Gambian rat: description and maintenance at home

The Gambian rat is a very large rodent belonging to the genus of mouse-like species. It is also called a hamster or marsupial, which is explained by the tendency to hide food in cheek pouches. Thus, rats can tolerate a fairly large amount of food. These rodents are unique animals because they can be trained and taught in useful skills.

The body length of an adult Gambian marsupial rat reaches 90 cm, including the tail, which is approximately 40–45 cm. The weight of the rodent is also quite impressive: up to 1.5 kg. The coat is coarse, colored in brown or gray shades, while the abdomen is always lighter than the back. Dark circles around the eyes. The ears are large, open, oval in shape.

Since Gambian rats are nocturnal animals, their eyesight is rather weak. But they have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell. These abilities help them detect not only food, but also mines, tuberculosis bacteria, and more. When it became known that this type of rodent is well trained and amenable to training, they began to be caught and bred for personal purposes. In addition, animals often become pets, because they are calm, sociable and very smart.

Marsupial rats are sensitive to cold, as they have practically no subcutaneous fat deposits. Heat is also unacceptable for them.

If the rodents are provided with proper conditions of detention, then they can live for 4 years, while in the wild, the life expectancy is reduced to 3 years.

Gambian marsupial rats live in central Africa, and not only in arid territories, but also in forest areas where a temperate climate prevails. Rodents live, as a rule, in holes, hollows of trees, crevices of rocks and other secluded places. They avoid open spaces.

People suffer greatly from the actions of tailed neighbors, because they cause enormous damage to the economy:

• eat supplies in sheds and cellars;
• spoil property;
• clog up the sewer;
• destroy the soil structure;
• contribute to the drying of the nutrient layer of the soil;
• destroy the sowing of agricultural crops.

Hamster rats are most active at night. They crawl out of their hiding places and go in search of food. Rodents transfer their prey in cheek pouches, the volume of which exceeds 100 ml. In a short period of time, they are able to significantly replenish their food supplies. For example, in just 2.5 hours, one individual can carry up to 3 kg of food.

The Gambians do not like it when they encroach on their territory, so they will fiercely defend their nests.

In rare cases, rats can bite, but this usually happens at those moments when they are very frightened or trying to show their superiority among relatives. Rodents never attack first, so don't panic when faced with them.

Giant African rats are friendly and have a good-natured disposition. Despite their impressive size, they look pretty cute, and if they are brought up correctly, then they will behave quite diligently.

It's just that raising such animals in captivity is troublesome.

To create comfortable conditions, you need to correctly choose and prepare the place where the rats will live, as well as provide them with good nutrition and care. It is recommended to keep such a large animal not in a cage, but in a spacious enclosure made of metal. It should be remembered that males and females should not live together. The only exception is the period of rearing the cubs. In this case, their mother should be nearby.

Since the rodent loves to hide, it is important to equip his house with various loopholes, nooks and crannies, hanging hammocks, and labyrinths. You will have to give up plastic and wooden elements, since the pet will easily gnaw through them. The bottom of the enclosure is usually covered with sawdust or dry grass, but you can also use wood chip filler in granules.

An equipped house for a marsupial rat must be installed in a warm room, moreover, it is desirable that the same temperature is maintained in it.

You cannot keep the tailed pet locked up all the time; you need to walk it daily. In addition, tactile contact with the owner is important, so you should more often take the rodent in your hands, stroke, scratch the abdomen and play with it.

Gambians should always have access to water and food, so the drinker and feeder must be refilled regularly. In addition, rodents are very thrifty and constantly hide food.

It is advisable to provide them with two meals a day and carefully monitor the portion size, as they can eat a lot, but overeating is fraught with the development of various diseases.

The marsupial hamster rat is omnivorous, but this does not mean that all food is equally useful for it. The diet should be based on:

• vegetables;
• fruits;
• legumes;
• seeds.

Protein is of great importance for the health of rodents, which makes up about 40% of the food consumed. If in the wild the Gambians get their protein mainly from insects and mollusks, then it is recommended to feed them at home:

• lean boiled meat;
• low-fat cottage cheese;
• boiled eggs;
• seafood.

As for the prohibited food, it includes fatty, salty, pickled, fried and spicy foods. In addition, you should not let your pet try carbonated and alcoholic drinks.

Typically, African marsupial rats breed in the summer. But if they live in captivity, and all the necessary conditions are provided for their comfort, then this process can occur at other times of the year. To conceive offspring, the animals must be at least 6 months old.

It should be noted that females do not always accept the courtship of the male and, as a negative answer, bite him on the back or tail.

The gestation period of the Gambian rat lasts 30–32 days, while it can bear a maximum of 5 cubs. After giving birth, the female is very aggressive, so it is better not to touch her again. Babies are born bald, with closed ears and eyes, which will open on days 14 and 21, respectively. As the pups grow up, their tail grows, and a woolen cover appears.

For 28 days, the rat feeds its offspring with breast milk and teaches the cubs to feed on their own, and at first chooses soft food for the babies. If the female lives in captivity, then she needs to provide a special diet enriched with vitamins and proteins.

Males in no way participate in the upbringing and feeding of their cubs, and sometimes even eat them. Therefore, it is necessary to protect him from a newly-made mom and newborn rat pups. Quite often, other females help to take care of the offspring. At 2 months of age, young Gambians begin to feed on their own and even get their own food.

More about the Gambian rat is described in the next video.