Our Exotics
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| Meet The Broadwaters Exotics. . . |
Emins Giant Pouched Rats - cricetomys emini
We have four of these beautiful giants. Dingo & Kololi make up our first breeding pair and Tai & Samori are
our second pair. All named after places in and around their native Ivory Coast or people related to the area.
Emins Pouched Rats are often misidentified as Gambian Pouched Rats. Emini sport a different shaped head
and ears, are a rich brown in colour with a definite line between the body colour and lighter belly colour.
Gambianus are bigger in size and their greyish brown body colour blends to a lighter belly.
We have four of these beautiful giants. Dingo & Kololi make up our first breeding pair and Tai & Samori are
our second pair. All named after places in and around their native Ivory Coast or people related to the area.
Emins Pouched Rats are often misidentified as Gambian Pouched Rats. Emini sport a different shaped head
and ears, are a rich brown in colour with a definite line between the body colour and lighter belly colour.
Gambianus are bigger in size and their greyish brown body colour blends to a lighter belly.
Gambian Giant Pouched Rats -
cricetomys gambianus
This is our pair of Gambians Pouched Rats,
Jambo & Kwanzi.
These intelligent creatures are trained to
wear a harness and sniff out landmines in
Africa. Being lighter than a dog, they are not
heavy enough to set off the mines and have
proved to be highly trainable and accurate.
You can sponsor a 'herorat' by visiting:
http://www.herorat.org
cricetomys gambianus
This is our pair of Gambians Pouched Rats,
Jambo & Kwanzi.
These intelligent creatures are trained to
wear a harness and sniff out landmines in
Africa. Being lighter than a dog, they are not
heavy enough to set off the mines and have
proved to be highly trainable and accurate.
You can sponsor a 'herorat' by visiting:
http://www.herorat.org
Skunk - mephitis mephitis
Bear is a skunk. He sleeps a lot during the
day and becomes active during the
evening. He eats a wide variety of
vegetables and a small amount of
chicken, insects, fruit, yoghurt/cottage
cheese and grains.
Bear can spray, but does not. Skunks use
spraying as a defense mechanism. It is a
last resort and you would have to scare
Bear badly to make him spray.
The most common question asked about
skunks is 'do they smell?' The answer is
no. Certainly no more than your average
cat or dog. Probably less.
Bear is a skunk. He sleeps a lot during the
day and becomes active during the
evening. He eats a wide variety of
vegetables and a small amount of
chicken, insects, fruit, yoghurt/cottage
cheese and grains.
Bear can spray, but does not. Skunks use
spraying as a defense mechanism. It is a
last resort and you would have to scare
Bear badly to make him spray.
The most common question asked about
skunks is 'do they smell?' The answer is
no. Certainly no more than your average
cat or dog. Probably less.
Greater Jerboa - jaculus orientalis
Greater Jerboas come from Egypt and hop on
their incredibly long hind legs. They have a very
long tail with a beautiful black and white tuft at the
end. Jerboas eat a wide variety of seeds and
enjoy crickets and mealworms in small amounts.
They also eat fruit or vegetable once per week to
obtain moisture. Jerboas do not drink water as
they are desert dwellers therefore water is scarce
in the wild. They derive all of the water they need
from their diet. They spend the day underground
in a burrow and block the entrance to keep the
heat out and the moisture in. These guys are very
rare in the UK and are difficult to breed in captivity.
Greater Jerboas come from Egypt and hop on
their incredibly long hind legs. They have a very
long tail with a beautiful black and white tuft at the
end. Jerboas eat a wide variety of seeds and
enjoy crickets and mealworms in small amounts.
They also eat fruit or vegetable once per week to
obtain moisture. Jerboas do not drink water as
they are desert dwellers therefore water is scarce
in the wild. They derive all of the water they need
from their diet. They spend the day underground
in a burrow and block the entrance to keep the
heat out and the moisture in. These guys are very
rare in the UK and are difficult to breed in captivity.
Desert Kangaroo Rat - dipodomys deserti
Kangaroo Rats share much the same attributes as the Jerboa
discussed above. They too do not need a standing water source and
have evolved to convert seeds into water. However, unlike the sociable
Greater Jerboa, Kangaroo Rats are solitary.
In captivity, like most desert rodents, the Kangaroo Rat enjoys a
chinchilla sand bath to keep their coat clean and free from grease.
Kangaroo Rats share much the same attributes as the Jerboa
discussed above. They too do not need a standing water source and
have evolved to convert seeds into water. However, unlike the sociable
Greater Jerboa, Kangaroo Rats are solitary.
In captivity, like most desert rodents, the Kangaroo Rat enjoys a
chinchilla sand bath to keep their coat clean and free from grease.
Bushy Tailed Jirds - sekeetamys calurus
Bushy Tailed Jirds come from Egypt and Arabia. They are a similar
size to a Mongolian Gerbil and they have a long thick tail which is
bushy like a foxes brush. The tail is most bushy in dominant animals.
They make fantastic huge nests and any rope toys are quickly
shredded and utilised as nesting material!
Bushies need a good gerbil mix and require extra protein so added
rat mix or crickets/mealworms are ideal.
Bushy Tailed Jirds come from Egypt and Arabia. They are a similar
size to a Mongolian Gerbil and they have a long thick tail which is
bushy like a foxes brush. The tail is most bushy in dominant animals.
They make fantastic huge nests and any rope toys are quickly
shredded and utilised as nesting material!
Bushies need a good gerbil mix and require extra protein so added
rat mix or crickets/mealworms are ideal.
Duprasi - pachyuromys duprasis
The Duprasi, or Fat Tailed Gerbil, is a very cute and under rated little rodent. A superb alternative to the
popular hamster.
Duprasi have a short, club like tail which is used to store fat and water, just like a camel! The size of the tail
is a great indicator of health. Duprasi are very easy to care for. I have found that mine prefer to live alone
but they can be kept in pairs or groups successfully.
The Duprasi, or Fat Tailed Gerbil, is a very cute and under rated little rodent. A superb alternative to the
popular hamster.
Duprasi have a short, club like tail which is used to store fat and water, just like a camel! The size of the tail
is a great indicator of health. Duprasi are very easy to care for. I have found that mine prefer to live alone
but they can be kept in pairs or groups successfully.
African Pygmy Dormouse - graphiurus murinus
Also known as Microsquirrels, the African Pygmy Dormouse has a
thick plush coat and a squirrel-like bushy tail.
Fascinating to watch but tough to handle due to their speed, these
cute little critters make better pets for those who like to set up a nice
habitat and watch.
They really are the cutest mouse sized rodent around and can live
for 5 years in captivity!
Their diet is seeds, nuts, fruit and insects.
Also known as Microsquirrels, the African Pygmy Dormouse has a
thick plush coat and a squirrel-like bushy tail.
Fascinating to watch but tough to handle due to their speed, these
cute little critters make better pets for those who like to set up a nice
habitat and watch.
They really are the cutest mouse sized rodent around and can live
for 5 years in captivity!
Their diet is seeds, nuts, fruit and insects.
Chinchilla - chinchilla lanigera
Although no longer classed as an
exotic pet, Chinchillas are native to
the Andes mountains in Peru so
are exotic to the UK (non-native).
They can live for 15 years in
captivity and make fun pets to have
around although they do not tend
to like being disturbed in the day
time and due to their skittish
characters, do not make great pets
for children.
If handled from a young age,
chinchillas have the potential to be
very tame and sociable house pets.
Although no longer classed as an
exotic pet, Chinchillas are native to
the Andes mountains in Peru so
are exotic to the UK (non-native).
They can live for 15 years in
captivity and make fun pets to have
around although they do not tend
to like being disturbed in the day
time and due to their skittish
characters, do not make great pets
for children.
If handled from a young age,
chinchillas have the potential to be
very tame and sociable house pets.
Degu - octodon degus
Again, not really classed as an exotic pet any
longer but the degu is not native to the UK
so I will cover them here as an 'exotic'.
Degus are very active and sociable rodents.
They love running on their wheel and
interacting with each other. Degus are great
chewers so must be kept in an all metal cage.
They CANNOT tolerate sugar. It is lethal to
them. Their diet is strictly chinchilla pellets
mixed with non molassed guinea pig food,
along with a hugely varied diet of greens,
vegetables and weeds/grasses/herbs.
In my opinion, the degu makes a fantastic
alternative to a fancy rat.
Again, not really classed as an exotic pet any
longer but the degu is not native to the UK
so I will cover them here as an 'exotic'.
Degus are very active and sociable rodents.
They love running on their wheel and
interacting with each other. Degus are great
chewers so must be kept in an all metal cage.
They CANNOT tolerate sugar. It is lethal to
them. Their diet is strictly chinchilla pellets
mixed with non molassed guinea pig food,
along with a hugely varied diet of greens,
vegetables and weeds/grasses/herbs.
In my opinion, the degu makes a fantastic
alternative to a fancy rat.
African Pygmy Hedgehogs - atelerix albiventris
The African Pygmy Hedgehog has been domesticated for a number of
years and comes in a variety of colours. They make small, clean and
very different pets! If well socialised, hedgehogs are easily handleable
as they do not lift their spikes in defense making them feel more bristly
than spikey. Their diet is still somewhat of a grey area so needs to be
researched as much as possible before you decide to get an APH but
consists mainly of cat foods supplemented by insects.
The African Pygmy Hedgehog has been domesticated for a number of
years and comes in a variety of colours. They make small, clean and
very different pets! If well socialised, hedgehogs are easily handleable
as they do not lift their spikes in defense making them feel more bristly
than spikey. Their diet is still somewhat of a grey area so needs to be
researched as much as possible before you decide to get an APH but
consists mainly of cat foods supplemented by insects.
Richardsons Ground Squirrels - spermophillus
richardsonii
Sometimes called a gopher (incorrectly) Richardsons
Ground Squirrels come from the prairies of Canada
and Northern America. Their diet consists of seeds,
grains, nuts and grasses. They live in burrows
underground and are territorial over their own nest
site, although they are closely grouped together.
They each have an individual alarm call which sounds
like a very loud squeak. Offspring have the same call
as their parents to enable them to identify each other.
richardsonii
Sometimes called a gopher (incorrectly) Richardsons
Ground Squirrels come from the prairies of Canada
and Northern America. Their diet consists of seeds,
grains, nuts and grasses. They live in burrows
underground and are territorial over their own nest
site, although they are closely grouped together.
They each have an individual alarm call which sounds
like a very loud squeak. Offspring have the same call
as their parents to enable them to identify each other.
Meerkats - suricata suricatta
The Meerkat is a highly sociable species who
MUST be kept in as large a group as possible in a
large enclosure. Their diet consists of raw turkey/
chicken, rodents, day old chicks, mealworms,
crickets, locusts, wax worms, snails, fruit beetle
larvae, earthworms, millipedes, scorpions, other
insects and fruit & veg along with vitamin
supplements. They are fascinating creatures who
are a joy to keep but must not be taken on lightly. I
recommend that you research a lot and speak with
other keepers before you decide whether meerkats
are for you.
The Meerkat is a highly sociable species who
MUST be kept in as large a group as possible in a
large enclosure. Their diet consists of raw turkey/
chicken, rodents, day old chicks, mealworms,
crickets, locusts, wax worms, snails, fruit beetle
larvae, earthworms, millipedes, scorpions, other
insects and fruit & veg along with vitamin
supplements. They are fascinating creatures who
are a joy to keep but must not be taken on lightly. I
recommend that you research a lot and speak with
other keepers before you decide whether meerkats
are for you.
Harvest Mice - micromys minutus
The Harvest Mouse is an Old World rodent with
a prehensile tail. They can live for 18 months
and in the wild live in hedgerows and other tall,
dense vegetation. They eat a good variety of
seeds and a small amount of fruit, veg and
insects.
The Harvest Mouse is an Old World rodent with
a prehensile tail. They can live for 18 months
and in the wild live in hedgerows and other tall,
dense vegetation. They eat a good variety of
seeds and a small amount of fruit, veg and
insects.
