# palm civet



## holmez (Sep 14, 2013)

hi there

i've been doing alot of research as i was thinking about getting a palm civet. i seen that someone else has posted up a care sheet based on keeping it indoors which was verified correct by breeders. 

if anyone can help i'm looking at the cons of owning a palm civet. Do they make noise? do they produce their 'fear' odour often/easily?

basically i'm looking to find out an honest perspective of someone who has raised their palm civet with the run of the house. pro's and con's of owning a little civet!

any and all information welcome

thank you


----------



## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

Think that might have been my caresheet if it was here on this forum  If you have Facebook, there's a group for civet owners (here) where you might be able to find some people with enough experience to answer your questions.


----------



## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

I've never kept palm civets before, although I've worked with similar and related species.

The one thing I've observed is the alarming number of indoor-living palm civets that are being rehomed after a few months with their new family. I've suspected for some time that people buy them thinking of them as a more exotic alternative to a kitten, but soon realise that they can't cope with them. There was even one person keeping one in a small dog crate.....but they excused it away saying that it was allowed out to run around when they were in the room!:gasp:

So I suggest you go to meet some adult civets before you even go anywhere near a breeder's to see and fall in love with the cute little kits.:2thumb:


----------



## holmez (Sep 14, 2013)

I have seen many videos of people who keep their civets indoors and appear to have a very close bond. I have noticed this with many exotics such as kinkajous. It would have a cage with a bed and a litter area but I see no need to ever shut the door on the cage. I just want a realistic view from someone who has indoor civets as they sound like a pretty good companion. I dont actually like cats but the civet is more like a mongoose. And I loooove dogs but I dont want the neighbours getting upset with barking.


----------



## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

holmez said:


> It would have a cage with a bed and a litter area *but I see no need to ever shut the door on the cage*.


That's the ideal that so many of these people have when they buy a civet. That is until they find them doing the wall of death around the house and knocking everything all over the place!


----------



## holmez (Sep 14, 2013)

Haha, that wouldn't bother me - with the kitchen door shut there isnt really anything it could hurt itself on either. Ill jump in the wall of death with it n swing it about the joint like an empty tracksuit. Arm in paw.


----------



## The_Chosen_One (Apr 6, 2008)

We originally had ours inside, with run of the downstairs, had a box with her bed and litter tray which she would always return to, to use.
No noise from her at all really, the only noise we ever really heard from her was her chattering the first two nights we had her after she was taken from her litter mates.
In the first few weeks when young she did fear scent a bit when she got startled but this settled down pretty quickly, they do have a natural smell the same as any animal really, we got used to it and never noticed it but guests would notice it.

She's now in an outdoor enclosure for the main reason of her getting a bit too bitey with our dog, they do get along really well but she gets very playful with him and has sharp teeth! and there is only so much he is going to take so rather than take the risk we moved her outside and then bring her in when we are around and can supervise.

She does reek havoc in the house when she's in, loves running around and knocking things, climbing curtains and blinds etc but does have a lovely temperament and when she's tired herself out will come and fall asleep on us or the dog, she did go through a change of when she was a kit having a fair amount of energy but being knackered after an hour or two and then sleeping with us for a few hours to getting more adult and having endless amounts of energy!


----------

