African Pouched Rat/Emins pouched rat illegal in California?
Okay so I am really interested in getting an Emins (NOT A GAMBIAN there is a difference....) pouched rat and i live in California. I recently discovered the ban for possessing a pouched rat was lifted on sept 8th of 2008 buuuuuut I also have to consider state laws and i cannot find out anything about it that clearly states a yes or no on the EMINS pouched rat... it only says a no to the gambian pouched rat. I would hate to move just to get this rat but I will when I can to have one :) if anyone AT ALL could help me at all with this inquiry I would be soooo happy! Obviously I am looking for a straight yes or no and then facts that support it... i don't want to break a law at 18....
How much are Gambian Pouched Rats?
It can be hard to find breeders for these kinds of rats, so your locations is pretty irrelevant, you may have to get them from a few states away in order to find them. They are considered to be an exotic pet when kept, so I'm not sure of the laws in your area, but you may need a permit/license to own one. The price of the rat itself will vary depending on where you get it, but they can around $400 or more. If you do have to have them sent to you, the shipping cost will be another $250 or so, as the charge will always be when you have to have a pet sent on a plane, any other shipping method is not safe at all and no good breeder will ship any other way if at all (though I don't think these rats would qualify for any time of ground shipping anyway). Keep in mind that these are not like owning regular pet fancy rats. The care is very different, they are high maintenance pets. Some can have behavioral problems at first since they haven't been domesticated long, you may have to train it out of biting. They need a very large cage like the largest one you can find, and even then they must come out of the cage most of the time, if that cannot be done you may need a whole room for the rat. They do not always get along in groups like fancy rats (especially the males) so most people only keep one. You will also need to find a qualified vet, as most will not have experience with this kind of animal. But take into account the other expenses as well. So if you do decide to get one, be well prepared beforehand do plenty of research and know what you will need. It will not be cheap, probably around the same as when getting a new dog.
I saw the biggest RAT in the world! Is this even normal?
That is not a rat. It IS the largest breed of rodent in the world: Go here:http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/
What pets are illegal in California?
Examples: Gars Degu (trumpet-tailed rat) Raccoon African clawed frog All gerbils and jirds (such as Duprasi) Ringtail Alligators Dormouse (all types) Cacomistle Caimans Flying squirrels Coatimundi Snapping turtles All chipmunks and squirrels Skunks (all types) Prairie dogs Arctic fox (blue fox) White-eyes (Zosterops) Gambian giant pouched rat Fennec fox Monk (Quaker) parakeet African striped grass mouse (zebra mouse) Wolf-dog hybrids* African pygmy mouse Ferret Short-tailed opossum Egyptian spiny mouse African lion Sugar glider Serval Hedgehogs (all types) Monkeys, chimpanzees Find more pets illegal in Ca at http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_state.php?s=ca I hope this information is helpful. Good Luck!