# Anyone have any experience with hutias?



## Frogsrule10 (Jan 9, 2010)

I've been interested in Cuban Hutias ever since I saw them at a local zoo I volunteered at for a week. Tom the Hutia was tame as a puppy, spent a good deal of time crawling around on people's shoulders and seemed full of personality. So I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these awesome little guys, how they are to keep and other such info.
Many thanks,
Frogsrule10


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## TalulaTarantula (Jan 21, 2011)

Had a pair at college, were rather timid 
What would you like to know and I'll try and help answer if I can


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## Frogsrule10 (Jan 9, 2010)

*.*

Wow, brilliant, thanks for the quick reply. 
I've had a surf around the web for caresheets and such this afternoon, but to no avail- it seems like they aren't widely kept unfortunately.
First off, would they be right for me? I am a student and I haven't had much experience with rodents so far, save for taking in a pair of lab mice my sister got bored of, though I have been keeping lizards, snakes and frogs for the past 6-8 years. I thought of hutias because they just seem so original to me. The one in the zoo was also an absolute sweetie, he seemed quite smart and inquisitive. How demanding are they in regards to keeping them occupied? Hand rearing and feeding? Taming?
I would be interested in space needed for a comfortable life, if they should be kept in pairs or alone. 
Oh, and how easy they are to aquire (captive bred) and for how much? £100s? £1000s? I read that they're almost considered a pest so I'm wondering how that affects their price. 
I honestly can't understand why there are next to no caresheets out there. It's such a pity because they're one of the animals that captivated me the most during my stay at the zoo.
Another rodent I was looking at was the gambian pouched rat, but I'm worried I may not be able to give it all the required attention (I read somewhere they need almost constant stimulation to keep them from getting distructive.)

Once again, thanks a lot for the quick reply, tbh I thought no one would answer  
Frogsrule10


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## TalulaTarantula (Jan 21, 2011)

i'll have to dig though some of my old college work as i know i did a few assingments, based a few enrichment and behavioural projects on them ect and its been a while since i left so cant remember much xD
I'll pm you when i come up with it all 

As for keeping them occupied, the ones we had, were in a large inside enclosure within a heated room (obs had the room) but for a private keeper a outside and inside enclosure would be more suitable they wont like our cold weather much, hence why you'll need a large inside enclosure, they will need to be kept inside a wire cage, anything wood and you run the risk of them using those big teeth to chew through stuff.
I cant think how big our enclosure was, but i know i have them wrote down somewhere

they were a breeding pair (named edward and bella, some twilight crap i believe lol), and seemed rather bonded to one another although the female was definantly more active and curious than the male, he would often hide away in their nest box when we entered the cage, where as she would often come out and see what we were up to.
im sure if you got a hand reared pair that are more used to human contact you could interact with them on a more personal basis, they didnt strike me as a species that appreciate being cuddled and played with.

Food would be offered twice a day, they'd be given a whole array of fresh veg (think giant guinea pigs) ours particularly likes parsnips, carrots and brocolli although other veg was always offered cabbage,sprouts water cress other fresh greens, they were also given a dry mix ( i cant remember what type though)



They're particularly good at climbing, and we offered plenty of large logs and thick branches for which they could climb, we would often hide food in boxes of hay and place them in higher to reach places, theyre not a hugely active species so dont like to work too hard for their food lol their nest box was also elavated, on the floor was large wood shavings, although they were generally clean and liked to poop in their nest box, so the floor was mainly just spot cleaned for old food ect and a full clean out was given once a week, more so to offer students experience ect.

As for price not hugely sure now, i know theyre extremely hard to source

Hope that helps, as i said when i dig out my college work i'll pm you with anymore information i find 

as for pouchies, i dont know much about them, but im sure there is someone on here that keeps them


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## Frogsrule10 (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the info again.
I'm actually based on mainland Europe now: hotter summers and colder winters. You mention a large enclosure... roughly how large? Like, room sized? Shed sized? Would a heated shed work for them? I think I'll pop over to the zoo at some later date if I have time (It's a long, 4 hour there-back journey and it's a very small, private zoo). The hutia there was actually loaned for a short stretch of time from some larger zoo for some reason, so I'll ask there, they might be breeding them. Of course, I'm guessing it'd be hard/impossible to get an unrelated pair, which is not good obviously.
I don't think I'd have time for too much cuddling, but certainly I'd want something that at least recognises me when I come in.
Did they require a lot of paperwork? I'm also worried about specialised vets in my area, or rather a lack of.
Oh and my funds aren't limitless :lol2:
Looking at all the costs and worries stacked up against me I'm seriously doubting if I shouldn't stick to something smaller, but they're just amazing, I can't get them out of my head.
Cheers,
frog


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## Frogsrule10 (Jan 9, 2010)

Well I visited the zoo yesterday, I swear the little guy recognised me :lol2:


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## westie1 (Oct 28, 2009)

they are beautiful, like a small capybara!


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