Can I Take Care Of A Prairie Dog?

Are you familiar with the regulation in your state about owning a prairie dog?

Do you mind having a pet that is a known carrier of zoonotic diseases?

Can you commit to spending at least 6 hours daily with your prairie dog?

Can you provide a large enclosure filled three feet deep with dirt to allow burrowing?

Can you provide a varied vegetarian diet for a prairie dog?

Do you have an exotics veterinarian in your area who has experience treating large rodents?

In 2003 prairie dogs were banned as pets for over five years in the United States. As of 2008, the FDA lifted its restrictions on pet prairie dogs, but in 2016, prairie dogs carrying the plague became a concern. Check with your state before getting a prairie dog to be sure they are allowed to be kept as pets in your locale.

Each year, prairie dogs go into a rutting period that can last for several months. During this time, their personalities often become defensive or even aggressive. Prairie dogs are susceptible to plague, which makes them a risk to nearby human populations. Some parks have been shut down in an attempt to prevent the spread to people.

Being very social creatures, prairie dogs will become depressed or sick if not given enough attention. If you don't have at least six hours per day to spend with your prairie dog, then plan on having a full colony of prairie dogs or none at all.

Providing a natural environment where a prairie dog can burrow and forage for food at all stages of a prairie dog's life is essential. As adults, they can burrow several feet underground and they create different subterranean chambers for different purposes. You'll need to provide a 10-foot by a 10-foot concrete-bordered pit filled three feet deep with dirt to allow burrowing. When burrowing is prevented, it may lead to anxiety.

The captive prairie dog eats a simple vegetarian diet of pellets, fresh hay, grasses, fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts, and freshwater. In the wild, grasses are the preferred food of the prairie dog and generally make up about three-quarters of its diet. When kept as a pet, prairie dogs should be fed a high fiber pellet diet along with timothy hay or timothy hay cubes.

You can take care of a prairie dog as a pet!

In captivity, prairie dogs are susceptible to obesity from being fed the wrong foods, dental issues from a lack of fibrous foodstuffs that clean teeth and gums, and diet-associated heart disease and respiratory diseases. Any sign of irregularity in your prairie dog warrants an examination from your exotic animal veterinarian.