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MARSUPIALS
The word “Marsupial” refers to a group of
about 260 different species of animals that share the common feature
of bearing their young at (basically) a premature stage in their
development and raise their infant to a juvenile stage in an
anatomical pouch.
Marsupials found in North America include Opossums and are called Kidelphids. South America is also home to a variety called
Caenolestids or Rat Opossums. The others, found only in the Southern
Hemisphere, and many in Australia are: the Macropods (kangaroos and
wallabies), Phalangers which are called Possums (not the America’s
Opossums), Dasyurids which are insect eaters, Peramelids or
Bandicoots, Koalas and Wombats. Other than Kangaroos, the most
likely recognized names are probably: Koala, the Tasmanian Devil,
the Sugar Glider and even found here in North America the Virginia
Opossum. There are a wide array of differences and some similarities
between various subgroups of Marsupials. The key determinate factor
in classifying them as Marsupial is the use of a pouch in which to
rear their young.
There are so many known Marsupial varieties, it is vital to
recognize that each requires its own specific environment which
ideally would closely resemble the basic conditions provided them in
their native geographical region. It goes without saying that some
animals can not responsibly or reasonably be housed by the average
“individual” in every private situation. Therefore the desire or
ability to acquire any animal, Marsupial or any other for that
matter is the taking of a great responsibility, to say the least.
Each individual should consider their intent and ability to provide
their pets with not just an acceptable environment, but one that
provides superior care and consideration for the well being of the
pet. One should do all the research they can about appropriate care
and each animal’s individual requirements. Consider the cost of
acquisition, housing, veterinary care (including the availability
thereof), feeding and spend a moment thinking of the emotional
requirements of your choice of pet. Can you provide them with a home
that YOU would enjoy if you were in their paws? What are the laws
governing ownership of exotic animals where you live? What are the
costs of ownership worse case scenario? Double that amount, can you
still afford it? Where will you be finding a knowledgeable
Veterinarian?
To describe in detail, the appropriate care of each of the
individual species of Marsupial would read like an encyclopedia. We
are going to discuss most specifically the best case care as we see
it, for the largest sub-group of Marsupial and the most common
privately housed Marsupial, the Macropods. I know that lots of
people are going to say “WHAT ABOUT………….?.” Our expertise (such that
it is) is in Macropods, so we can expound with conviction and
experience. If you are a Koala Farm in Kalamazoo or a Sugar Glider
Haven in Syracuse (We are a Wallaby Ranch in Washington!!) and you
would be so kind as to Author a fact sheet and contribute it to our
cause, we will be most delighted to consider it for inclusion
herein.
MACROPODS
Macropods are marsupials and they belong to a family called
Macropodidae. Included in this family are subfamilies the likes of:
Kangaroos, Tree Kangaroos, Wallabies, Padamelons, Quokkas, Bettongs
and Pottoroos.
The meaning of the word Macropod is a Greek derivation of “Large
Foot.” So basically, Macropod means Bigfoot. To simplify the
description process, one might say that Macropods are all Kangaroos
of one size or another, ranging from the tiny Kangaroo Rats or the
tiny 2 pound Pottoroo to the giant Red Kangaroos who can tip the
scales at near 200 pounds and stand over 7 feet tall on their toes.
Over 50 individual varies exist in the Macropodidae family, so it is
again difficult to provide specifics on the care of each individual
variety. We will attempt to provide some simple descriptions of the
less popularly kept Macropods and follow with specific details on
the rearing and housing of perhaps the most popularly kept Macropod,
the Red Neck or Bennetts Wallabies.
Bennetts Wallabies grazing
Macropods are grazers and browsers so they would be considered
essentially Herbivorous. Their diets consist of grasses, roots,
leaves and branches found in their native habitats. Their teeth are
designed with a straight row of cutting teeth like ours in front
with a space in front of the molar teeth and no canine teeth at all.
Most Macropod species have four molars and while some experience
eating difficulties when those wear, others have a tooth replacement
process called molar progression in which the molars are
progressively lost and replaced with new teeth.
The digestive process of Macropods is a bacterial break down system
much like horses or cattle (ruminants) have, to digest the high
percentage of roughage in their diets. Larger Macropods like the Red
and Grey Kangaroos and the Common Wallaroos are known for their
ability to travel long distances on little water and a very low
quality diet. Interestingly, it is the digestive system of the
Macropod that provides the seed for what may be the greatest
challenge to keeping many Macropod species in captivity. When
subjected to unusual stress, a Macropod’s immune system may be
compromised and the bacteria, necessary for the digestive process
can begin to grow out of control. This overburden of (basically)
parasites can quickly grow and the result is often the demise of the
animal due to the anemic condition caused by depletion of red blood
cells and their replacement (in effect) by parasites. Low stress
environments are a key to the keeping of Macropods.
“Velvet” A young Albino Bennetts female shows off her
“Big Feet”
The “Large Foot” and long tail are common elements in Macropods as
are the relatively small heads, large ears and forward opening
pouches. The feet are normally very long and narrow and commonly
have four toes. Central is the largest and strongest toe,
functioning greatly during high speed maneuvering or in self
defense. On the outside of each large toe is a smaller toe and on
the inside are the two smallest toes. The small toes are normally
fused together and function as a thumb for grooming and care of the
ears. The smaller front paws or “hands” have five, finger like
digits, on smaller arm like limbs.
“Rocky” the Red Kangaroo shows off his hands
Pademelons, Quokkas, Bettongs and Potteroos are some of the smaller
and lesser kept of the Macropods and are listed with the smallest
last. Potteroos are tiny little guys weighing only 2 to 3 pounds.
These small Macropods can be kept in lesser spaces than the larger
Kangaroos, and while quite a few are actually kept in captivity,
many are simply impossible to get or keep privately. Perhaps
practicality and economics play a role to some extent given the
small size. Housing of smaller animals in captivity is often
difficult due to the requirement for fully enclosed housing of some
nature. Enclosing a large area well enough to protect small animals
in large numbers, from predators is often not practical or
economical for the average private interests.
Tree Kangaroos of nearly a dozen varieties exist, for example, but
are very rarely held in captivity and require large enclosures with
plenty of high trees for natural activities, when they are. A few
Tree Kangaroos are housed in the larger Commercial Zoos in the
world. Here again, the difficulty (aside from any regulatory
considerations) of safely and adequately providing for this type of
splendid animal makes private ownership rarely practical.
Wallabies, Wallaroos and Kangaroos make up a sizable subgroup of the
huge and varied category of Marsupials. Nearly fifty more animals
from the tiny, 4 to 5 lb New Guinea Dorcopsis or Forest Wallabies,
to the nearly 200 lb giant Red Kangaroos, fill this category. In
general, size is the recognized determinant of sub category here.
Those species with an average weight of 44 lbs or less are
considered Wallabies. Those species growing on average to 45 lbs or
more are considered Kangaroos.
“Mickey” a beautiful Red Wallaroo
A completely separate species, “Wallaroos,” a species conveniently
named as though they were a mix of Wallaby and Kangaroos (they are
not), are also conveniently sized in between, growing to 70 to 100
lbs and standing up to 5 feet tall on their toes. Common Wallaroos
of which there are many, including some known as “Rock Kangaroos,”
by virtue of size find them selves included in the category of
Kangaroos. Wallabies and Kangaroos will congregate in a group called
a “Mob” for grazing and relaxing for the apparent purpose of safety
in numbers. When a wary roo senses danger, it will run off while
thumping the ground in a noticeably loud and alerting way. This
signal sends a message of high alert to all members of the mob and
they often respond by fleeing in mass. Youngster “Roos” are called
“Joeys” while an adult female is known as a “Sheila” and the adult
male referred to as a “Boomer.” One dominant male generally does the
job of fathering all of the mob’s Joeys. Like many species, the male
requires nearly twice as long as the female to reach the age of
sexual maturity. It is assumed that these characteristics are built
in to assure that the females are all quite pregnant by the time the
young males reach maturity. Young males must challenge the right of
the dominant male when approaching the females, so they are either
ready to drive off the big cheese, or they are themselves driven off
by the stronger and larger male.
Healthy examples of the Grey and Albino Bennetts Wallabies
Perhaps the best known and most popularly kept animal in this large
Macropod category, is the Bennetts Wallaby, native to Tasmania but
also found on mainland Australia (known there as the Red Necked
Wallaby). These mottled grey and white animals grow to 35 to 60 lbs
and stand 2 to 3 feet tall. They are a species that tends to be very
hearty in even fairly cold climates as their native foothill habitat
in Tasmania is cold and snowy in the winter. Both Grey and Albino
varities of the Bennetts Wallabies are found in private hands
worldwide. Their average life span in the wild is approximately ten
to fifteen years. Bennetts have however been known to survive as
long as nineteen years in a quality captive environment. A giant Red
Kangaroo apparently holds the record for life span in captivity,
surviving 28 years with high quality care. This illustrates the
substantial commitment one makes to provide surrogate care when the
exotic of choice is the Kangaroo.
“Velvet” Again shows a good
view of a Macropods
legs
The hind legs of the larger: Kangaroos, Wallaroos and Wallabies are
an energy efficient design using a long, leveraged foot connected to
a spring like tendon and pivoting on an equally long and effective
upper leg. The foot connects to the leg with a long section of the
foot in front and a short section behind the joint. The ankle or
back of foot is then connected to the thick tendon that runs up the
back leg. When still, the tendon is relaxed and when hopping the
tendon is under variable tension. When the tendon is tightened the
foot extends the animal hops. On landing the tendon is stretched,
like stretching a spring and the next hop is assisted by the
resultant spring like tension, returning the foot to its extended
position. The tightening of the tendon is effortless for these
larger Macropods so long distance travel at moderate hopping speeds
requires very little expended energy. These efficient hind legs
unfortunately lack independent mobility. Consequently, slow movement
which we would equate to walking is done by moving the still (and
retracted) hind legs, while lifting them off the ground by using the
front legs and tail as a “tripod.” In other words, the forepaws and
tail take the animal’s weight as the feet are brought forward. The
extremely muscular tail that aids this slow walking motion is held
straight out as a balance beam when hopping at high speeds.
A connection exists between the hopping of these greater Macropods
and their breathing action when traveling at speeds. The lungs are
compressed internally when the animal hops and he thus exhales.
Throwing the feet forward for landing contrarily pulls the lungs
open, filling them with air. Hopping repeatedly thereby takes the
conscious breathing action out of the picture and for all practical
purposes, breathes for the fast moving animal. It has been
effectively demonstrated that hopping rapidly takes virtually no
more energy than hopping slowly so increased speed does not burn
exponentially increasing amounts of energy in Macropods as it would
in human beings, or horses for that matter. It has also been
determined that weight has as little effect on energy requirements
as speed, so a growing baby in a female’s pouch adds little strain
and Mum is nearly as capable of flight and maneuvering as she would
be without her little package.
BREEDING CYCLE OF THE AVERAGE MACROPOD
Bennetts Wallabies are among the most widely held Macropod, owing to
their heartiness and virtues of adaptability. The larger Macropods
seem to be less vulnerable to difficulties associated with stress
and thus the most commonly found in private ownership. We have
exploited the trusting nature of a beautiful Bennetts female named
Victoria Secret to provide you with many of the following
photographs, illustrating the most incredible infant bearing process
we know of. Many Macropods and selected other Marsupials share many
of the surprising capabilities we discuss here.
“Vanessa” sits on her tail in the birthing fashion
Following a short gestation period as is common in marsupials, 28 to
35 days in the case of the Bennetts Wallaby, the partially developed
embryo is delivered in a simple conventional birthing exercise while
the female sits with her tail outstretched in front of her, licking
a path to the pouch. The licking of a path to the pouch is the only
assistance given by the female to her newborn infant, known as a
Joey. There seems to be some confusion over exactly what assistance
the action of licking the path provides the newborn and partially
developed Joey. The direction of travel is clearly defined by
gravity, since the female gives birth in a sitting position. This
always leaves the pouch straight up and the embryonic Joey uses its
(nearly fully developed) tiny arms and hands to claw their way up to
the opening of the pouch. The forearms and front paws are the only
well developed part of these newborns and they use them
instinctively, to laboriously pull themselves along the wet path
provided by Mum. The debate stems from a difference of opinion as to
whether the female licks the path to help the infant stick to her
without falling off, or if she licks the path to lubricate the area
so the infant does NOT stick to her and find itself unable to move.
Birthday Baby Bennetts Wallaby
When the strong survive and baby reaches the pouch, it locates one
of four nipples located in Mum’s pouch and attaches itself. The
nipple quickly begins to swell and effectively locks baby on, where
it will stay for many months. The photo above is the day of birth as
evidenced by the short length of the nipple baby locked on in mid
air. The nipple will immediately begin to elongate to facilitate
movement by the fast developing infant. At this early stage, the
infant Joey has no instinct or reflex designed to suck formula from
Mum. The adult female possesses a special abdominal muscle which she
uses to pump the appropriate amount of formula to baby. Within a few
days, development is well underway with baby’s eyes, ears and limbs
beginning to take shape and darken (no pigment is noted in the
Albino).
Ten day old Bennetts Wallaby “Gabrielle”
Within ten days, many things have taken place. The nipple baby hangs
on, has lengthened and baby now lays on its back in Mum’s pouch.
Eyes, ears, tail, hind legs and claws are all clearly developing. By
a week to ten days after the birth of the suckling infant Joey, the
female will breed again. Another egg is fertilized by the male and
begins to develop within the female. At the point that the
developing embryo, now called a “Blastocyst,” reaches approximately
one hundred cells, its development is slowed to a stop and it enters
a state of suspended animation called “Embryonic Diapause.” Under
normal conditions of abundance in food, water and general health,
the blastocyst will remain in diapause until a decrease in lactation
for the female triggers the process of development to start again.
Then within 28 to 35 days, the newly developed infant is born and
the cycle begins again.
Shockingly, it has been recorded that births have taken place
following a period of up to two years of embryonic diapause when
unfavorable conditions for Joey rearing persisted in the interim.
Drought or excessive mob numbers for the available food are reasons
that a period of embryonic diapause might be extended. If things do
not go well with the development of the infant in mum’s pouch and it
is lost, Mum of course has the baby in diapause ready to go to
expedite the process of replacing the lost Joey.
Albino Wallaby "Sundance" and Grey
"Gabrielle" with eyes open and looking back at 5 months
When all goes well, after about five months of development and
constant attention from its Mum, the infant Joey has developed to
the point where the eyes will open. It is at this time that baby
also begins to release Mum’s nipple, then reattach on its own to
continue feeding. The photos above show the surprising difference in
appearance between a pigment rich Grey infant and an Albino at the
same stage of development.
“Gabrielle” seen here still in her birthday suit
Within a couple weeks, baby is seen peeking out of Mum’s pouch and
popping back in whenever one of life’s endless new surprises gives
baby a start. Over the next several weeks, baby learns life’s little
secrets from the ever vigilant female. Baby is taught what to eat by
virtue of simply following Mum’s lead. It is also at this time that
baby begins to develop the bacteria in the gut needed to take over
the process of breaking down the newly introduced solid food. One of
the first things baby ingests is dirt, thereby introducing bacteria
into its system where only sterile formula had previously been. This
first bacteria which accompanies the dirt, will support the process
of digestive decomposition in the animal’s stomach.
Over the next few weeks the bacteria grows to healthy working
digestive quantities and along with the introduction of new solid
food to babies system, forms the base for the beginning of the
production of solid waste by the growing Joey. Mum simply removes
solid waste from the pouch in her normal cleaning exercise. While
critical internal changes are taking place at this time, external
maturation is noticeable by the ever thickening fur growing on
baby’s skin. Over the next few weeks, light peach fuzz gives way to
a full coat of soft fur and young Joey begins to gain the ability to
withstand the elements as its little body learns to regulate its own
temperature (thermoregulation).
“Gabbie” is venturing out
completely around six months
Once fully furred, at six to six and a half months of age, the young
Joey begins to venture out of the pouch. Some have comically
appeared to simply fall out on their little bean when stretching too
far for food. They will return to Mum’s pouch by grabbing at it with
their little hands, poking their little head in and a somersault
later, the tip of their tail is last to disappear. Soon, Joey is
spending more time out of the pouch and exploring further from the
security of Mum’s heartbeat. Mum will begin to allow and eventually
encourage baby to spend more time out of pouch and on its own. Other
changes have been taking place without notice within the female. The
formula Mum has been feeding baby has changed from an infant
formula, to a juvenile formula with all the added fats and nutrients
necessary and now able to be assimilated by Joey’s more advanced
digestive system.
“Gabrielle” getting a snack at eight months
By the time the Joey reaches 10 to 11 months of age, Mum closes the
pouch to youngster’s entry, but continues to allow access to the
growing Joey’s own personal nipple from outside the pouch. It is
this vital series of advancements in Joey’s development that assure
the lactation changes for Mum that mark the start of the gestation
period for the blastocyst she holds in embryonic diapause. Before
long, the new infant is born and makes its own journey to the pouch.
New Baby takes the adjacent nipple with the larger nipple
on right
New arrivals to Mum’s pouch will attach to a different nipple than
the larger nipple that the juvenile, now feeding from outside
(referred to as “at heel”), has been using. If it is available, the
new infant will take the nipple immediately adjacent to the one
being used by the Joey at heel. It is obvious that while the Joey at
heel accesses its customary supply of formula, it takes care not to
disturb the developing infant on the “nipple next door.”
Thus continues the normal birthing cycle as experienced more or less
and give or take some details, by most Macropod females. Nearly all
Macropods give birth to only one Joey at a time and rarely does a
Macropod female, adopt another female’s baby. If very young, lost
Joey’s are lucky to survive the elements or the danger of being
stomped on by adults other than their own protective Mum. Most
female Macropods simply do not have time to deal with any other
female’s babies. The average female you see accompanied by a Joey at
heel, is responsible for a total of four generations as she stands
there. She is responsible for herself, the Joey at heel, the Joey in
the pouch and the Joey in embryonic diapause. They are a breeding
machine, but a methodical and thorough one, producing only a single
baby in the typical year.
MAINTAINING MACROPODS AS PETS
Many Macropods are commonly maintained as pets and in many cases,
are simply family members. Like many other animal groups, the
(physically) larger species of Macropods are the most widely held by
private parties. Larger species are often comparatively hearty and
often less prone to stress and perhaps less driven by purely
instinctive flight responses. Additionally, the smaller animals
require conditions difficult to provide in captivity with the
highest consideration given to protection from predation. In the
wild, Macropods of all sizes face dangers and predators ranging from
the bite of a small poison spider to the crafty and prolific
predator, man. Dangers in captivity include even more potent
combinations. Everything from bacteria on the ground to the eagles
and hawks in the skies above can be detrimental to the survival of
captive animals. The result is that the smallest Macropods are
commonly caged in tiny enclosures that provide a safe, but less than
ideal home. It also appears to be less often that the smaller
animals are likely to become tame as pets go.
“Rocky” a juvenile Red Kangaroo gets a bottle
from Mommy and a hug from Daddy
As a breeder, we consider a pet quality Macropod to be one that
enjoys the interaction that they have with human beings. This
narrows the variety of Macropods we discuss here to the larger
Wallabies and Kangaroos as well because they can easily be handled
and maintained as a companion and a friend. Ours is experience with
Bennetts Wallabies, Wallaroos and Kangaroos which can all be
incredibly enamoring as personal pets and as friends. We recommend
hand rearing any pet Marsupial if the intention is to maintain it as
a pet. Hand rearing is a tremendous investment in time and effort
but pays off in the most important aspect of any
relationship……TRUST. If you are not willing to make this investment
in the interest of trust, we recommend you select another species
for a pet.
A beautiful pair of Albino Bennetts Wallabies
and a trio of Grey Bennetts at dinner time
Bennetts Wallabies are the species of choice for most people who
desire to raise a pet wallaby. The Bennetts is native to Tasmania
where the seasons are very much like the seasonal variations found
in much of America. They are a medium size and known for being
hearty and adaptable. Bennetts are widely held in both the common
Grey variety and the more exotic Albino coloring. The Bennetts
Wallaby or Red Necked Wallaby (as it is known where found on
mainland Australia) can be maintained in an indoor/outdoor
environment anywhere as long as there is ample room to exercise and
obtain the nutrients provided by natural exposure to sunlight etc.
It is commonly recommended that an area of at least 2500 square feet
of outside enclosure be provided for a pair of Bennetts Wallabies.
This is an area where more is better to some extent. It would not be
necessarily perfect to provide ten acres of Wallaby pen. Unless you
had a whole lot of Wallabies and/or intended them to simply go off
and live in the wild of your own property. But a half acre of pen
would not hurt anything, even for just a couple. Bennetts Wallabies
are very even in temperament and when “bottle raised,” will bond
with its surrogate Mom and family very quickly and inseparably.
Their soft and loving nature and total dependence on their surrogate
Mom endear them to those who take on the responsibility of parenting
such a demanding and rewarding friend.
Parenting an infant Joey is a huge responsibility and bottle feeding
any baby, is the most demanding of investments. But if you wish to
have an exceedingly tame and loving pet, that is the way to do it.
Your Baby will grow up to be a strong and independent natured animal
but will trust you and enjoy contact with you. Once an adult,
Wallabies require little actual care, aside from maintaining their
housing and removing wastes. They do not tend to try to escape from
their homes or yards, where they love to romp and play. Most fencing
is provided for THEIR safety and frankly to keep others out.
Wallabies are groomers, and they have virtually no natural odor, so
they are very conscious about their appearance and easy to tolerate
inside or outside. They are just dolls when they stand up, lean back
and scratch their bellies, or when they hold a treat in their hands
and enjoy it. Not to mention when they hold you with their little
hands and beg for love. The single strange and sometimes surprising
thing they do is a process called “Merycism.” Merycism is the
process of regurgitating and again swallowing some of their food.
Some do this more than others, but most of them do it occasionally.
It is very much like the process of cud chewing in cattle. People
often think the animal is choking or just getting sick when they
first see it taking place. No worries, it is a natural though not so
polite thing to do!
Baby boy “Joey” with his new Mom
A Bennetts Wallaby Joey is ready for delivery to a surrogate Mom
when it is between 7.5 and 8 months of age, from the time of natural
birth. Joey has by this time been taking short journeys out of Mum’s
pouch and gained the strength to hop around as well as the sense to
seek the security of the pouch as needed. The baby is gently taken
from its natural Mum’s pouch, wrapped in a blanket and transferred
to a man made pouch. Baby must be gently taught to accept feeding by
its new Mom using a commercially available Marsupial or Kangaroo
formula.
“Joey” receives a quality replacement Formula
Joey receives a bottle containing regular amounts of warm formula
every four hours at first (normally). A specially made artificial
Marsupial nipple and a collapsible bottle are used to feed exact
amounts of formula to Baby. At this point, Joey will weigh about 3.5
pounds and will spend nearly 24 hours a day quietly sleeping in a
pouch provided by its surrogate Mom. Joey will be fully furred and
so capable of some self-thermoregulation, but Baby must still be
kept warm and secure in its own little pouch. We actually keep Baby
in its small pouch and hang it around our neck so that Baby can ride
on our belly just like with her natural Mum. In this way, Baby is
kept warm, feels the breathing and heartbeat of its new Mom (as it
is used too) and importantly, receives normal levels of stimulation
just as it would in its natural Mum’s pouch. Walking around all day
long with Baby hanging around your neck in a pouch is exactly what
your new Baby needs at first.
Baby “JJ” learning to potty in the play-pen
Stimulating is necessary for your Joey to learn when and where to go
potty just as Baby had been stimulated by its natural Mum. For this
purpose, we recommend using a simple baby play-pen with a “Pampers”
type absorbent pad in the bottom. Joey will need to be provided with
a few staples at this time in its play-pen too, including: Dirt,
hay, food and water. The baby play-pen is a great place to keep
these things to start. Baby will eat very little at first, but
should quickly show interest in grass, dirt and hay. Slowly the
intake of solid food will increase and Baby will become more regular
at producing solid waste in firm pellet form. Liquid waste will be
regularly produced immediately but Baby will need to be stimulated
in order to go potty at the correct time. This process becomes a
simple matter of feeding Baby a bottle, then pouring Baby out of the
pouch into the play-pen. Baby can then be stimulated to go potty
with a little tickle and spend a moment grazing on the grass and
hay.
Baby “Apollo” comfortable in Daddy’s arms
Baby will scurry quickly back to its pouch at first, but will spend
increasing periods of time, out of the pouch as development
progresses. Many people recommend a heating pad be kept in the
play-pen so that heat can be provided for Baby when the Joey is hung
in its pouch, in the play-pen. We actually very rarely hang our
Joeys in a play-pen at all. We hang them around our neck, on our
headboard or hold them in our arms. When baby has gotten older and
very active, we will hang the pouch so that Joey can go in and out,
but I personally support as much physical contact as possible for as
long as possible with a Baby Roo. I have often been heard to say
that if you leave your infant Wallaby hanging in a play-pen all the
time, you should not be surprised if it soon develops the
personality of a play-pen. We do not let a play-pen raise our
Babies. It seems that more stimulation and socialization for young
Joeys leads to adults that are better adjusted, more trusting and
generally more able to overlook the little things. This is good in
an animal that can be detrimentally affected by stress.
Juvenile Bennetts eating more solid foods
The weaning process for a bottle raised Bennetts Wallaby is a simple
matter of starting with six bottles per day and decreasing one
bottle each month. Some youngsters begin to refuse to take the
bottles at their own discretion and on their own time frame.
Likewise, some will reject reentry to their pouch sooner than
others. We allow the independence in that level of decision making.
If a healthy youngster is eating solid food, drinking plenty of
water (that is to say lapping water on their own) and dropping
consistent, dark and firm pellets, their dependence on the formula
is giving way to the digestion of solids. Under these circumstances,
Baby is weaning itself. The development of “judgment’ could be seen
as the onset of the “Toddler” stage for a young wallaby. Like
raising a child, raising your Wallaby is a matter of consistency and
time invested, returning dividends. If you consistently feed and
potty your young Bennetts Wallaby in a play-pen and on a pad made
for that purpose (as an example), it should not surprise you if
soon, your Joey is returning to the play pen to eat and pee on its
own. Do not let it disappoint you if this process takes some time,
it does usually work.
Wallabies and Kangaroos drop pellets as much more of an autonomous
bodily function than the passing of water. Therefore, you will
likely not be able to stop the dropping of pellets and must deal
with that until such time as your Joey is ready to go outdoors. If
you are as consistent with your efforts to condition a wallaby to
use a play-pen to pee in, as you would normally be to housebreak a
dog, this should be no real problem. If we have a Wallaby or
Kangaroo in the house, we take it to pee every couple hours just the
way we let the dog out.
“Velvet” and “Vanessa” relax in favorite places
Juvenile Bennetts Wallabies begin to show their independence and
need for space by adopting their own places in the house and
learning to run the obstacle course in between them. Sometimes at
alarming rates of speed!! Bennetts Wallabies, like most Kangaroos,
are actually “Diurnal” as opposed to “Nocturnal.” At the juvenile
stage, Wallabies begin to exhibit behavior patterns that they will
retain all their lives. Inside or outside, they will tend to get up
in the wee hours of the morning to graze or browse for a few hours.
This is the time that they usually can be seen running and playing.
They seem to love the crisp morning air. Before lunch time, they
will retire to their favorite spots to relax and snooze away the
hottest part of the day. Late afternoon and early evening bring them
back out to graze and they stay up doing so until late in the night.
Typically, by the time a Wallaby or Kangaroo is a teenager, they
want to be spending a lot more time outside and we want them to be
outside more too. They are getting bigger and needing to spend more
time grazing and browsing than life in the house can provide, unless
you switch the flooring all to grasses and weeds. That is not to
suggest that Wallabies or Kangaroos commonly graze on your carpet.
Quite the contrary, normally they will stick to grazing on your
papers, photos or books and only disturb the carpet when they come
across a stray thread sticking up. Maybe they think the lone stray
threads are juicy weeds sticking out from the ground. Sometimes a
doggie door is installed and a young Wallaby will learn to use it to
go in and out. Ours simply go outside with the rest of the mob when
they are ready. We spend time every single day with our mob and
maintain a personal relationship with each individual one of our
little Mobsters. They are the perfect cure for “Empty Nest Syndrome”
or the onset thereof!
Compact indoor housing with hay bales and heat lamps
Outdoor housing and Feeding is a matter of providing fenced
enclosures with cover that allows protection from temperature
extremes and mostly natural vegetation for sustenance. A source of
supplemental heat will be required for those animals susceptible to
cold, in geographical areas experiencing harsh winters. We provide
small buildings with large openings in each of our enclosures. Each
building houses areas for food and water, as well as bedding areas
with hay. In the winter, each building is supplied with hanging
infra-red heat lamps for those animals who wish to take advantage. Bennetts Wallabies spend little time basking in supplemental heat,
but the Red Kangaroos and Wallaroos seem to enjoy a bit more warmth
in the winter. Bennetts Wallabies actually seem to love the rain and
very rarely seek shelter even in a torrential downpour. They appear
to tolerate snow quite well and actually show little sensitivity to
temperature down into the low twenty degree range. We do not attempt
to provide fully heated housing. We consider it unhealthy to provide
too much heat inside if the ambient temperature outside is very
cold. What you want to avoid in any event is temperature extremes.
General housing design should avoid building in gaps where a
Macropods foot could get in or under them then cause injury should
the animal jump away with a foot in something.
Any poison vegetation should be removed from the area of course, but
mostly natural vegetation will provide most of the nutrition a
Macropod needs. A selection of grasses, weeds, dandelions and roots
will be on the menu for the most part. In addition, we feed good
quality orchard grass hay, the softer the better to avoid any sharp
awns which may puncture the gums providing a site for possible
infection. A commercially produced supplemental feed pellet is also
recommended, because Macropods require a certain balance of
nutrients as well as selenium to maintain them properly. During the
winter of course, more hay will be consumed because of the lesser
quality of natural vegetation. We also provide browse in the form of
apple branches and some younger maple branches to help with molar
progression and strengthen the jaw, as well as to toughen the mouth.
They also eat many of the leaves that fall from the maples or come
from the apple branches.
Six foot fencing seen with "T" posts covered where
exposed
Fencing for your enclosures should be six feet tall. Solid “Privacy”
type fencing can be used where desired or where potential stress
hazards exist on the other side. Open wire fencing of one sort or
another is most common and many use common 2 by 4 field fencing.
Chain link fencing is probably preferred because it is more
forgiving should an animal run into it. Fence posts should be
located on the outside of the pens if possible to protect animals
that run the fence line from injuring their legs. We have designed a
system by which we cover posts inside pens with rubber sheeting,
attached to the adjacent fencing. This keeps legs from getting to
the posts. We also recommend fencing with rounded corners for the
same sake of safety for fence pacing. Wallabies and Kangaroos do not
tend to try to dig out so this is not a big problem. Wallaroos will
occasionally decide to dig however. We have fairly large enclosures,
so we use mostly field fencing with T posts and cover the posts
where they are inside the pens. In this way we hope to minimize the
potential of injury to the legs. If you do not use solid “Privacy”
type fencing or walls, you can consider using a sight barrier
temporarily until your animals get used to the boundaries of their
enclosure. We have used the 3 foot silt fencing available at Home
Depot with the stakes in it already. This is very economical and
easy to put up for the short duration that it may be necessary, to
help minimize the possibility of injury by impact with unfamiliar
fencing.
An example of round corners and perimeter fencing
My final recommendation in this area is that one consider, using a
second “perimeter” fencing, spaced at least a few feet away from the
primary enclosure fencing. While USDA regulations require this kind
of security for breeders, private ownership has no such mandate.
Secondary perimeter fencing can be extremely helpful in keeping out
neighborhood stray dogs and cats. These are probably the greatest
two threats to the safety of captive Macropods. Dogs, because they
will relentlessly chase a Wallaby back and forth, even from outside
the pens, until an animal breaks its neck on a fence or dies from
stress or capture myopathy on the spot. Cats are a threat because
they are a source of Toxoplasmosis (once they have eaten rodents), a
disease which is extremely dangerous to Macropods. Perimeter fencing
can also protect your animals from being lost should they get out of
their primary enclosure some how. Do not place items like hay bales
or rock piles or housing near the fence where an animal might jump
up on those and hop over the fence. Keep in mind that your fencing
is there to keep your animals in, but it is also importantly there
to keep other animals or would be predators out. Be conscious of
keeping fences clear of objects that can be used to help predators
over the fences from the outside of the enclosures as well.
Medical and Health considerations are not exhaustive for most
Wallabies, Wallaroos and Kangaroos. The most important preventative
medicine for general health is quality feeding, housing and care.
Strong healthy animals are less susceptible to the ravages of
ailments caused by everything from simple bacterial infection of
cuts and scrapes, to pneumonia rooted in exposure. To that end,
basically well maintained surroundings and regular removal of excess
waste go a long way, Reasonable provision of cover and protection
from elemental extremes, including access to supplemental heat where
necessary are provisions that should go without saying. The average
individual should keep on hand basic first aid supplies to help with
minor injuries as with any animal. It is of primary importance to
note that this type of animal does everything they can
instinctively, in such a way as to hide ailments for as long as
possible. Remember that it is the strong who survive so the best way
to avoid being the target of predation is to appear strong, even if
you are not. So it is imperative that healthy conditions exist in
general. You would really prefer not to ever need to diagnose an
avoidable ailment in any exotic animal. Most ailments appear first
in the form of unusual behavior. Is the animal segregating itself
from the rest of the mob suddenly? Hanging its head or grinding its
teeth? These could be signs of illness or pain and are signs that
should be recognized when they occur. Ill or injured animals should
be removed from the general population and allowed to recuperate if
the other animals threaten to injure them, or if they have a
contagious or suspected contagious disorder.
Feed in containers off the ground and Keep water sources
clean
Certain precautions should be taken in the opinion of most animal
care experts, to protect for example from Coccidial infection.
Coccidia are single cell parasites found virtually everywhere and
when they grow out of control, can quickly kill an animal. We treat
the water supply of all our animals for one week a month with a
preventative (amprolium) in that regard. Toxoplasmosis was mentioned
above and is best prevented by keeping your animals away from cat
droppings. If a cat has eaten rodents, it is sure to be a carrier of
the Toxoplasmosis bacteria and will transmit it through its feces.
It is important with this in mind, to make certain that your hay
does not have or come from places that have cats living and dropping
in it. Tetanus potential can be minimized by removing any rusty
metal whatsoever from contact with any animals. This includes any
rusty, barbed and or sharp wire on which animals can become injured.
We also administer a wormer (Ivormectin) every few months as a
preventative. We do everything we can to secure our facility from
entry by stray animals, feral cats and the like. Finally, we are
careful to prevent injury as much as possible by maintenance and
housekeeping practices, as well as by careful design of facilities
to minimize hazards to little eyes, limbs and heads. These are the
basics and focus on prevention. Prevention is always better than
treatment in the long run.
If there is a single greatest threat to a Macropod, it would
probably be stress. Wallabies and Kangaroos are flight animals whose
best defense is to flee from danger. Sudden loud noises or fast
moving animals or objects can trigger a panic reflex and the
subsequent flight instinct takes over. Under conditions of panic, a
Wallaby can suddenly forget that it is standing next to a fence and
try to run right through it. If continuing to be faced with
conditions resulting in panic, such as an approaching dog, the
Wallaby can run repeatedly into the same fence and could potentially
injure or even kill themselves doing it. You must guard against
domestic neighborhood stray dogs as well as your own if you have
them. There is nothing more natural than the predator dog pursuing
an animal with the gentle nature of a prey animal. That which is Fun
for the dog, is deadly for the Wallaby. Stress can come in the form
of constant and more subtle things like being constantly harassed by
a small child, or even from efforts to capture to provide treatment
or medication. The capture and restraint considerations of medical
necessity are one of the best reasons to bottle raise Roos.
Providing medical assistance to wilder animals is always more
difficult and more dangerous. Under any conditions, a stressful
environment absolutely must be avoided.
If there is a single most perplexing medical condition affecting
some Wallabies and Kangaroos from time to time, it is “Lumpy Jaw”
and you might have guessed, is often marked by swelling in the jaw
area of the face. Lumpy Jaw is actually a bacterial infection and
has been known to affect other areas such as the legs and feet,
where it is suspected that a penetrating injury opens the door to
infection. If the bacteria responsible for Lumpy Jaw infect the
bone, it becomes very difficult to treat effectively. Surgical
removal of infected bone and tissue become necessary along with
aggressive antibiotic therapy. Infection actually traced to the
specific bacteria that is responsible for Lumpy Jaw is actually
quite rare. Still, swelling and infection in the area of the jaw and
face are not uncommon and must be treated quickly and decisively in
our experience. We have successfully treated lumpy jaw by the
surgical implantation of beads, made of polymethylmethacrylate
(horse hoof repair material) which has been impregnated with
antibiotics appropriate for the treatment of anaerobic bacteria.
If provided with correctly designed and well maintained
environmental conditions, Macropods will thrive with little
difficulty. Mostly the little things will raise their head: a
scraped paw or broken nail. We have even had animals pull their
teeth out by biting a fence. Anything can and will tend to happen
though, just like real life!! So be prepared for the little things
common to your particular pet, and have a good veterinarian
available.
In conclusion, we are making no effort to even begin to describe the
many varied medical maladies that are possible with Macropods. It is
important to note that there are a number of sources of published
medical and specific treatment recommendations available. This
information should be obtained along with all other pertinent
information when considering the acquisition of any species of
Macropod or Marsupial.
We also want to make it clear that these guidelines are at their
most basic, to say the least. This thumbnail outline is in no way
intended to be a complete guide of care for any specific animal. It
has been written in such a way as to require one to seek further
information, in an effort to avoid its use as a care manual. The
wide variety of existing Marsupials or Macropods for that matter,
and their own individual requirements, make it impossible to provide
more in the space allowed. Please do your homework. Exotic Animal
care is unlike caring for the needs of the average domestic animal.
If you desire to learn more, or acquire one of the animals described
herein, please contact a reputable breeder and request specific
information.
“Rocky” a Red Kangaroo and “Velvet” an Albino Bennetts
Wallaby
Wallabies and Kangaroos will make incredible companions when you
invest the time to hand raise them. The bond shared by the average
owner of one of these larger Macropods and their pet can be
unbelievable. It is most important to recognize that animals reared
in this fashion become as strongly emotionally attached to us as we
do them. They are purely and completely dependent on their surrogate
parent for many months and one must be prepared for the rigors of
raising a Baby. You will be up at 4 in the morning when baby cries
and needs its “Ba-Ba.” They need you to hold them when they are
frightened or cold. And they often just lay their pouch playing with
their feet. They are Babies. Like any Babies, they will provide many
years of joy (Joey) and love if they are nurtured and provided with
consistent, thoughtful conditions. So if you choose to obtain such
an animal. Please do what is best for the animal and the
neighborhood at large. BE A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER!! Thank You.
Rex Paperd
Fall City Wallaby Ranch
Fall City, Washington
(206) 354-8624
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