**Editor's Note** "No we can't afford a hedgehog Sweetie. They're too expensive,it's $200 we don't have, I'm so sorry...OMG a prairie dog! It's so cool! I want it, I want it, I want it! It's only $400, we can do it" ~Pauly (my boyfriend) And so our life with Tobey began. This page is titled "We have a Prairie Dog" because we say it daily because it never gets any less cool that we in fact have a prairie dog.
Tobey is the love of our life. He's the only one of the rodents that is kept in our room. He was out of our budget but is definatly worth every penny we spent. He was the pet that we had the most questions about and the inspiration for this page. For more pictures of Tobey click here.
**Facts**
*Prairie Dogs are slowly going extinct in the wild due to ignorance
*While some people will tell you that it is cruel to have one as a pet, I'd rather subject one to a life of captivity then to certain death at the hands of humans in the wild.
*He requires loads of attention, every spare moment is devoted to "our son".
*You have to have a pet PD spayed or neutered to avoid hostility around mating season
*They are very friendly and social
*Though they look like groundhogs, and don't get me wrong, they really do, they're related to squirrels
**FAQ**
Q. How long do they live for?
A. A Prairie Dog can generally live between 10-14 years
Q. What do they eat?
A. Tobey eats Nutri-Block and Timothy Hay. He also gets a few non salted sunflower seeds as treats. He is an herbivore by nature. Never feed a Prairie Dog alfalfa, this will lead to obesity and shorten his life span considerably. You can give him table scraps but avoid fatty foods. Tobey is a sucker for peas, you just say the word and he comes running. It is also safe to give them dark green veggies. You could give him fruits but we watchful of the sugar content
Q. What kind of cage and bedding do I need?
A. The bigger the cage you can give him the better. Tobey lives in a two level metal bottom cage. We learned the hard way not to give a prairie dog a plastic bottom cage. He ate through it with the greatest of ease. Use Aspen bedding as others will lead to respritory problems.
Q.Should I have more than one? A. Yes and no. Prairie Dogs are very social animals and actually need attention to survive. If you have one and neglect it, he will die of loneliness. This does not mean buy two and neglect them both. The last thing you need is two dead Prairie Dogs. If you have enough time for two of these adorable creatures then by all means. If you do only buy one then make sure you give him loads of love and attention.
Q. How much will this set me back?
A. Wow, I certainly hope you're rich or have a high credit limit. Tobey alone cost $400 plus food, bedding, cage and accesories. So about $1000 CDN overall. Don't get me wrong. We love him more than anything and if you can afford it, they are worth every hard earned penny.
Q. What are their common health problems?
A. He can die of obesity quite easily. So keep him trim with low sweets and lots of exercise. Respritory problems can arise if the wrong bedding is used. Prairie Dogs have a body temperature of approx. 98.6 degrees fareinheit (same as humans). So you need to keep them comfortable, odds are if you're too hot or too cold they are too. If they get too cold they will try to hibernate and that will be fatal.
Q. Are they easy to find in pet stores?
A. Well, I've only seen them once in one pet shop in Ottawa. They aren't by any means easy to find. Call around around the shops where they sell exotics (save yourself the trip). If they don't carry them, odds are they'll be able to steer you in the right direction.
Q. What kind of maintenance do they require?
A. They are crazy high maintenance. They need at least 2 hours a day out of their cage and even that borders on neglect. Whenever possible have them out and about, the more time out the better.
Q. When do they sleep?
A. Prairie Dogs generally sleep at night and are active during the day. However, if you work a 9-5 job they'll work around you. Tobey sleeps until about 5:10 and then goes to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. I'm not sure if this is normal per se but he seems happy enough
Q. Do they make noise?
A. Yes. They make happy, angry, and lonely noises. They sound like high pitch barking. His angry noise is barking and chattering. Their barking is loud but not frequent.
