Guide to African Gambian Giant Pouched Rats as Pets
While you may not have necessarily heard of them, the Gambian pouched rat is an extremely interesting animal. They are often times kept as a type of exotic pet, reportedly becoming extremely affectionate with their owners.
However, just because they can be affectionate does not mean that they are always going to be easy to take care of and maintain. In fact, the temperament of each individual Gambian pouched rat is going to vary from animal to animal. With that being said, they are also very intelligent and love to play.
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In the country of Tanzania, the Gambian pouched rat has even been trained to sniff out and detect buried land mines, as they have an excellent sense of smell and the benefit of having a total bodyweight that is not heavy enough to actually cause the mine to detonate. If sniffing out land mines weren’t enough, they have also been trained to detect whether or not tuberculosis is present in samples of human sputum.
The Gambian pouched rat can grow to reach a total length of three feet, their tail included, and get to between 3 and four pounds in weight. As you would assume from their name, they are considered to be a rodent, but don’t belong to the same family as the more common domestic and wild rats. Similar to that of hamsters, they too have pouches on the inside of their cheeks that allow them to store food for a later time. They are native to Africa, living to the south of the Sahara desert, and are also more commonly referred to as African giant pouched rats.
While not naturally native to the United States, there was a group of them that were able to escape from a Florida breeder, where they were eventually able to colonize on an island that is known as Grassy Key. On Grassy Key, the Gambian pouched rat has been able to become quite an invasive species. On top of that, back in 2003, they are suspected to have had a hand in an outbreak of a disease that is called monkeypox, which spread throughout the United States.
Gambian Pouched Rats Native Habitat
Scientifically referred to as Cricetomys gambianus, the Gambian pouched rat is commonly caught and eaten for food by many different people. However, beyond that, there is really not that much that is actually known about them when they are living in the wild. It is believed that they either live alone as a solitary animal, or as a group in a larger colony. The little research that has been done suggests that the females and their babies are probably more likely to live with others in a colony, while the males are more than likely to be more on the solitary side.
Gambian pouched rats can be found living in a wide variety of different habitats, the main requirements being an area of shelter such as a rocky outcrop, trees, or even open areas that have burros that have been dug by other animals. These burrows will often times turn into an entire network of intricate tunnels after these rodents are moved in. One of the unique abilities of the Gambian pouched rat is that it has the unique ability to adapt to other types of habitats and living conditions if their current living conditions began to diminish or get damaged.
Normally considered to be a nocturnal animal when in the wild, they tend to eat a more omnivorous type of diet. Their main source of food comes from plants and other plant parts, insects of all sizes, and even other types of smaller invertebrates. This is where the extra pouches on the inside of their cheeks comes in handy, as they will collect their food and bring it back to their burrow, as the Gambian pouched rat is a notoriously great hoarder.
On of the big mistakes that people make about the Gambian pouched rat, is that they often times get them confused with one of their relatives, the Emin’s pouched rat, or Cricetomys emini. This particular species not only lives in Africa as well, but it is also not uncommon to see them as a pet either. The main difference between the two however, is that the Emin’s pouched rat tends to be a little smaller than the Gambian pouched rat, as well as more slender, and will even have a much different coloration. Finally, the Emin’s pouched rat has not been used or trained to find tuberculosis in humans, or land mines in an open field.
Gambian Pouched Rats Reproduction Cycle
Gambian pouched rats are known for their prolific breeding. In fact, it is not uncommon for females to produce their first litter at just five months old. Studies estimate that they will have between four and nine litters every single year. Once pregnant, their gestation period will last anywhere from thirty to thirty-two days.
Each litter that is produced will consist anywhere from one pup, all the way up to six pups, but is normally going to be 4 babies. When they are born, Gambian pouched rats have absolutely no hair at all, as well as eyes and ears that are both closed. But that does not last long as they will develop very quickly, and will be weaned as soon as they get to be around four weeks in age. Once fully grown, their expected life expectancy is going to be between six and eight years long.
Gambian Pouched Rats As Exotic Pets
Oddly enough, while Gambian pouched rats are normally bred in captivity, they have never been considered a domestic animal. Keep in mind that it is a very long process and takes many years of very selective breeding in order to fully domesticate any type of wild animal. These rodents require a lot of socialization and training from an extremely young age. In fact, daily attention and handling is crucially important, even if that particular pup is from a very careful breeder who is trying to breed them to become better pet animals.
This means that if you are thinking about keeping a Gambian pouched rat as a pet, you are going to need to have a lot of spare time to spend and care for them. These are one breed of animal that will not do well if left in a cage continuously for hours at time. When you are letting your Gambian pouched rat out of its cage, you should leave them out for longer periods of time. Also, if you are unable to play and pet them on a very regular basis, they will quickly begin to lose their confidence, as well as their friendliness. Essentially, to keep a Gambian pouched rat as a pet, you are going to need to have lots of spare time that you are able to dedicate to them or they will simply not do well.
Food, Fun, And Their Cage
Gambian pouched rats love climbing, running, and jumping. This means that they are going to require a cage that has a lot of space, as well as a lot of different toys that have been arranged on multiple levels as well. They are essentially going to need to be able to move around the cage rapidly and with multiple routes so as to not get bored. Be prepared for many of the toys in their cage to be destroyed, so having a stash of supplies is almost essential if you are planning on keeping your Gambian pouched rat entertained while stuck in their cage. While it should be obvious, just in case it is not, all of the toys that you give to your pet Gambian pouched rat are going to need to be safe to chew on. Also, they will need to be kept in a warm part of your home, as they have a very low percentage of body fat and can become cold very quickly.
When it comes to feeding your Gambian pouched rat, they are going to require a wide variety of different fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, eggs, and meats. Before you decide to keep a Gambian pouched rat as a pet, you should seriously consider speaking with a breeder so that you are able to get a complete idea of what their daily diet is going to look like. When they are not eating and running around playing, the Gambian pouched rat can be found digging into their litter, which should be placed on the bottom of their cage, where they will also end up storing some of their food as well.
When they are locked in their cage, the Gambian pouched rat will normally select a corner of their cage to back into so that they are able to defecate, as well as urinate. While some of the owners claim that the Gambian pouched rat can be potty trained, the tools required to do this are going to be a dish that is partially filled up with water, similar to that of a toilet you would use. However, even if you are able to potty train your Gambian pouched rat, you are still going to need to regularly clean their litter, as there is an extremely good chance that there will be some type of decaying food in it.
Potential Problems and Cautions Of The Gambian Pouched Rat
All Gambian pouched rats have large teeth that are very strong. Because of this, they love to chew on things, which can lead to lots of destruction if not properly handled. With that being said, when they are pets, the Gambian pouched rat is normally a very docile animal, however, it is important for you to realize that you could potentially experience a bite that would be very painful if they wanted to give it to you for whatever reason. And because they are considered to be an exotic pet, like many of the other exotic pets available to you, they are going to require much more attention that will be a much more demanding job for you, as opposed to a more domesticated pet.
While the Gambian pouch rat pups are exceptionally cute, if you are seriously considering purchasing one as a pet, it would be in your best interest to do a whole bunch of research about every aspect of having one as a pet. A big part of this research is going to be finding a veterinarian, who is local to your area and is knowledgeable about them as well, just in case there is ever an emergency such as becoming ill, or picking up an injury.
As with any kind of exotic pet, the Gambian pouched rat is no different. If you are considering keeping one as a pet, you are going to need to seriously think very carefully about all of the pros and cons about introducing one into your home. This will not only better prepare you for the journey that lies ahead with your new pet, but will also help you become knowledgeable about what is involved with keeping them healthy and happy.
The Gambian pouched rat has the potential to be one of the absolute best pets that you could ever ask for. As with any pet, there is always going to be moments of joy and happiness, as well as moments of anger and regret. Just remember the reason why you decided to get one in the first place and you will have not trouble at all keeping up with the neediness that Gambian pouched rats require. If you are able to do this, you will not only make memories with your Gambian pouched rat that you will remember forever, but you will also be forming a bond with a new best friend. And what makes the Gambian pouched rat that much more special, is that they are a social animal, so introducing them to other pets that you may have will only help to make them and you happier.
