do you know any breeders? 

I'm more than happy to go down the rescue route aswell if you've got any advice on me goin down that road Id be very great full.

Cheers.


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## harry136 (Aug 2, 2012)

Can I just ask why you want a Muntjac as a pet? These animals are wild and do not do very well in captivity due to stress. It is also getting to the point that they will not be released into the wild if rescued as they are an invasive species and it is likely that if the population rises the government will call for mandatory euthanasia like it does for grey squirrels.


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## LawrenceJMitchell (Feb 8, 2013)

Muntjac now can be found in every county in the UK, though the Midlands and south are strong holds. Chinese Water deer are spreading too but have not expanded anywhere like so quickly.

I have heard of gatekeepers catching accidentally in snares and if you know a keeper that is maybe a source. I have heard of deliberate net catching at night for private collections. But of course you would need a large paddock with lots of cover for a wild caught animal to settle. Muntjac are brilliant jumpers and its not like keeping miniature goats........if wild caught they are likely to be highly stressed in captivity and fearful of people.

Muntjac have no breeding season like our native deer, as in their Asian home their are no seasonal affect on breeding, so they can have young all year round.

They browse and graze typically but love bramble leaves and berries and are partial to fungi.

As for the government controlling Muntjac.........don't hold your breath. The government is also "controlling" parakeets,bashers, foxes, grey squirrels etc etc..........

Muntjac are here to stay, they are secretive and adaptable. The UK deer population including the other species.....Red, Roe, Fallow, Sika and Chinese is growing all the time and causes damage to crops and numerous road collisions. 

A young abandoned or injured animal might be picked up by the RSPCA, that worth a try. I have also adverts in the shooting times classifieds from people asking for Muntjac for private deer collections.

If you want to enjoy them get out and have a look in deer country.........and I can say they do eat well with red current jelly!


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

I don't know any breeders, sorry, just seen them advertised from time to time. 

The RSPCA have a policy not to release non native species, and don't keep non-releasables, so you are unlikely to have much luck there, but other rehab organisations have different policies so may be worth getting in touch with a few. 

As a rehabber I have dealt with my share of wild muntjac and no, wild adults certainly do not do well in captivity for any length of time. Like all deer they are very easily stressed, however I do know of people who have kept hand reared individuals (these imprint strongly and are not candidates for release) which have been very calm and content in captivity.

Actually they currently have the same legislation as all non native invasive species, including Grey Squirrels, which states that they cannot be released into the wild *without a licence.* There is no mandatory euthanasia policy, however many organisations adopt their own as applying for the licence can be complicated and time consuming, must be applied for for each individual and, in the case of Grey Squirrels, if you live in a Red Squirrel area, is unlikely to be granted. You also need to apply for a licence to keep the animal, and must be able to prove it will be kept in an escape proof enclosure. This again is not guaranteed to be granted. The new legislation is likely to change all this however, as both species are listed, but since this is all still being decided at the moment, no one really knows for sure exactly what is going to happen.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

LawrenceJA young abandoned or injured animal might be picked up by the RSPCA said:


> I wouldn't hold your breath on that one!
> 
> The RSPCAs policy on all wildlife is that if it can't be released in situ immediately, then it is euthanased, whether it has a chance of survival and release or not.


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## Johnson1 (May 8, 2015)

They definitely wont be house hold pets more free range and semi wild all I would do is put feed out an insure they are un harmed


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## harry136 (Aug 2, 2012)

How are you going to prevent them from escaping your property and is your property big enough for them?


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

feorag said:


> I wouldn't hold your breath on that one!
> 
> The RSPCAs policy on all wildlife is that if it can't be released in situ immediately, then it is euthanased, whether it has a chance of survival and release or not.


Depends on your area, here in Norfolk all wildlife collected by the RSPCA is taken to East Winch wildlife hospital and would be similar if you are in the catchment area for West Hatch or one of their other wildlife centers, unless clearly no good when they may be euthanised by the inspector. Even when at East Winch though, they have a strict, "release or euthanise" policy. Non-releasable, whether disabled, by any definition, or non native are not kept.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

corvid2e1 said:


> Depends on your area, here in Norfolk all wildlife collected by the RSPCA is taken to East Winch wildlife hospital and would be similar if you are in the catchment area for West Hatch or one of their other wildlife centers, unless clearly no good when they may be euthanised by the inspector. Even when at East Winch though, they have a strict, "release or euthanise" policy. Non-releasable, whether disabled, by any definition, or non native are not kept.


Well that was their spokesperson's declaration in a local newspaper, although I do appreciate that some inspectors may not want to euthanase an animal that they believe has a good chance of recovery and release, so I agree it very well may depend on the area.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

feorag said:


> Well that was their spokesperson's declaration in a local newspaper, although I do appreciate that some inspectors may not want to euthanase an animal that they believe has a good chance of recovery and release, so I agree it very well may depend on the area.


Really? That wasn't very clever of them, couldn't have been good for their publicity! They are normally much more careful about what they say in public. Yes, I think it depends a lot on who they have locally to take each species. We are lucky here as they have a very large, RSPCA funded wildlife hospital, so everything is just taken there, but reptiles mostly end up at a local pet shop, and last I heard they didn't have anywhere for chickens or ferrets so can imagine what happens to most of them.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

This was in response to a young stag chased into a mill race by a dog and trapped. It was 5 miles from our wildlife rescue and my bosses were called in to rescue it.

All the neighbours came out with wellies and blankets to help, because my bosses were out for the day with family when they got the call and went straight there. The husband and one of the men were in the mill race up to their knees in mud getting the stag on a blanket and the wife was on the top of the bank pulling it up as they lifted it, when the RSPCA inspector arrived announcing he'd come to euthanase a deer. The locals were in an uproar as he hadn't even looked at the deer, let alone examined it! My bosses argued with him that there was no specific injury in terms of a broken leg, as obviously they would then have agreed with euthanasia, and that they would take it and see if it would survive. The inspector disagreed, but was outvoted by all the locals who thought it deserved the chance. My bosses then asked if he would transport it the 5 miles to the centre, as they were out in their own car with their children and family visitors and he refused! 

A few of the people there then went to the local paper to object at the way the RSPCA had handled the situation and that was how they justified it.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

yeah, sounds like a bit of a mess on their part! Thats not exactly justifying it though, more like digging themselves in deeper! They may have some policy like that on trapped deer due to the stress caused during rescue reducing their chances of survival, I have not heard one way or another on that (did it survive in the end?) but you would have expected them to either explain that or come up with some excuse along the lines of "inaccurate information reported in the first place" or something similar. The "we euthanize all wildlife" response really wasn't well thought through!


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

They said that their standpoint was that if wildlife cannot be released in situ at the time then it is euthanased. 

I've no doubt the stress of rescue does reduce the chances of survival and sadly in this case the stag didn't make it, but it it might have. 

After all why do the RSPCA feature Les Stocker rescuing and then later releasing deer in their TV programme??


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

Yes, stress is certainly an issue when rehabbing deer, but that doesn't mean its not worth a try. We, along with most other wildlife rescues (including RSPCA Eastwinch), successfully release them on a regular basis so can't really see where they were coming from there.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Exactly our point! :sad:


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