The patagonian cavy
As you will recall, in my prior post about the peruvian cavy, I mentioned the patagonian cavy also known as a mara. I would like to introduce you to this most unusual pet. I was at a local feed store when I met one of these little cuties in person. At first I thought it was a baby capybara and the woman holding the baby patagonian said I was the first one to even come close to what it actually was. You see the patagonian cavy (mara) and the capybara are relatives. This capybara book tells you more about the world’s largest rodent. The patagonian cavy, the capybara and the guinea pig are all in the same rodent family.
I found out that the patagonian cavy is a very popular pet. I had never heard of it before a few weeks ago and looked more into them. In Oregon they are very legal to own and breed without any permits. They are considered to be the same as rabbits. I also found some large classified forums where breeders list their patagonians for sale. Most of the breeders are located in Texas and the southern states. The average price for one of these pets is around $300. The woman that had the patagonian at the feed store kept hers in the house and it got along well with her dogs. They grow to the size of 35 pounds so they would be the same size as many mid sized dogs.
They are vegetarians and live in small socialized groups. The parents, as a group, take care of the youngsters.
As the owner of the young patagonian and I talked, I asked her how often she was asked if the animal was a jackalope? She said, “all the time.” She often tells them that the animal is a jackalope that just shed its horns…..LOL.
The patagonian cavy – a most unusual pet.
