anyone keep Prairie dogs? (pics)

[justinO]

Hey.. anyone else here keep these neat little critters? I just got a few and i'd be interested in talking to people who have some.

[spidergecko]

I saw a show once where over in the Prairies where livestock walk around and break their legs in prairie dog holes the farmers took "humane" action. They use this vacuum-type thing that they attach to the holes and suck the prairie dogs out. Then they sell the animals to China. Don't worry, the Chinese keep them as exotic pets. They are cute, though (the prairie dogs, I mean. Okay, and the Chinese, too. I don't want to insult anyone).

[justinO]

most prairie dogs in captivity are wild caught using such methods.. i'll assume that mine were w/c as well.

[spidergecko]

Maybe you should get them debugged or something. Wasn't it the prairie dog that spread the Bubonic plague?

[justinO]

these have been in captivity for a while, i'm sure if they had anything it would have surfaced already

[Cruciform]

Fleas on rats spread the bubonic plague across Europe.

[spidergecko]

Originally posted by Cruciform
Fleas on rats spread the bubonic plague across Europe.

(The fleas actually carried the plague but the rats spread it. Without the rats the plague would not have been epidemic.
TOUCHE!)

[Cruciform]

The fleas carried the actual disease, and got about on the rats. They would feast on whatever warm blooded creature was on hand, and often these were the tenants of whatever house the rats were infesting.

This was an unfortunate byproduct of superstitions in the middle ages. Cats were made the scapegoats for many ills. They were linked with witchcraft, the devil, and crib death, among other things. As cats were tortured, killed, or driven out of areas, the rat populations skyrocketed and the fleas increased in turn.

It didn't take long for the plague to take hold.

It still pops up now and then, primarily in South America.

(Did a study on it for high school)

[spidergecko]

Yeah, there are pockets of plague still. According to CDC the major cause of infection is from handling infected prairie dogs (I mean rats). It only really affects the poor (and the ignorant). Apparently antibiotics are very effective but some countries don't have the money. But there is no excuse why there are reported fatalities in the USA.

[lostwithin]

Your right about the bubonic plague, being spread by rats way back when. Are you possibly thinking of the more resent small break out of monkey pox in the United states?? There were cases in 2003 and pet prarrie dogs that had been in contact with a giant Gambian Rat spread it. I don’t believe there were any cases in Canada though.
Devon

[spidergecko]

I was only joking about prairie dogs spreading disease. I was trying to be funny but I think my sense of humour (or lack thereof) was lost in the post.

[justinO]

it is possible, however it did turn into something somewhat educational.

[lostwithin]

Hey, I did catch the joke, but since it sparked a convo I thought I'd through in that little fact.

Devon

P.s. they are sort of neat though.

[BellyDraggers]

Very cool Justin! Cute little critters. :-)

Scotty & Les

[HeatherK]

Congratulations on the new friends They are very neat little pets. Not the type for everyone, however a friend of mine had a couple of them, so endearing! She liked them more than having dogs.