James Feldkamp has made it his duty to guarantee that exotic animals are treated with respect and safety. To that aim, he's sat down with us to provide some information on one of the most unusual pets of all: the Australian wallaby. Wallabies, a highly unusual pet, have different requirements than most other types of pets, exotic or otherwise. There are a few other subtypes of wallabies that have lately become popular as pets, and they all have somewhat different requirements, but these guidelines should apply to all wallabies in general. The reasons for their scarcity as pets are numerous: they cannot be housetrained since they are not domesticated, they are nocturnal by nature and hence may cause some very long evenings, and their care can become prohibitively costly.
In addition, wallabies have certain peculiar tendencies, says James Feldkamp. Don't be frightened if they vomit their meal before laying down; they're only storing it for later. They also have a propensity of drooling on their own limbs to keep cool in the heat.
You'll need to provide an outside enclosure for your wallaby, which should be at least 6 by 6 feet in size. However, because to their tiny size, they may be brought inside—just make sure you've wallaby-proofed the space first. They may seem to be little, innocent copies of kangaroos at first appearance, yet their legs are actually incredibly powerful. Also, if you live in a cold climate, bring your wallaby inside if the weather drops below freezing. In this scenario, James Feldkamp suggests that you attempt to dedicate a distinct portion of your house to housing your wallaby.
Think grass when it comes to a wallaby's diet. Wallabies should always have a continual supply of grass as their primary source of food, although James Feldkamp suggests that this should be supplemented with vegetables and wallaby pellets. Wallaby pellets will provide your pet with much-needed necessary vitamins that they will not receive from their regular diet, allowing them to live a long and healthy life. James Feldkamp also advises us to ensure that our grass and vegetables have not been sprayed with pesticides or other dangerous substances.
Overall, wallabies need a significant time investment. Before you make the leap (pun intended) into wallaby ownership, make sure you've done all the research you can to ensure your wallaby has the greatest possible life. As with any exotic pet, James Feldkamp recommends doing your research and ensuring that keeping a wallaby is legal in your area.
Comments